I’ve decided to give myself some time to work on more complex sculptural pieces. I want to explore a bit and get away from making things that are perceived to be toys for children. I also want to depart from feeling that the pattern I make for each piece has to be replicable and that I shouldn’t put too much time into a single work when I know that I won’t be able to sell it at a price that would truly compensate me for that time.
Instead I am thinking about soft sculptures that are truly one-of-a-kind in that there won’t be another made with just that pattern. Pieces that tend to take many hours of complicated work are really interesting to tackle and I feel a stronger connection with the end product.
So what does that all mean? Well, it may mean somewhat less frequent posts. Please know that it is not because I’m not working. I am working, but each piece may take longer to complete.
To begin I took a trip to the library last week for these books.
I really like all the animal images in folk art. I’m starting to see my work as a form of folk art, too.
And did some sketching of peafowl (I just love to say "peafowl").
And then I made a new bird sculpture, inspired by the form of a peahen.
Her wings and feathers are silk and the rest of her is cotton muslin and wire.
wow i am very impressed by this peafowl. awesomeness.
i think it is wonderful you are wanting to do more coplex time consuming pieces! i understand the pleasure of sitting down and starting something and finishing it in a day. but i also sometimes spend weeks on something. it is often frustrating dealing with larger things with a bunch of details but i think that in the end when you pull back and it is finished all those little details become something larger than the simply the sum of it’s parts. all those details really make characters i think. btw go check out my goblin i have been working on for a while now. he was a long drawn out project (laziness and wandering craft attention doesn’t help lol)
Wow, that is beautiful, Abby.
I think it’s interesting that you’ve decided to go with more complex sculptures while I’ve decided to go with simpler. Interesting, but it seems very understandable to me. I love complex, but I think my skills aren’t there yet, and I can spend days/months creating something that, at the end, I’m not pleased with. On the other hand, you’ve been patterning and sewing animals & shapes for some time, and I can really see this move to more complex pieces making sense for you! Not that your current ones aren’t already complex, but I think I know what you’re meaning.
Lovely peafowl!
LOVE the Peahen!
Oh, Abby, it’s gorgeous!!
Ooooh beautiful!
You design what I like to call “rush plush” – as in, it is a rush to see what you sew up next. 🙂
The legs and feet construction are really something–I think you are going in the right direction for yourself. Keep on doing what you do!
this peahen is amazing! it’s a true accomplishment to really begin to analyze your work and actively take it in a new direction. it’s important to do what you feel is necessary to be satisfied by your work (and i’m still learning that this means NOT focusing on what will sell and how much you can sell it for, etc.). Keep up the amazing work and I look forward to your future posts (even if they aren’t as frequent)!
oh yes, how do I say anything other than wow! amazing, that bird “stands” with such pride, like he KNOWS that he is not a child’s toy but is one of the new breed, the evolution to Art! wonderous.
i think what youve decided is fantastic and i cant wait to see what happens next. ive always said you do art. 🙂
I understand what you’re saying. I think our brains need more stimulation and this is what happens…more complex designs. I like peafowl too…
just beautiful Abby!
xx