Skip to main content


Last Summer there was an alien in my yard.  


This summer she is finished.  A full fledged sculpture.

My first ever project of a large scale.

My most detailed endeavor.  Tons of planning and drawing and researching.
Every flower chosen for the element that I connect with.  Zinnia are so unapologetic, fervent and joyous.  Calla lilies are so very elegant and simple in their shape.  The leaves of the Calla Lily are just as strong and elegant as the blossom. 


So long I wondered just what was she all about.  She knew, she always knew.  But Art Prize made me give her a title which became= Life Cycle; bounty of joy and sorrow.  There's a long story that goes with the title.  All about stages in life from that of childhood dreams ( the ballerina) to soaring free as a young adult- (the dove) to realizing maturity and the strength that comes from knowing one's self.  Knowing where one has been, what has been and what is yet unknown but welcome.  That is what this sculpture has been about. 


I learned so much.  How to make hands.  How to create a face and a persona.


I had not  sculpted an animal before.

This one took a tumble down the stairs with me.

Because I always want to do everything all at once I decided that her finished appearance should be that of cloisonee`.  I used wire to outline the shapes of the leaves and planned that the shapes would be filled in to the point where they would seem that they might overflow.  But intrigued with the depth of the spaces I thought I should include glass because it has thickness and translucency all at once.  I had a local stained glass person crush glass into bits for me.  He was so tired of it that he quit 1/2 way through the project.  Turns out I had plenty- have plenty left over too!

Let's not forget that those flowers could not just be flat- oh no, they must have depth and dimension.  Turns out those sculpting tools they sell are really helpful for well- sculpting!

But today....today she left me.  She was packed up in a large box and slid into the back of a vehicle and transported to her new home for the next two and half weeks.  She made the journey quite nicely.  I, however, have aged a decade- from nerves alone.  A years worth of work- late, late hours, a house neglected, a family perhaps neglected (they still love me- I think) thrown in the back  and driven way.



The neglected family looks well, considering.


I however, am tired and a little loopy.


It will be interesting to see what the next two and a half weeks bring!  Thanks for bearing with me during my absence :)  It will be just awhile before blogging gets back to normal.  I'll keep you posted as to what goes on at Art Prize.  Tonight I went to an opening party that seemed pretty benign- until the man who wore a suit coat and a tangerine skirt with matching pumps showed up.  Yep.  You can always count on a cross dresser to liven things up!  Artists!





Comments

  1. Hello, Christine
    Wow, I am in awe of your sculpture. All of the amazing details and the patience it must have taken to sculpture her. She is beautifully created! Thank you for sharing with us all.
    Have a lovely week!
    Teresa S. in California and in Cloth and Clay

    ReplyDelete
  2. ~Wow! What an incredible piece. I'd love to see her in 'the flesh' bet she is even more incredible. Definitely worth all the hard labour!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh goodness Chris... it's sonthin', isn't it, how much of ourselves we put into these things we create? I'm not sure I could have spent a year, I am not patient enough, I want it all done NOW.

    She's beautiful, absolutely lovely... and you did a wonderful job bringing her beauty out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A fantastic Journey you have taken from alien to the symbolism of each flower and detail! Congrats!! Just beautiful :D

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ahhh your work is lovely.....you 3D people amaze me! So in awe of that talent. Enjoy your honest blogging and great humor!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Chris- I am catching up and I have to tell you that you should be so proud- your sculpture is gorgeous and I think all the blood, sweat, tears and bruises you put into her were worth it. Congratulations my friend- you deserve this success so much!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love. Just love. You did good and should be so proud! I can almost hear her speak!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for visiting with me:)

Popular posts from this blog

A Little Summer Fun Followed By A Little Summer Anxiety!

  Yep.  Got a  little goin' on... First off-  Anything to keep these two busy!    Very first overnight camp- thought I'd be really anxious.  Turns out- not so much! A few family reunions   with a few too many pictures taken.... A little surf and sand and a husband who says "Back up...I'll get the bay in the background."   Hmmm ... looks like we're in the background and those flip flops are are pretty much the focal point of this picture.  No wonder I'm always behind the lens! Did I mention- ANYTHING TO KEEP THESE TWO BUSY???? There's been some art.... And then there's this lady.  This is the final on her face- because if I don't get this done.... Their gonna lock me away in the funny house! Oh yeah, because I just don't have enough going on.... Remember this?  The birdcage never quite made it on this lady's head but.....I did not throw it out.  Actually I lost it and finally found it under the treadmill when I

Paper Mache` vs. Creative Paper Clay vs. Paper Clay Recipe!

For those of you who work in figurative sculpture, or are art doll makers, or just like to putz around in an artsy way this post is for you. If you don't fit into the categories above this post may just be a yawn. Sorry. The following is a comparison of my experiences using three different products. Paper mache`, Creative Paper Clay, and paper clay recipe. This picture is a good example of how I like to mix up my mediums. The round flower is Creative Paper Clay. The 3-petal blossom is made from the paper clay recipe found on line. Both of these flowers adhered quite well with out any glue to the paper mache` background. In my Cloth and Clay group I have a discussion going about a paper clay recipe vs. purchasing the manufactured paper clay. I wanted an alternative to the little bricks and my dependency on whether or not my local hobby stores would have it in stock or not. And, truthfully, at the time with a rather large sculpture in mind I knew I would eat through those

Craft Tutorial Alert!

Well, its the end of the school year.  Time to thank the two ladies that influenced my children in a great direction!  I didn't want to donate to the gift card.  Why?  Because I'm not a joiner?  Because I want to stand out rather than share the spotlight?  Because I want a personalized gift that they can keep and always remember?  Because I want to impress upon them that I can't participate as a classroom volunteer because (loud children scare me) I've been so busy working and being creative?  Because I want to do both gifts for very little money but not look cheap?  Bingo. I saw an ornament made from a puzzle piece in a magazine and it stuck with me.  'I should do something like that' I always think.  Then the idea came to me and unfortunately would not leave me- like ringworm.  I would make a mobile. I found the very largest puzzle I could find at my local store.  Turns out the fewer the pieces- the larger they tend to be.  This 4.00 puzzle had