Coiled Snake Basket

A few months ago, my friend Sally had these old silk and silamide thread packages up for grabs.
So, I went for it, not knowing exactly what I'd be doing. I did  a bit of research and found that these types of packages were sold in the 1930's.

 

I've been playing with clay lately, and made some bases with holes, with the idea of adding on some coiling, or twining on top.  So I combined the base with the silk and silamide threads, and coiled them with wire.

I finished it with beeswax, and still need to another melting session.  See the little bits of wax? Thanks for the inspiration, Sally!

More Birds

I have included birds, and bird themes into my pieces long before the phrase, Put a Bird on It came to us, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHmLljk2t8M via the show Portlandia.

Red and yellow cedar bark with embroidery thread

first bird transformation

 

Bird Shaman

Woven goose w/ man

Mostly cedar blue heron

Bird transformation

Bird Shaman

Bird woman- NW Sedge and hemp thread

2D Raven Steals the Sun, handmade bamboo paper fiber

Bird Transformation

Little bird-waxed linen and yellow cedar bark

Woven with yellow flag iris leaves

Down memory lane, not in order of completion

 I thought I'd post a few of my Fantasy Figures that I've made over the years.
Below-from an article I wrote for Art Doll Quarterly- She is twined wax linen.  The face bead is by Dana Swisher.

 Summer figure

 Natural Woman is made of NW sedge, iris leaves, assorted grasses, and more.

 Winter Woman w/ birds

 Rain woman- The skirt is a basket covered w/ silk fiber.  The torso is assorted threads, and the face I made from silver clay.

 Cedar Bark Rattle

 Another rattle

 White Raven Shaman

 Raven Shaman

 Another Rain figure

 After the drought...

 Butterfly Man is sedge and wool

 Bird Transformation is one of my earliest figures.  He is sedge with pheasant feathers.

 Kitsune, the Japanese fox that can turn itself into a human shape.  Unfortunately, you can't see the illustration, which shows a kitsune leaving her home, with the human child tugging on her kimono.

 Bird Woman, made of sedge and hemp thread.

 Japanese basket seller, also made of sedge.

 Bird woman and Trekker.  The trekker has a backpack.  This is from the article I wrote.  The Trekker was one of my first woven figures.

 Fox Shamaness-  She is holding a fox mask in her left hand.

 

closeup of her dress

Bird woman and Trekker featured in Art Doll Quarterly magazine.