The Seahorse (and the Hare) #3

Last week, I discussed expression with the Hare...carrying that theme along into the Seahorse with its expression and positioning.

Harry & Seahorse-Wind in my Hare©: Leslie Molen

Photography©: Mark Mortensen

Working photos by Leslie

Consistency

The Hare was created with a stone-clay head covered with stretch velvet and sewn body. I like to keep the consistency of both pieces the same- congruent.

Color and Design

My initial concept was to have the seahorse in blue- as in the sea...ocean. I pulled out my dupioni silk in my blues and it just was not quite there...put the fabric to the side on hold.

I looked up a seahorse and found this image in beautiful shades of greens and yellows...

These colors just spoke to me, I kept pulling out the blues...but the greens and yellows was were my heart was telling me to go. Gotta listen to your gut.

Now to understand the anatomy. I believe that it is very important to have a good foundation of knowledge of the anatomy of whatever you are making and then you can jump off into your own personal style.

Next was to continue with the consistency and so I sculpted the seahorse head and trunk from stone-clay. I know! Looks a little rustic right now!

My sculpt needed to dry and then a light sanding prepping it for an overlay of silk dupioni.

When sculpting for an overlay of fabric, you need to make some of the features a bit more exaggerated to make up for the fabric thickness.

I next sewed the tail in the green dupioni which is stuffed and armatured with the extra fabric at the top of the tail that I ran that up the back and into the horizontal and vertical grooves that I made in the clay.

Then rolling the fabric up over the head and around the "snout" then I applied another overlay of the yellow in the tummy area.

Expression

Next, came the painting of the eyes, which mimicked the surprised look of the Hare. Darkened the interior of the mouth for more depth. OOoh!!

I needlesculpted the tail area to create the ridges. Then, added chalk coloring around the snout and defining the ridges of the body areas. 

The trunk ridge was made from a ribbon that I trimmed off the picot edging and colored it green and tipped it with black.

The delicate fins were made from vintage netting and tipped, again, with black.

 

The tail shape was important to give this seahorse a little bit of spunk..

Finally, nestled into the Hare's hands and position for the complete connection between the two!

The Seahorse & the Hare #1

Ha! I just thought of this while I was writing this post...it is usually The Tortoise and the Hare...

I love doing rabbits...and yes, I need to show you more of these someday...I love a play on words.

I have done these Hares for years with Series #1 Wind in Hare- (get it) Rabbits in motion- which I will include this one is that series. I have made them on roller skates, on planes, on skis, on bicycles...anything in motion or with movement of hair (hare that is).

Series #2 Moon Rabbits- Japanese hares, and Fare Hares- sweet rabbits.

The Hare

For this commission piece I was ask to do a scuba diver in a whimsical manner. Love that! I like my hares to be just fun and with plenty of character.

I knew this rabbit needed to be in wetsuit...which I will cover in this posting...

Here is Harry...in all his fullness.

Harry-Wind in my Hare©: Leslie Molen

Photography©: Mark Mortensen

Working photos by Leslie

While designing this piece, I originally thought about the whole shebang... the tank, bc vest, mask...etc etc...

But would all that extra stuff add to my story or diminish it? 

I decided in this case less is more...just the wetsuit. I would lose the connection between the Seahorse and the Hare with all the other stuff in competition around it! 

It is more important that your eye zero in on the story..the "human" element of the relationship of the Seahorse with the Hare than how proficient could I make a scuba tank!

I will cover more of expression and relationship in next week's posting.

The Wetsuit

This may be more info than you "signed up" for on wetsuits. I feel that when you are creating a piece from a reality, you want to capture the essence and clarity of  your story. You can take the highlights from a chosen garment and bring them into the piece your are creating. I find that if you try to replicate everything exactly it is very easy for your piece to become overworked. Of course, if you are doing exact replications- that is a different story.

I went online to find a nice photo of a wetsuit. The wonderful thing is that my husband, Mark, and I dive, so I know what a wetsuit looks like and how it feels.

I purchased a nice weight black poly with a bit of wool in it. I found that it still was not stiff enough. I didn't want to add thickness but needed stiffness, so I lined it with a heavy weight iron-on stabilizer. Which worked for me in two ways, to add stiffness and also to keep the edges of the wool from fraying.

I decided that I wanted also to have that overlock effect and actually pieced this together as a "real" wetsuit would have been made. I choose to simplify the amount of pieces for scale.

Next, was is where I can bring in a play on words- how perfect is this! ha!

 BARE wetsuit brand became...

Most people who dive use a 3mm or if you are like me and do not want to chance being cold a 5mm (mostly women use these!)

Of course, I would have to add this to the sleeve area, as would be a standard.

Next was creating the back zipper. Most wetsuits have a long nylon webbing strap to pull up your wetsuit yourself...

I found that while the wetsuit was on Harry, I had to hand-sew the zipper in place to get a nice streamlined fit.

Final touch would be the booties.

I did use a fun foam "rubber" sole and with artistic license made the zip up in the back!

Next week- The Hare's Expression & Connection-Relationship
Following Week- The Seahorse up close and personal!

The Seahorse and the Hare #2

Expression!

Harry-Wind in my Hare©: Leslie Molen

Photography©: Mark Mortensen

Working photos by Leslie

Part of creating a piece is what I want to say..the story...without any words. 

When I teach my wonderful students, I find this one of the hardest concepts to capture.

My best advice is to make it clear and simple- be direct...very direct.

