New Goddess Shapes

When I first started making the goddesses, I filled a few sketchbook pages with ideas.  I started with the simpler ones at first and they have been very successful, but I felt like trying out a new shape.

I had initially intended to make them flat, almost two dimensional because I wanted to stamp and stencil on them, but I felt they are much better with some form.  It just makes the stamping and stenciling a wee bit harder, but it is worth the extra effort.

After much persuasion by friends, I have finally set up a Facebook Page, specifically for my art.  It was simpler to do than I expected and I hope I can keep up with it.  Oh, I even managed to put a link on the right, here.

Cailleach Bheur

I hope I am not overdoing my talisman chatter.  I have worked very hard these past several days on a number of art projects. I am experimenting with a new idea for goddess brooches, but need to take some decent photos of those before showing you and I have worked on my larger boundaries painting, which still isn't resolved yet.  But I do have new talismans to show!  This one is called Cailleach Bheur, named after the Celtic goddess of winter..

 

Goddess Brooches

 I have been asked a couple of times if I could make the goddesses parts of the talismans as stand-alone brooches and I have been pondering the question for a while.

I would need to make the figure smaller than my current ones as I feel nearly 4" is a bit large for a brooch, especially with the additional dangly bits, so I am aiming at 3" for the figure.

The next question I had was how to attach the clasps, bearing in mind I don't think glue cuts the mustard?  I tried various methods while the clay was soft, but I kept on damaging the sculpting, so I finally hit on the idea of making the figure, baking it and then attaching the clasp with some more clay (and liquid Fimo), then baking again.  It worked!

The rest has been plain sailing and is very much like the work I do to prepare the figure ready to attach to the panel, I really enjoy this part.

So, here they are, my first batch, I think I am going to enjoy making more of these.

Talisman Experiments

I seem to have more ideas for talisman variations than time to make them!  I had an idea that I wanted to do a black one, initially intending for the background and beads to be all black (or variations), but, somehow, colour has crept in.  I have started to name them, this one is named after the Welsh goddess, Cerridwyn.

I have been experimenting with arty photos of the talismans.  I am gradually getting them listed in my Etsy shop at last and I thought the different angles would add a bit of pizzazz to the listings.  Although I have had this Etsy shop for a couple of years now, I have never used it properly, partly because my stock tends to sell before I get the chance to list anything.

Talisman Progress

I started making the talismans in February and struggled with new techniques and had quite an uphill journey figuring out how to best assemble all the elements to ensure they lasted well (I was determined not to use glue).

The hardest part for me, at the beginning, was using the polymer clay, but I feel so much more accomplished with the material now and, although I am no quicker at making them, I do feel the latest goddesses are tidier and more polished.

I also feel I have improved other technical aspects like the background is now on heavy watercolour paper and not canvas to avoid the frayed edges I got with canvas.  I am more confident with my sewing machine, in adding all the elements.  I now varnish the background before adding the goddess, which helps keep dust off and I am much better at soldering the jewellery elements as well as being more experimental with them.

SOLD

These two are the latest, recently finished - I am having so much fun with them!

More Juggling

I am still working on the larger abstract and I need to get it further along before I can photograph it properly.  It is stapled to the wall in a recess and a large shadow falls down one side of the painting.  I will be able to remove it when it is very near completion and photograph it then.

On my last post, I talked about the projects I have on the go, but I had managed to "forget" about a commission piece I am working on for a yoga studio.  That also is in progress and the deadline is fast approaching!  What is it Terry Pratchett said about deadlines?  "I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."  Well I don't, I am terrible at working under pressure.  Fortunately, most of the work is done and it is just the final layer that needs to be done, but of course, that is the hardest one.

Anyway, because I don't like to post without including a picture (we artists like a visual, don't we?), here is another completed talisman.

Newest Talisman: The Dancer

While I get on with my larger "boundaries" piece, here is another talisman I finished recently.  I manipulated the figure before baking, so she has a dynamic twist and it looks like she is dancing with her hula hoop.

Hopefully, I will have something to show on the latest boundaries painting, I am still at the early texturising stage, currently.

Goddess of the Night Talisman

I am in the middle of a very busy week, so although some artwork is being done every day, not much is getting finished.

I have plans for a large abstract on the "boundaries" theme and am busily planning some larger stencils so they fill the space adequately and I have stapled a large canvas directly to the wall.   I am looking forward to getting messy on that project soon!

Here is a finished talisman, it feels like night in this one, so I have called her the "Goddess of the Night".

Another project, I am working on is an embroidery section for a collaborative piece based on definitions of the word "liminal".  The section I have chosen to do, sort of fits in with my "boundaries" theme and is:

"the site of the border of any stable system of signs,"

I am at the gathering materials stage and figuring out how to display the words.

New Talismans in Progress

I have some backgrounds prepared, ready to be assembled into more talismans.  They are very satisfying to make, the whole process employs so many different techniques: painting, stenciling, stamping, collage, scribing, sewing and that is before I get to the really fun part of adding the little figures and their jewels.

When I started on the background sheets last week, I took photos, intending to do a step-by-step of the process, but I got involved this week and totally forgot to take more photos.  I will do this at some time, promise!

Work in Progress

Time has been short this week for art and I am desperate to get back to my new project.

Meanwhile, here are some more clay goddess blanks that I have sculpted.  From these I can make more elaborate ones, with individual features, holes for threading, etc.   They are just over 2" tall.

I must credit Karen Scofield for the technique of making these little pieces.

I may get a chance to make some porcelain ones at the weekend, plus I have some Cernit modelling clay on order.

The "boundaries" project is also ongoing, I have some new ideas that I want to investigate as well.

Fearless Friday

Just for fun and to see if I could do it, I made a little Willendorf Venus (about an inch and a half long).  It was fun and took several attempts before I got it right.

I think I need to smooth out the nail marks before she gets baked.