Yes, I did it again and I am happy and high. That's the best part of work - besides actually creating something - you get lost in time and space and it is a high that buzzes for a long time.
Some really good stuff happened here - a huge accomplishment for my daughter - and so there has been a lot of joy and lightness in the air. Suddenly I started working on my "stuff". I hauled out every box of shells that was lanquishing on shelf after shelf in my studio and attacked a bust with gusto.
You might remember that this was my first one:
This is what I am almost finished with :
This one is not as spiritual as the first. The baby and the Madonna really required a light touch to convey reverence. This one represents the ocean and it's exuberance. There are ceramic fish embedded. This one is about 2' high by 15"wide. The first was about the same measurements. They both are in the range of about 25#'s. This one is not finished yet, she will have more shells on the lower half to even her out and maybe some other tweeks of similar colored flowers, but I wanted to show you what my busy has been lately because I haven't written for awhile.
I've also done this small QuanYin, about 18" high. She is lightly decorated and her gown is decoupage paper napkins, I love the flowers on her underskirt. She carries a basket of sea flowers and she has the tiniest split nautilus on the top of her crown, I just love it. And her scepter, oh my gosh - it is a shell worn by the ocean for a long, long time. There is a tiny little clipping from the NY times many years ago that say's "Let there be peace." It is pasted just above the prayer holder. It's from a full page ad that Yoko took out on the anniversary of Johns death to commemorate him, printed in dozens of languages. All these "things"?, I don't know what to call them, have tiny little holders at the bottom for prayers, keepsakes, etc. They're not just pretty, they are meant to be functional.
The challenge, as always, is trying to figure out what to sell them for. The top one sold for $350.00 about 8 years ago. Even then it was a crazy low price, but I had no idea what I was doing and not much self esteem. Now I know my work is pretty good and should sell accordingly. But what is that?
These sort of things are selling for...hold on to your hat...$3,000 to $5,000 dollars (like the two big ones) in Florida and Palm Springs. I'm not that crazy, but still pricing is difficult for me.
Many glue-burned fingers later, I am eagerly awaiting the next one. It's a bit smaller, but has the most beautiful, delicate face. Can't wait!
Hope you enjoyed.
Love, Liv
