Really Scary Costumes - part 2

A few years ago year Black Cat dressed up as bush.

He managed to frighten the Byrd brothers when they decided to check out the nest. They have stopped being a bit of a nuisance in BC's life. I am not so sure that it's a one way street when it comes to the "being a bit of a nuisance" though. Jack is nodding his head at the moment in agreement. 

Black Cat and Jack put the finishing touches on BC's costume a few days ago. This costume was Black Cat's idea, I think that it is quite amazing. Jack managed to make the cage. I am not certain where all of the feathers came from but they very quickly informed me that no birds were harmed in making this costume.

The two of them were laughing at the part that covers Black Cat's head, Jack said that it looks like a bad comb-over.

The shoes that cover his feet look pretty impressive.

I asked the two of them why they thought that it was a really scary costume and Black Cat was a little too excited when he mentioned that when the birds come to visit the great big bird in the cage he'd say something very cattish to give them a scare. I'm not sure what something very cattish is but BC said that it would be VERY scary to a bird.

Well I had better get back to work, I'll try and post a little more often but don't hold your breath!

Really Scary Costumes - part 1

About a month or so ago I was talking with Jack and Black Cat about making some really scary costumes, well needless to say it took off from there. Marty of "Marty's Mercantile and Great Goods" came up with this costume. At first I didn't think that this costume was very scary but then I realized that if you are a vegetable, a lot of my friends are, a caterpillar is scary.

I must go back to the studio and work. Black Cat and Jack have finished their costume so I will show it to you in the next post in a few days.

A mini update.

This is just a quick update about how things are progressing in the studio. I work on a whole lot of the same thing at one time, I think(?) it saves me time working this way. So when I am working on things that tend to be detailed not a lot seems to be getting done over a week or so, think making fingers, then hands, applying papier-mache, making toes, making feet, and finally applying papier-mache to the feet. It doesn't make for an exciting blog post.

Here is a photo of the way that I go about building the feet for my standing characters. Everything is wired together and then papier- mache placed over the wire armatures. The two wire prongs at the bottom of the feet will be glued into holes in the base that the figure stands on.

That is about all for now, I'll keep you updated as to goings on in and about the studio. I also haven't mentioned much at all about Black Cat and Jack for quite a while. Black Cat pointed this out to me the other day. Check these 4 links if you are not familiar with my two friends - link 1, link 2, link 3, and link 4.  I must get back to work.

A Little Tour of My Brain, Part 25 - Nature

Oh my, what a week it has been. Last Friday I started to get a sore throat, it is much better now. I also lost my voice for a couple of days. Black Cat was kind enough to point out that maybe I shouldn't have eaten all of those Christmas goodies that I so lovingly devoured. He was right in saying that and I did agree with him.

All of the props are ready for the window display, it will be installed next week.

Jack suggested that I put together another little tour of my brain blog post. I wasn't certain what to write about and after talking a bit we decided that it should be about nature and how it influences my art work.

A little later I overheard Jack saying to Black Cat, "That should keep him occupied and maybe he won't wander about sighing after each cough."

They laughed!

I love flowers, they are a wonderful exuberant explosion of colour. I prefer flowers that haven't been hybridized although there are some that I make exceptions to.

Click on any of the images for a better look at the photos.

I don't create landscapes in my sculptures just small bases for the characters. In the back of my mind I do imagine them in a larger environment.

Spring is such a wonderful time of the year, so full of promise and surprises. The first snowdrops are a sign that Spring is here. I know that the calendar says Spring is a little way off but that doesn't matter.

The base for "Mrs, E. Rabbit" uses several different colours of hand dyed sisal twine, erica moss, reindeer moss, and composition stones peeking out amongst the ground cover. Tucked in the grass are yellow vintage flower stamens that give the impression of little Spring flowers. The variety makes the base look more realistic.

"Mrs. E. Rabbit" is a candy container, here she is open.

Early and late Summer in the garden. The yellow flower in the top right-hand corner is called ligularia. It has beautiful chrome yellow blossoms on a single stem and the back of the leaves are a rich maroon.

I was going to do one group of trees but couldn't decide on which ones to use,so here is the first of two groups of trees.

I like old trees, they have so much character. A garden with an ancient tree in it has so much more character. I have seen gardeners keep a tree that is past its prime and only take it out when it is beyond hope and safety. I respect those gardeners.

Here is the second group of tree photos. The photo in the upper right corner is a huge maple tree in the forest at Royal Roads. I refer to it as "the party tree". The limbs stretch out almost level with the ground for about 20 feet. The entire tree is about 40 feet across and about as high. It is truly amazing.

