I didn’t know what they were either.

Recently I came across several posts on social media where the poster was very excited about finding a house hippo. These were usually accompanied by a photo of a figure from a thrift shop. I became intrigued. What was a house hippo, and why would someone be so exicted to find one?

So I Searched House Hippo (digitally)…

I found information about a Canadian public service announcement commercial from 1999. The original ad campaign was aimed at helping kids decern fact from fiction on television. An updated version was launched in 2019 and focuses on digital media by Media Smarts.

Take the time to click the link above to the original commercial. It is charming, and effective. The former science educator in me loves it when critical thinking is delivered in a creative way. No wonder people were happy to find a house hippo of their own. I decided to create one. Now, someone can come across this one in the gallery and provide it with a happy home.

As you see, he already found a potato chip to snack on. Maybe that may help to keep him out of the snack cupboard? However, I can’t make any promises that he will not steal a sock or two to make his nest.

This sculpture was created without a wire armature. His stout little legs are more than sturdy enough for him to stand on. He is needle felted wool over a core of quilt batting. I mixed two different tones of grey to make his hide. The eyes are irridecent glass beads that are sewn in place. The potato chip is needle felted wool, and felted in place. I added a few whiskers by sewing in dark “transparent” thread, and eyelashes by working the wool above the eyes with a reverse needle.

This little hippo will show up at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts soon. Of course, I have to bring myself to let him go from my house first.