"Fade"

I've had this piece in the back of my mind for quite some time.....years, in fact, but I never quite found the time to realize it.

This is the initial watercolour sketch.....three frogs on a log with the colour successively fading from them.

I decided a couple of months ago that I wanted to make this piece (finally!) for my exhibition in August, so I knuckled down and got it done in the past week. First I had to make three fabric frogs:

Since these are quite small, this is tricky and intricate fabric piecing, and they all needed to be in slightly different poses.

The frogs were then arranged side-by-side on a piece of wood that I have had set aside for this project for ages..........I painted the fade into the wood as well.

Of course, it is fairly obvious that this piece has a strong environmental message: frogs and amphibians generally, are "canary-in-the-mine" species.....their sudden decline and disappearance from many habitats indicate that all is not well with the ecology of these habitats. Presence of frogs is a strong indication of environmental health.

Exhibition

I'm busy getting the last few pieces of work done for my upcoming exhibition in Victoria......these two were completed this week:
"Weeping Forest" 2

Memento Mori: Ligatus:

Girl in White

This little girl is now complete:

I really enjoyed making this little madam!

A Little Miss With A Mind Of Her Own

This doll I am working on seems to know her own mind! I had no idea where to go with her, but she kept suggesting things, like the one-piece underwear that simply "everyone" is wearing. And the lace collar that will go on her dress......but she didn't want the dirty old stuff from my box of vintage laces. No, she insisted on new lace that I made myself. Well, fine crochet in cotton is a bit of a challenge for me these days, especially when done at night, but I got it made to her satisfaction.
She seems to like the wig I made her alright, even though it is still messy and not stuck on her head yet.
Hope she's not too fussy about her dress, but I expect she will be!
This is a jointed cloth doll around 32 cms tall (12.5") with joints at the hips and shoulders. The wig is hand-knotted Lincoln wool dyed a dark blonde shade.

Sister and Brother

I have just completed this boy and girl pair as a special order.....for a very patient customer who has waited quite a while for them! I really like making these little dolls - they are a satisfying size to me (12" - around 30 cms) and I just love making their tiny, removable garments and the little toys and things that they hold. I admit that I didn't make this violin (found it in the music store) ......but I did make the bow!

I'll be offering a limited number of these as special custom orders through my Etsy store: http://www.susiemcmahon.etsy.com  for details.

Beavering away.....,...,

In my studio this week.........after an intensive weekend's music making at our annual Winter Music Camp. We workshopped Mendelssohn's Reformation symphony as the major work along with a number of shorter, easier pieces........(Debussy - En Bateau; some bits of Tales of Hoffmann by Offenbach and an amusing Leroy Anderson piece - The Waltzing Cat (complete with miaows and dog barks!)
So it's back to work this week - a lot of finishing off to get done.