I would love to to do a photo shoot with lots of antique Japanese silk lanterns hanging over a large platform with tables brimming with delightful pastries and cakes on elaborate dishes and stands.

In this pull toy, "Just Arrived", I have treated the tulip in the same manner as a large tree by placing other interesting plants around the base of the leaves. When you think about it the size of the plants doesn't matter everything gets stuck cheek to jowl whether it is a huge tree with large bushes beside it or a small flower with other plants tucked around it.

Man made structures with plants next to them become softened and are more interesting to look at. When those structures are older or falling apart they take on a very different, much more interesting personality.

The base of this candy container has "Mr. E. Rabbit" walking down a very old and overgrown stone path.

"Mr. E. Rabbit", shown opened. I had great fun putting together the Spring bouquet from the vintage millinery flowers that were on hand.

Fences are very interesting to study. I love the character of aged wood, metal, or stone fences. That bent wire fence is in front of a 1920's house down by Beacon Hill Park in Victoria. I may replicate it in a sculpture one day. The galvanized fence in upper right-hand photograph is used around several fields at Royal Roads, I would love that fencing around a section of garden

This double sided portrait rattle shows "Jasper" on one side and "Hanging Out With the Guys" on the other side. I tried to give the effect of a dying overgrown Autumn garden. I also had to hide the wooden support that is visible between the pickets of the fence.

It is all in the details. I am always looking at these little landscapes so that I can reinterpret them later in my sculptures. It is the details that make a piece come to life.

In this candy container, "Bentley the Crow and Carl", I did not want to leave the bottom of the nest plain so I tucked in some bits of reindeer moss and a small tuft of dried corn silk.

Here is  "Bentley the Crow and Carl" open. If you are interested in purchasing any of the pieces in this post or any others for that matter drop me a line at lenbenny@shaw.ca.

So there we are, another tour finished. I hope that you enjoy these posts as much as I do. It helps me to understand my own work process and opens up more ideas to pursue.

By the way Black Cat has decided that he does not want to be my "Moral Compass" any more. He said that I was too much work!

For those of you new to my blog check out this post about "Black Cat and the moral compass".

For further adventures of Jack and Black Cat check out these posts here, here, here, and here.

Black Cat and the moral compass.

Jack and I were talking the other day, I can't remember about what, but I happened to mention the phrase "moral compass".

"What's a moral compass?" asked Black Cat as he appeared in the doorway.

Jack was still annoyed with B. C. for something that had happened between them earlier. "A moral compass doesn't go around and listen to other people's conversations", was his reply.

More was said but that is neither here nor there. What did come of it was Black Cat's decision to be MY moral compass.

Like all New Year's resolutions I can only hope this comes to a halt soon.

OH NO!... OH MY!... Oh well...

I mentioned a while back how quiet and uneventful it was around here. I didn't realize that Jack and Black Cat were "helping me". I have been very busy with deadlines looming. Black Cat wanted people to see me the way that he and Jack see me. I tried to explain that I didn't mind a little mystery when it comes to my personal life.

I'm not certain if I happened to raise my voice a little, I was trying hard not to but Black Cat mentioned something about a big head.

I happened to say quietly, "I don't think that will happen around here".

It went on for a bit until, Jack, mentioned that even bad publicity is good publicity!

It's not that I'm vain, who wants to be seen with ashes all over them (and their glasses bent for that matter), their mouth gaping open, or looking like they are in the midst of a feeding frenzy!

All has quietened down around here. I must get back to the studio.

More about Len.

"Your titles aren't very good, Black Cat."

"Be constructive, Jack, or don't help at all."

"So far, Black Cat, you have been the one doing all of this so called help."

"I don't want to argue, I have a blog post to do."

"Don't get so self important, this isn't your blog and I don't think, Len, will be pleased."

"Jack, remember the other day with the honey and the ice cream..."

"And the bees."

"It all worked out."

"You ran. We're not as fast as you."

"No one got stung. Here is a picture from the other day before the bees."

"That is a terrible picture, Black Cat."

"Be helpful not hurtful."

"You sound like a fortune cookie."

"He won't like this, it looks like a feeding frenzy!"

"The camera moved."

"He looks like he has two faces with a big flappy thing under his chin."

"The camera never lies."

More candid shots of life with, Len.

"That is a pretty uninteresting title, Black Cat."

"Can you come up with a better one, Jack?"

"No."

"I'm just trying to help."

"I don't know if this is helping to sell his art work, B.C."

