"Shaelin's New Nest" - OOAK Faery

 Warning: photos really don't do this sculpture justice. Honestly, her face, clothing and the bird look much better in person. That being said...

Yay! I was actually able to complete a concept I had locked in my otherwise scatterbrained head for over a month now. I started with the concept of a faery trying to hoist a bird out of the nest, much to the bird's annoyance. That was followed a few weeks later by a trip to the art store to buy the nest. I mean, have you actually sat down and tried to make a bird's nest for yourself? No really. Have you? Not. Fun. Aside the nest, the rest of this art doll sculpture is completely hand made. As usual - no molds.

I started with the bird's armature and then completed the bird before moving onto Shaelin's armature. In my original thought, I had pictured a much smaller faery, but realized her arm span would have to be grotesquely ... lengthy. lol So there you have it. Shaelin was created to be about 7 inches tall if she were standing upright. Her face is about the size of an American nickel.

Penny is actually touching her hair - it's not in the foreground.

I think she's related to Tara from "Tara and the Toad", as she's rather impish and loves causing mischief for small critters.

Her wings are hand made just like all my other faeries. This time, I added brass filigree (hard to see in the photos, sorry) and brown jewels. I decided to go wild with some swirls at the "ribbing" and I think they turned out awesome.

Gotta love faery wings!

On another note, if you're in the Southern NH area, google map 29 Howard Street in Wilton NH and make a large red permanent marker note on your calender to be there between 10am to 4pm on Mother's Day weekend!! It's the Riverview Artists' Mill's open studios. Lampworking, bead supplies, pottery, silver and gold smithing, water color painters, energy workers, soap makers, dresses.... oh... and my sculptures! Will all be there. ^_^

Lastly, I'd like to thank Lori Ferguson  for featuring me in her awesome art blog, Madd Dogg of Tomorrow. Be sure to check out, comment and subscribe! Later in the week, I'll be featuring her work here on my blog (been meaning to do that with a lot of my favorite artists, jewelers, and otherwise totally cool people).

Green Girl Boxes - without the boxes? Oh dear....

The first polymer creations I started my business with were whimsical takes on the Green Man - my "Green Girls". So called because for a while in the beginning, all my faces looked rather feminine no matter what I tried. These are humanesque faces that I sculpt completely by hand - molds are for wimps! (just kidding, I love all clay artists. Even moldy ones.) Then I cut out and vein tedious little maple, birch and (sometimes) oak and ivy leaves by hand with a little knife and arrange them as I see fit around the face. After the sculpture cures, I paint them to give the illusion of tarnishing copper.

These sculptures are great in shadow boxes to adorn a wall, but more popular are my jewelry type boxes. I started purchasing lovely, affordable wooden boxes with magnetic clasps from a craft supply store back in October. They are the perfect size and great quality for my needs. I stain the boxes, create free hand celtic knotwork on 2 sides and the front with green and gold paint, glaze the box, felt it, and then crown it with an original green girl.

My problem now, is that after all these months, with 2 shops keeping them in stock and at least 2 other shop keepers interested in carrying them, I can't get those perfect blank wooden boxes any more! I used to use larger boxes with base metal clasps before I went to these little magnetic ones. I'd rather not go back to those boxes because I feel the clasp just doesn't match as well as it should. Scallop shell base metal with celtic knots? Eh. But now I'm at a loss of what to do aside take up wood working. Anyone know where I can get a cheap lathe and a few acres of birch?

If there's anything I've learned from this, it's to not rely on a single supplier for what will be a staple item. Now I'll have to find replacement boxes and I'm a little nervous that those who wanted these exact types won't be that happy with them/me.

This was my first box sold online. It's small and hexagon in shape - it was very hard to work with when it came to painting the little knot and felting it inside. I hope I don't have to return to these!