Thursday, July 16, 2009

Flame and Ash ADO challange peice

Got some nice photos of Flame and her lil companion Ash today. I hope you like them. The theme of Flame and Ash is Purfiying and Rebirth. You can see Im sure that Flame is a glaring child capable of destructive powers ,but at the same time pure and innocent with her white banadages coving her burns like a nuns habit. These are self imoliating burns as fire and smoke emerge from her mouth shown by the scaring of her cheeks and smoke stains on the bandages. The nimbus symbolizes the intense radiance and enegry within her.


Ash is like a wisp of smoke and has the face of a wize stern but, gental fellow he will see that Flame's destruction fosters beginings ,hope , growth and change. He coaxes tiny spouts to grow. He is attached with a magnet in two parts his head is able to swivel on a neck magnet for posing and the wisp of his body also can be removed from on Flames temple.

I stunned my self with the forcefulness this peice ,but also just a touch disapointed with the completed figure. It is nothing like I started out imagining!








The hair is not quite the color I wanted but, will do . Its a carrot orange with deep red tipping. I didnt get any topaz I liked for her bling but, I gave her a square rhinestone choker that I actauly wore when I was 10 till it broke. The necklace has history so, I hate to see it go ,but why hang on to things you cant use?: shrug:


Most disapointing the layering the colored clay didnt work out . I liked her much better pre-cure cause the clay yellowed and darkend in such a way that she looked ashy and dead. Yes... worse than now! So, balancing this out I painted her with a wash of white. Not wanting to heat cure her yet again I used acrylics instead of genesis. Will have to revisit to see what else emerges at a later date.
I use a white wash on most of my child figures. This has a shamanic spirit world meaning for me. Its also a devise that takes the veiwer away from predictably interpreting a literal clay skin surface. The logical mind likes to label and know it all and it flicks across a peice of art in seconds and says "ah yes I know what this is" plunks it in a labeled box and dismisses it. Does it take you seconds to be done looking ? The part of the mind I want to engage is the side that feels deeply and can stare and be facinatated or lost in what it looks at. It doesnt try to label its only a pair of fresh eager eyes.
To know what Im aiming at.. imagine my sculpts as a misty image that shifts in the light. Because it isnt flawless or entirely tangible youll find new things to see depending on the light. Like a dream child rather than a real one. Did I hit the mark? Its easy when making a painting or taking a photo to mist, blur or grain the image for mood ,in a sculpture its a whole difficnt challange! How to make something etheral thats solid and right there!?

So anyway now I am very interested in working with natural pigments and making my own gesso. I foung this link http://www.earthpigments.com/index.cfm
While out blog skiping.. who was it.. Susan Mcmahon or one of the herbal or art blogs? I dunno lemme know if you think it was you.
I remembered that I used to use gesso alot on my wooden dolls carving and sanding it for shaping.. and at some point it changed consistancy and I could never carve it again. I had no idea this was because the gesso was really acrylic rather than the traditional gesso I had the fortune to use earlier. So my old love for gesso has strirred awake! I think I will try to make some ^-^

34 comments:

  1. Oh my Nita......in a word:

    INCREDIBLE!!!


    (ps. I also like how you go into detail about the materials you use, etc., I find it fascinating - particularly after see the finished piece. You are SO talented)

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  2. Fabulous - as always, I could sit and observe your work all day and all night.

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  3. Thanks Sue:D

    I love to muse on how I hit roadblocks and work through them with diffenrt media layering. Thats how I discover new methods and I can go back and remember what I went through so, when I go through it agan I wont panic.

    Unfortunatly I also have fear of sharing all my hard earned secrets and losing what makes my work diffenrt. Which is why I removed some tidbits Ive posted. Probably my tendancy to talk on will win over!

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  4. Ah I have you captive now Abi!:D

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  5. Oh so gorgeous as always Nita.
    With every new piece of you I think: she can't beat this one, this is way to good!
    But then there's another new piece and ...well...you beat the last one.
    You are one of the most talented girls there are.

    Hugs,
    Es

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  6. Love it....love it....love it! What more can I say? Yes, you hit the mark.

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  7. Hi Nita,
    She is everything and more!! I know its not what your minds eye saw, but to the rest of us it is awe inspiring.

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  8. truely haunting. beautiful detail.

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  9. Nita,
    This piece is a triumph. I get the feeling you really took a risk with this one, which justifies your self-doubt. When we show our souls in the form of our art, we stand naked for all the world to judge us. It shows in this piece. Flame's defiance battles with her vulnerability. She challenges the viewer to consider their own scars, and how they could be transformative. Superb, my friend.

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  10. Nita she is fabulous! Absolutely wonderful...
    You captured everything that I see as fire!
    Pattee

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  11. You are so absolutely talented. I've always, loved, loved, everything that you've done. Huge fan of your work. Huge fan.

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  12. I always love how you interpret a piece and how you arrived at the finished piece. As I have said before, you are a true artist at the top.
    Bonnie

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  13. I love Fire and Ash!Just incredible! When you talk about how people look at art and label it and move on-I was reading that exact same thing but from the point of view of why people draw objects as symbols for them rather than really looking. And with this doll the first thing I did when I first saw her was stare in fascination and will do so again! I think you really did 'hit the mark'! I was interested to read about your processes too. Am going to look at that pattern for a shroud now-sounds fascinating.

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  14. Amazing piece Nita, you captured your element but so much more. I too often use and prefer white washed and molted faces on my pieces. Even so, we're quite different. It truly won't matter much as far what you share, your figures will always contain a special ingredient, they have a piece of you within them. That's something no one but you can duplicate and what sets them apart and makes them so amazing. Incredible work my friend.

    Love and hugs,
    Sprite

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  15. Absolutely stunning piece. I enjoyed reading about the process, materials, and disappointments, too.

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  16. This looks like a great piece of work ... no need to be disappointed...She is wonderful and conveys everything you wrote...it was good to read that I felt what you were trying to convey...a strong piece of work filled with passion...
    hugz
    Pam

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  17. Really a wonderful piece of work, defiant and eerily vulnerable at the same time.

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  18. Her eyes absolutely smolder, she's the epitome of her element!

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  19. Your artwork is incredible, I enjoy dark art but making it doesn't come naturally to me...too much in love with childrens toys I suppose :) I love the zombie girl down below and the photo of your studio space is art in itself!

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  20. Just stunning, that's all I can say at the moment. I see what you mean. Good luck with the traditional gesso. Gambin Paints makes one for traditional oil painting. Just an FYI.

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  21. I meant to say Gamblin paints in the first post.

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  22. Nita, your work is amazing. I have been slow at getting to see all the dolls but your piece literally stopped my in my tracks. Gorgeous! What did you use for the eye lashes? They look great over those "glowing ember eyes".

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  23. p.s. I've been watching your work for several years. Your talent for sculpture has really grown!

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  24. Hi Nita,
    I am slow getting to view all the finished pieces! but I knew from the wips that I wanted to see your finished doll! And I am so in aww, she is so magnificent! I really love her and your work !! Hugs

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  25. You have such a keen talent for expressiveness. I recall seeing your site somewhere (pre-DA) and being quite taken by the life in your work. There's a lovely illusion in your pieces, and this addition is filled with that sort of magic.

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  26. Very creepy and cool. Her skin really does look burnt. And I like her little friend Ash. :)

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  27. Thank you Codie. Ill check uot the gamblin though I already have so many of the ingredience it might still be cheaper to make myself.

    The lashes are fur. Thank you all for super comments!^-^

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  28. creepy and beatiful at the same time, amazing!

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