"People want to get to know the artist. They..."

"I don't know if I want to do this."

"...want to feel like they know him as friend."

"Oh no."

"They want to..."

"There's a bird."

"Where? Now I lost what I was thinking about. Here is the next picture, Len, decorating the tree with streamers."

We're here to help.

"I don't know if we should do this, Black Cat."

"Of course we should, Jack, he needs our help."

"What are you going to say?"

"We could sneak some pictures of him working and let everyone know..."

"It's supposed to be secret."

"We could..."

"We could stop before we get in too deep."

"Where is your sense of adventure, Jack? This will be fun. What could go wrong?"

"Oh no."

"We'll show him around the house the way we see him. He cleaned the fireplace in July when we were getting ready for visitors"

"He doesn't like that picture, B.C., because his glasses are bent and he says that he looks like he smelled something bad."

"Pish posh. This is what we are going to do. We will give behind the scene pictures of everyday life. Everyone will be entertained..."

"I'm sure they will."

"...and Len will be surprised..."

"You can count on that."

"...and delighted with our helping out."

"Delighted isn't the word that comes to mind, B.C. This isn't going to be good."

I'm finally back in the studio - an update of the last week and a half.

Well, a lot has happened in the last week and a half, besides finishing my piece for the Ehag Emporium.

Check out the Emporium if you haven't had a look already there is still some wonderful work available.

Our daughter, Melissa, was here for a week and is now back in Toronto.

Mike's girl friend, Nicole, is here for 3 weeks. Thursday, the day before Nicole's birthday Mike proposed and Nicole accepted! We were aware that this was going to happen. Mike has been planning the proposal and her birthday for quite a while.

He asked me if I could make her a birthday chair and of course I said yes! Friday morning before everyone got up I put together the birthday chair. That evening we had a birthday dinner.

This is the chair that I made for her birthday.

Phoenix was here for the weekend. It was her birthday on Saturday, her mum had a party for her in the afternoon. We had a party for her and Nicole on Sunday.

Saturday we cooked for Sunday's party.

Sunday morning I decorated the crab apple tree with streamers.

I had 24 bundles of hand cut streamers that I tied in the branches of the tree. I do tend to get carried away with decorating!

Here is the finished tree, it was wonderful.

There were lanterns with LED tea-lights tucked here and there in the branches as well.

Here is another view. If you decorate a tree with streamers make certain that you use crepe papier and not ribbon. The wind, even gentle breezes for that matter, tangle the streamers in the branches. It looks very beautiful but if it was ribbon they would still be there not looking as pretty as the day of the party. Clean-up was a breeze.

I also tucked some vibrant coloured columns in among the shrubs.

Once in a while I made it into the studio. Things are back to normal sort of. I have some finished pieces sitting in the studio and I want to show them but I can't. You will have to wait to see them. There is a little something coming up in September and that is the first little tease for now. Black Cat and Jack have been very good and are staying out of the way but are helping when they can. No mishaps so far.

I must get back to the studio, there is a lot to do.

The Teapot and the Peek

I love cryptic titles! Recently I picked up this Hallowe'en Black Cat teapot at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. It was sitting on the top shelf with some other teapots that looked as if they had at one time been part of someones teapot collection.

Black Cat was very impressed and felt that it looked very much like himself, regal and mysterious. Jack rolled his eyes.

I pulled out two other cats from my Hallowe'en collection. Black Cat and Jack were each trying to get a closer look as I was taking the photographs. It was very tiresome as they kept nudging my arm just as I would take the picture. There were quite a few pictures that were out of focus! I must use a tripod next time. Jack thought that this cat looked like Black Cat during his awkward teenage years. Black Cat didn't say anything.

There was a bit of a stifled giggle from Jack just after Black Cat made a comment concerning how silly and undignified he felt this wind-up toy looked. "No self respecting cat looks at all like this silly toy," was all that he said. Fortunately Black Cat did not hear Jack.

When this toy cat is wound up and released his tail spins around, he crouches, and then leaps after the butterfly that bobs in front of his mouth never to catch it. Jack later mentioned that Black Cat does this all the time and that just like the toy he never gets what he is stalking. I am so glad Jack had the common sense not to say anything about his observations. Those two are very good friends despite the silly things that go on between them at times.

You have seen the teapot part of the post and now for the peek. I am working on my piece for the upcoming EHAG Emporium sale at the end of the month. This is all that you are going to get a look at, remember this is a "PEEK".

More wonderful work will be available at the end of the month from the very talented artists of EHAG, myself included. Check out the work from previous months, just click here to go there!