Monthly Archives: June 2024

Octopus Escape

Does That Octopus look Familiar?

This little octopus may look familiar, as she is a rework of an earlier piece. You may recall that I created a “teapot” purse sculpture for the Cedar Creek Gallery bi-annual National Teapot Show last year? That functional (purse) – non-functional (teapot) sculpture occupied our HGA window for a month or so. It seems direct late spring North Carolina sun was a bit too much, and the red of the octopus sun bleached a bit. The subtle color difference was undetectable to most, but I knew it was there. The sculpture came back to the studio for some rehab.

Needle felted anthropomorphic octopus sculpture holding a shell on head
Fashion Or Camouflage?

I loved the original sculpture and its nod to the popular documentary My Octopus Teacher, but I didn’t want to just refresh it. I removed the little figure from her perch on top of the teapot/purse, and repositioned her. She needed some (actually a lot) additional suckers for the bottom of several legs. She also needed a color refresh in her faded areas. I accomplished this by overfelting more fiber in those areas. Luckily, I had some of that wool left! Her scallop shell accessory, is an addition inspired by the original MOT doc, and a newer docuseries on National Geographic. In both, you see these intelligent creatures utilize a variety of objects. This octopus now asks the question “Fashion Or Camouflage?”

This new-ish version of this octopus is needle felted wool over quilt batting. She does not have an internal wire armature. Her pose is accomplished by stategic sewing and felting. The eyes are iridecent black glass beads. The scallop shell is needle felted wool over quilt batting.

Needle felted anthropomorphic octopus sculpture holding a shell on head
Fashion Or Camouflage 2

Fashion Or Camouflage is headed to HGA next month for my feature show.

Finished up several more “Flutterbys” last week. Five Flutterbys (these three and the two I shared last week) will have to be the limit. It was starting to feel a bit like production, and that’s where I tend to bow out. I like to keep such items special. They will become available when the show installs on July 22nd.

green sea turtle wall hanging sculpture. needle felted crazy quilt shell patchwork

Wall Sculptures:

Green Sea Turtle and Flutterbys?

I haven’t created sculptures for the wall in quite some time. At one point almost all my sculptures were wall hanging. Over time I’ve found my niche in pedestal top scale works. So, why some wall pieces this time around? Partially, it is what evolved out of the ideas I was sketching. I just followed where those works were leading me. But equally, it is a “necessity being the mother of invention” situation.

As the year has progressed, factors outside of our control have lead to my upcoming feature show being myself and just one other HGA artist, Ellie Snow. This is both great and terrifying at the same time. If you visit her website, you will see that there will no doubt be interesting and vibrant interplay between her abstacted landscapes and my creatures. That’s the great part, the terrifying portion is that our HGA feature shows usually include two 2D artists, and one 3D. Since there will be more available wall space this time around, I let myself follow sketches that cried to be wall hung. In the past, I would have figured out how to support such pieces on a base. Instead, I am letting them swim, crawl, or fly on the wall as they please.

Yuri The Wall Turtle

Yuri is named after a character in a YA novel titled Yuri’s Brush With Magic. Set on the North Carolina coast, this book was one of many written by my late mother-in-law, Maureen. The book weaves together Japanese folklore, art, magic, and turtle conservation. In this sculpture I pay homage to one of her other artistic endeavors, art quilts. Continuing my exploration of patterns I decided on a green sea turtle, where each segment of shell could be unique.

green sea turtle wall hanging sculpture. needle felted crazy quilt shell patchwork
Yuri

I drew from some of the pieces already completed for this upcoming show. You will find the zentangles, giraffe patterning, paisley, and what appears to be tie dye. Interspersed with my felted sections, are fabrics from the quilter’s stash. One area is made from precut squares that were, I assume, ready to be pieced together? The result, recalls “crazy quilt” technique. The “green” turtle also incorporates pieces from a recycled wool sweater on her head, flippers and tail.

Yuri’s construction keeps both wall, and pedestal top display possible. I included wire in the flippers and head, but her body is more of a large “bean bag” with poly pellets providing the volume and weight. Loops of high weight fishing line are stictched strategically under the base of one flipper, so she hangs in the position shown. She is a large piece measuring approximately 20 inches across.

Fluttering By

I’ve also created a series of whimsical creatures for the wall that are a hybrid of a butterfly and a human form. I’m refering to them as Flutterbys.

anthropomorphic butterly/human hybrid wall sculptures. Needle felted and wet felted elements
Flutterbys

The Flutterbys are a mix of needle and wet felting techniques. The base of their wings were achieved by nuno felting. This is a technique that involves wet felting on to a net like fabric. This allows you to achieve a very thin felted material. I then needle felt the additional detail elements on the wings.

The wings areattached to thin wire supports at their upper edges, and the human figures start with pipe cleaners. These are wrapped first in black yarn, and then finished with needle felted black wool. Wire and beads complete the antenna, and pressing with spray starch adds additional structure to their wings. They also hang from stitched fishing line on their back.

Remember to save-the-date: Friday, July 26th from 6-9pm, for the Natural Patterns reception. Stop by to see Yuri, the Flutterbys and all their pedestal top friends!