Elsita's secret garden

It all started last winter- remember?


She sat waiting for a long time- this new sculpture with the unfamiliar structured shape. I didn't know what to do with her. I really wanted the shape to dictate the result.

I tried this. Sure...it could be done. But was it too "Alice-ie" in time when Alice had just been released upon us and everyone was crazy in love? By the way- just saw it for the first time and I, too, heart Alice.


So "Off with her head!" Or "Off with the birdcage! By the way, I wasn't kidding- I can't find it-its not ever shown up again...

Then this came about and I was off and running. So I thought. There's been a lot of stops and starts along this path.


But, finally, here she is. She's formally named-
Elsita's secret garden


Elsita is a name I came across while blog hopping. I can't find it since then but it was a South American doll artist. Perhaps Venezuela? I thought this lady looked like a south American beauty and so I borrow the name.


Elsita is by far the most 'decorative' of the sculptures I've done. The wire I wrapped around her undulates in contrast with her linear shape. It flows and travels a path around her. It ends (Or does it begin?)with a key. The colors are meant to be vivid, triumphant but mysterious. I hope the whole piece conveys a sense of mysteriousness and secrets.




Every garden should have butterflies and roses. If you look closely at the picture above you can see a trail of tiny butterflies.




By the way- I teased you about the captured spaces and the enamel based paint I used within them. Well, its nail polish. Pearl, turquoise, burgundy and red. Just wanted to give it a try.





The flower inside is an old fashioned wild rose- not the kind we see today in the florist shops. Its made from paper clay. I shaped each petal and leaf and then used wire to assemble the whole flower. The butterflies I found in the jewelry supplies dept at Michaels. Of course, I added nail polish to 'bring the outside in' as it were.

There are plenty of things I would do differently if I were to create a sister for her. I never will. Off to the next thing. I learned a lot on this project and can't help but wonder if its knowledge I will ever put to use as each project seems to take on a life of its own.

Anyhow- what do you think? If anyone knows of this Elsita who blogs let me know, I'd like to let her know I borrowed her name and see what she thinks of my Elsita:)