Tag Archives: raccoon

Winter Light

Holly and Mistletoe

needle felted anthropomorphic racoon art doll figure sculpture with felted and beaded holly, mistletoe, and working lantern
Holly and Mistletoe

My latest anthropomorphic figure is a needle felted racoon gathering holly and mistletoe by lantern light. As you may have already guessed, he will come into the gallery when we install the holiday show in mid-November. It takes a fair amount of time to create my holiday inventory, so most of what you see from this point on this year will be either winter themed, ornaments, or what might be considered more giftable items.

Holly and Mistletoe is needle felted wool over a wire and batting armature. This free standing sculpture balances on its feet, tail and lantern staff. His felted basket is full of holly with hand sewn glass bead berries. His head and lantern staff are festooned with felted mistletoe with white glass bead berries. The lantern is felted wool over metalic tulle and fusable interfacing. The lantern hardware is made of jewelry findings and decorative notions. Inside the lantern is a “balloon light”. These tiny LED lights are made for use in decorative items. The type of balloon light I chose has a tiny switch and can be opened to replace the batteries. As you can see, I created closure clasp with a loop and decorative brad on the lantern. This allows access to the balloon light.

Work-In-Progress?

Since I do have a little time before I bring this piece in to the gallery, I think I am still considering these images as work-in-progress shots. Should I tie the legs, tail, and staff together with some sort of base? I am also wondering if I should add some more width to his tail to make it fluffier? Now, that I’ve asked that second question out loud, I realize that answering yes to that, may negate the first question. Making the tail thicker may make his stance even more stable.

I’ve also been busy recently creating some special pieces that are intended as gifts, so I can’t share them quite yet as I don’t want to spoil the surprise! When they’ve landed in their future homes, I’ll share them here.

Raccoon and Kangaroos?

A Raccoon With a Daisy For You

“For You” is a young raccoon holding out a daisy. He is offering his flower up to the viewer. I’m not sure if he intends to share the flower itself, or merely a chance to sniff and see if it has a sweet sent. Either way, he engages the viewer to move in a bit closer, and smile.

For You - anthropomorphic raccon needle felted art doll sculpture holding felted daisy
For You

For You, is needle felted wool over a wire and quilt batting armature. He contains stuffing beads as well to provide ballast and volume. His daisy is needle felted wool over wire. He also features large glass bead eyes, and some prominant fishing line whiskers.

Kanga and Roo?

Kanga and Roo is an anthropomorphic Kangaroo sculpture that features a momma and her baby. The joey kangaroo waves at the viewer from the security of mom’s pouch. Momma Kanga appears to be proudly pointing out her progeny.

Kanga and Roo - anthropomorphic kangaroo needle felted art doll sculpture with joey in pouch
Kanga and Roo

Kanga and Roo are needle felted wool over a wire and quilt batting armature. They both have hand sewn glass bead eyes. This pair will likely hop into HGA for my feature show in September, but keep an eye out, sometimes they become available early. I will let you know when either Kanga and Roo, or their raccoon friend, For You, become available.

Helping Sunflower Stand Tall

It is impossible to filter out all that happens in the world, and just create sculptures that depict cute happy little creatures. So, I’ve responded by creating some cute happy little creatures trying to say or do a bit more. “Helping Sunflower” is the next piece that will be available during my feature show in May. In this sculpture, three woodland creatures are working together to help a sunflower stand tall and straight.

Helping Sunflower is needle felted wool sculpture over a wire and quilt batting armature form. Anthropomorphic raccoon, mouse and robin work together to help a sunflower
Helping Sunflower

Ukrainian Sunflower

The whole world is now aware of the sunflower as symbol of Ukrainian national identity. We are also painfully conscious of that nation and its people’s need for help right now. I decided to depict that need and hopefully the resulting aid through this piece. My blossom is being aided by a trio of woodland animals.

Racoon Stability

Helping Sunflower is needle felted wool sculpture over a wire and quilt batting armature form. Anthropomorphic raccoon, mouse and robin work together to help a sunflower
Helping Sunflower – Raccoon detail

The raccoon at the base of the sculpture is doing more than holding up the stem of the sunflower. I filled his bottom with a small pouch of glass gems so that he provides ballast to this taller than average sculpture. His construction is needle felted wool over foam, batting and wire. His glass bead eyes are sewn and felted in place, and his whiskers are fishing line knotted in place. The fur is purposely felted in with ends loose to provide a fluffy fur coat and tail.

Mouse Has The Leaves

Helping Sunflower is needle felted wool sculpture over a wire and quilt batting armature form. Anthropomorphic raccoon, mouse and robin work together to help a sunflower
Helping sunflower – mouse detail

A field mouse is perched on one leaf while he steadies another. His construction is felted wool over quilt batting. The mouse eyes and whiskers are the same as his raccoon friend.

Robin Provides Sunflower Air Support

Helping Sunflower is needle felted wool sculpture over a wire and quilt batting armature form. Anthropomorphic raccoon, mouse and robin work together to help a sunflower
Helping Sunflower – robin detail

At the very top a robin in flight grasps a petal in his beak. The robin was the trickiest element construction wise. I wanted to make sure he appeared to be pulling the flower upward. The wire armature travels up through the petal edge and on into the bird. The wing edges are left purposely loose to give the illusion of movement. The robin features needle felted wool over wire and batting with hand sewn glass bead eyes. The sunflower incorporates recycled chopsticks and wire in its stem, a machine stitched center that provides the illusion of seeds, and individually formed petals.

The sculpture will be at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts beginning May 24th.