Aesop's Satyr is SLOWLY Coming Together!

His arms are just pinned in place, as I work on 

painting him.  I used some thinned down 

burnt umber for a base-coat and then added

a bit of blush around his face.

I will begin to layer translucent coats of

color to his head, neck, upper body, legs and hands...

I want to build up the color... and when he

says; "I'm done..."  then I'll be done!  Daryle 

Aesop's Satyr Has Hands!

His hands are sculpted with paper clay

and wrapped florist's wire... then glued

to the wooden upper arm craft finials.

Thunder Snow... in South Jersey!

It was both wild and a little unnerving... the "thunder snow" that we had overnight.  The sky would lighten up with flashes of lightening and then (house shaking) claps of thunder! The trees that are gently bending and touching the snow in the background are some of our 12-15 foot cedars; this morning a bit "top heavy" with snow!  But like the rest of us; they will "bounce back" in time!  Solomon, in his wisdom was right: "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven."

Our boxwood is hanging low, under the weight of the new fallen snow...

We're staying home today...  Warms Wishes from the new "snow belt" in South Jersey! Daryle & Katie

Aesop's Satyr...

I'm working on a new doll... based upon Aesop's fable of the man and the satyr (half-man and half-goat). For me, the moral of the story reflects some strong, biblical principles.  More to come... you can be sure!

Remember Aesop's Fables? Here's my favorite!

As a child growing up, I loved reading Aesop's fables.  As an adult, one of my favorites is told about a man and a satyr.  It goes like this:  

A man had lost his way in a woods one bitter winter's night. As he was roaming about, a satyr came up to him, and finding that he had lost his way, offered to give him lodging for the night, and guide him out of the dark woods in the morning light. As he went along to the satyr's home, the man raised both his hands to his mouth and kept on blowing at them.  "What do you do that for?" asked the satyr. "My hands are numb with the cold," said the man, "and my breath warms them."  After this they arrived at the satyr's home, and soon the satyr put a bowl of hot soup before him. The man raised his spoon to his mouth, and he began blowing upon it. "And what do you do that for?" inquired the satyr. "The soup is too hot, and my breath will cool it."  With that, the satyr rose from the table and said; "Out you go... for I will have nothing to do with a man who can blow both hot and cold with the same breath."

And the moral of the story is...

"Phaeton"... basking in the moment!

I love this photo of him... 

it was taken with the sun setting; 

creating these wonderful shadows

as a backdrop!

"Sufficient" is in the Spring 2011 Issue of ADQ!

What an honor, to find myself (well, "Phaeton" that is...) in the same issue of Art Doll Quarterly as dolls by artists like: Ankie Daanen, Catherine Zacchino, Marina Lenzino, and my all-time-favorite... Marlaine Verhelst!
This was one of those "Wow!" moments for me... Daryle

  

Ice Drops...

We once again managed to miss the brunt of the snow, sleet and freezing rain that has been hitting our Mid-Atlantic and New England states.

Outside our studio/craft room window... we were greeted by these remarkable ice drops clinging to the branches of our Chinese Maple.

The Challenge... is Met!

I just finished my doll for the

Cloth and Clay Artist's Challenge:

"Winter Fantasy"...

"Snow Angel" is a paper clay and cotton canvas doll... 

standing 17 1/2 inches tall.

His waist-coat jacket is a recycled wool blanket 

that I dyed with acrylic paint.

His wings and crown are paper clay.

I used a one-step crackle medium over his entire body.

His eyelashes were purchased at our 

local  drug store in the cosmetic section!

( and then were cut to size and painted)

 Warm Wishes... in mid-January!  Daryle

A Perfect Day... for Making a Snow Angel!

A Blue Snow Angel?

The basecoat is: soft black,

coastal blue, ocean cruise,

and azure blue... all by FolkArt.

I can't wait to get started on the topcoat

using soft whites and creams.

"Snow Angel" has a Waist-Coat Jacket!

He finally has a mouth 

and some low profile eye-lids!

I finished his boots and made a pair

of warm winter mittens using paper clay.

His little wool jacket was constructed 

using an old, recycled off-white wool blanket 

that Katie and I found at a resale shop in Ephrata, PA. 

 It is hand "dyed" with azure blue

 acrylic paint, diluted in tap water.

I allow the wool to air-dry for two hours

and then brushed on the stripes and collar accents

with some undiluted azure blue. 

His entire body and his boots have a coat of gesso 

and are ready for painting!

(I'm thinking RED boots!)  

Warm Wishes from snowy south jersey... Daryle

"Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

A bit of fresh snow...

on this Friday morning.

  We offer this haiku poem,written by Regis Auffray:

The woods are silent...

all creatures have sought refuge

as the first snow falls

Cloth and Clay Challenge... Ah, the "Winter Fantasy!"

I have finally found that window in time 

to work on my "Winter Fantasy" doll

over at Cloth and Clay...

 I envision making a "snow angel"...

ready to fall back on a blanket of

soft, freshly fallen snow!

I used paper clay over a styrofoam ball

for the head and heavy canvas for the body.

I am working on a wool waistcoat jacket

for this guy; made from a recycled blanket

that I have hand dyed. Warm Wishes... Daryle

A Feeder, By Any Other Name...

We picked up this lovely salt-glazed stoneware 

bird feeder from Eldreth Pottery 

on one of our trips to Lancaster County.

  

It serves us well and brightens 

these long winter days!