I conceptualize my story. I am not one to draw out what I am going to create in my 3-dimensional piece. IF I do it is a quick stick drawing. For me, it clutters my thought process with that 2-dimensional story.

So, I start out with my concept...a rabbit, scuba diver, and what is his focus?? Something from the ocean...something special.

Garnered from my own experience of diving, finding a seahorse is a BIG deal! They are champions of blending into their environment. Everyone is so excited and surprised when we finally find one...perfect- a seahorse.

So out my supplies come. 

For the head:

DAS clay and a styrofoam egg.

 

I also may need a surprised expression...so my hunt on the internet pursues...

isn't this image wonderful!?!?

So I translate this darling into a rabbit...add some fabric, paint, wired ears...I'm not going to delve in too much about the techniques. I want to get across about being direct and clear in your message- your story.

and come to this...

Now, we need to have him positioned to a focal point so your eye is looking to where he is looking...

It is about the relationship between him and the seahorse...he is looking at the seahorse and the seahorse it looking back at him...

And since we are working 3-dimensionally...let's look at it from all angles...

side

 side

 back

and even from the top

They are connected- each in their own delight and surprise!

That is the direct simple story- the connection of surprise.

Close up of the Hare.

I will share that the head is sculpted from DAS and overlaid with panne velvet. I cut away each eye, nose and mouth areas to expose the clay and then paint directly into the clay for each. 

Chalk shading is delicate around the painted nose area. I make little holes while the clay is wet so I can come back later and insert the (horsehair whiskers) thought the velvet.

Side note: Isn't Mark's photography fabulous in its detail? wow-ser!

And so, as I stated in last weeks #1 posting link here, no need for more that just the wetsuit and a seahorse...direct and simple.

Wind in My Hare PT 1

Rabbits...Hares

I believe that most of you are most familiar with my Chinese dolls...well...actually, I have been creating rabbits-hares longer than my Chinese dolls!!

Rabbits or Hares just happened...I created one rabbit doll and...well you know what they say about rabbits! 

Moon rabbits, Fair Hares, Wind in my Hares..

Inspiration :Wind In My Hair

MANY years ago '96' or '97, I was with my friend Joyce in Baltimore. We were fortunate enough to discover the American Visionary Art Museum...and we were we fortunate that we were able to see their a new exhibit "Wind In My Hair".

Joyce and I were stunned at the pure emotion that came from these outsider artists. 

A label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created outside the boundaries of official culture; Dubuffet focused particularly on art by those on the outside of the established art scene, such as psychiatric hospital patients and children.

While Dubuffet's term is quite specific, the English term "outsider art" is often applied more broadly, to include certain self-taught or naïve art makers.

Joyce and I felt their joy in their unbridled creations, having to create no matter their circumstances. I have been fortunate to revisit this museum for several exhibits, each one very compelling. It is one of my most favorite museums in the world!

Definition :Wind In My Hair

HA! I searched for the origin of this saying and came up with nothing...nada! So here's my shot at it...

Wind in my hair: 

to get outside

let your hair down to feel the breeze 

freedom

Photography: Mark Mortensen

Play on Words :Wind In My HARE

I love the play on words. So I took that inspiration and (un)know definition and put them together to create a rabbit...a HARE in motion feeling the wind in his hair.

My first Wind was created shortly after our visit to the AVAM at the end of the 1990's. I have made several Wind in My Hares within this series: on a  3ft wingspan plane, on a bike, on skis, and of course on skates...

In the weeks to follow:
~Wind's Costuming
~Wind in Detail

Want more HARE???

The Seahorse & the Hare

Want more
American Visionary Art Museum?

Want to make a
Lucky Bunny Pincushion?

My Story Hat Book

Many of you know my Story Hats, the love of stitches and stories that come together.

...hats give you the possibility to dream.

Philip Treacy

When creating these Story Hats, I think about not only their size, shape, their movement, but also their voice...what do I want this hat to say...to you.

For many years, people have been asking for a book of my Story Hats...and finally it is here! 

I have put together a carefully chosen collection of my Story Hats to include:

• Butterfly
• Goldfish
• Seahorse
• Lotus
• Lily
• Elephant
• Dragon
• Happy Dog
• Rabbit/Hare
• Snow Tiger
• Green Tiger
• and of course, Black Cat.

It is hardcover coffee table book and features stunning 12" x 12" glossy images from my amazing photographers Mark Mortensen and Allan Rodriguez Villalobos.

Each hat has two full pages of exceptional photography showing a full shot and close ups. 

I believe that my pieces are multi layered not only in fabric but also in meaning so, I have also shared with you the special symbolic meaning, wishes or protection each Story Hat holds.

The book has sold out in it's first unadvertised "outing".

I am doing these as a limited run with signed copies going to those who order in this next pre-order round. The cost is $69 + shipping (anywhere in the world).

If you are interested in this next pre-order run,

please let me know email me here and I'll include you!

I am grateful for all the years I have been able to create these pieces of my soul and am thrilled to share them with you.

The Story Hats themselves, as art pieces, will eventually be for sale, I will keep you posted...and I am now starting to create a couture line of my Story Hats for women!

I hope to hear from you!

As always...creating meaning to add beauty to your life.

Leslie

Insight from others:

This book is absolutely GORGEOUS....extraordinary photos and Leslie's writing is, as always, lovely, wise, and inspirational! I hope everyone is able to add one to YOUR collections!

Excellent book! Keep going through it. Thanks Leslie. Look forward to your next one!

This book is a gorgeous and an instant inspiring boost.