The Sirin and the Beautiful Beasts

February 6 -11th 2017 I attended The Beautiful Beasts ArtVenture in New Orleans put on by deMeng and Engen. It was not only a workshop but a total art immersion and experience. We were to bring items to create our own fantastical creature that would be part human and part animal. I chose to make a Sirin.

I started with a porcelain doll head and made hair out of two part Apoxie Clay.

A Sirin is a mythological creature of Russian legends, with the head and chest of a beautiful woman and the body of a bird. They were usually portrayed wearing a crown or numbus. Sirins sang beautiful songs. For mortals however the birds were dangerous. Men who heard them would forget everything on earth, follow them, and ultimately die.

As I only had one wing and needed two, I cast made the other one out of two part Apoxie Clay.

I couldn't find any bird feet, so made some out of two part Apoxie Clay and wire.

The body is made from a wooden top to a bannister.

Adding the legs and wings and feathers.

The back.

Some wooden tail feathers adds to it.

Playing with different colors and embellishments.

I think it's done.

The critique on the last day. It's wonderful hearing Michael's input on each piece and getting to see everyone's projects. 

Parades and Costumes

Music

Optional Workshop- Beautiful Beasts Coat of Arms Banner Workshop with Andrea deMeng

My Banner "Knowledge is Power" 

Dinner and tour of MovieSet: Reel Venue

Time to walk around and admire NOLA

New Friends

Wonderful dinner at Brennan's

Swamp AirBoat Tour

The magical water

The Insectarium and bug tastings, yes, I did eat some. gross.

Photography stop at St. Roch Cemetery

Despite the 7 tornados that touched down while we were there, it was a wonderful week! Thank you Michael deMeng and Katherine Engen.

Monsters! Myth and Magic

My newest assemblage was created for the next TVAA show.
The title of the show is Monsters! Myth and Magic. The prospectus asked us to create our inner anxiety driven fear. I chose to focus on time and how I never seem to have enough. The piece is titled "Time for Work."  It could mean going to work or not having enough time to get your work done. The monster could also represent technology and how it is supposed to make our lives easier yet somehow it feels like one (blog, facebook, twitter, linkedln, pinterest, tumblr, Flickr, etc.) more thing to get done.  

I've had this metal cage like thing hanging around my studio for so long I do not remember where it came from. The real alligator head was brought to me as a souvenir from Florida from my daughter. 

The before photo.

Attaching carpet tacks

The cage and doll were painted using techniques I learned from Micael DeMeng's classes and books.

On the top row of the cage are upside down carpet tacks with red beads that look like blood. 

 This is by no means a pretty piece but I am definitely feeling the monster these days as I am doing a lot of traveling but also trying to keep up with entering art shows and public art projects.