"Body of Work"

For many weeks now - maybe longer - I've been working on relatively small scope projects, something that I'll finish in 4 to 6 hours.  And I'm feeling a need to worked on some larger, more complicated, more detailed, and just, in general "more" projects.  So here's the result of about a week into my first one.

Meet the "Lady of the Lake" - my interpretation of a seminal character from the great Arthurian legend.  At this point, I've finished needle felting the otter, creating the base, and attaching her to it.

The base is a piece of gourd that I painted.  I coated it with clear gesso so that the paint would stick but also reveal the beauty of the gourd surface in unpainted areas.  There are 1/4" thick bolts glued with two-part epoxy to the armature that allow me to connect her to (or remove her from the base).  Quite an engineering feat, I think, but wish I had thought of it sooner in the process - next time!

So, the remaining elements are her costume, the dragonfly that has alit on her paw, and two frogs ar her base.  Onward!!!