Redwood Coast Creative Arts

and the votes are in...............................

Gary Everett's rendition of Agaricus Bisporus won the First place prize in the professional category. It was very high in the people's choice award as well.

This has been a great honor to me.  I just love seeing her out in the world, in a new environment, following her own destiny, and making her own life apart from what I have given her!  I really love her fuzzy, little bee friends too!

Rendition of Agaricus Bisporus, my Mushroom Maiden by sidewalk chalk artist Gary Everett

I have been honored and flaterred by sidewalk chalk artist Gary Everett who has been inspired to creat a rendition of Agaricus Bisporus, my Mushroom Maiden, in chalk for the OakRidge Tennessee Chalk festival. 

Gary is an award winningchalk artist.  This will be his 7th festival and this year he was awarded first place in the adult category in the Knoxville Dogwood Arts Festival Chalk Walk.

The theme of the over all piece is "Help Our Bees, When They Are gone So Are We"  It contains Agaricus Bisporus with three bees and flowers. It will be a 5 ft by 5 ft study inside a 6 ft by 6 ft area with the theme title around the out side.

What a thrill!  I am honored that Gary was inspired by my Mushroom Maiden.  I think That his rendition is charming and quite appropriate.  You see I sculpted her to look as if she is in a meadow enjoying the scenery and the fresh outdoor air.  She is pleased to be hanging out with the flowers and the bees!

Here are the results of the first day's work.  I will post the final piece later in the week.

I recently received an email inquiry asking, "Where did you come up with the idea for them, especially the design for the maiden"? I though I would post my response here to give you all a little bit of insight to my delerious, creative thought process.

Here is my response:

Thank you for the compliments! My Mushrooms are blushing! Where do my ideas come from??? Lots of opiates! No, just kidding!

I really don’t pull ideas from anywhere in particular. They come from everywhere and every thing In fact I can't make them come if they don't feel like it and I can't make them stop when I am either not in the mood or not able to act on them (journal it out or work them out in some other way).

I just condition the clay and start sculpting. The characters come together eventually and as they are coming along they tell me their story. Handle, the Mushroom Troll, was very forceful with his story. He had it all out before his head was completed. He told me all about the mushroom maiden too.

So, that is how their stories come about. The design work is a little different. I basically get a feel for the mood and emotions behind each character and just go at it. I have no plan. I usually don’t sketch anything out or have any preconceived notions of what or who they will be. I think that it stifles creativity and sets you up for failure if you try to force the clay into being what you want it to be rather than just letting it evolve into what it is.

As I complete one step I am thinking of where I will go next. Because I don’t plan anything out I often end up stumped with technical difficulties. Propping the Mushroom Maiden up to heat cure was extremely challenging (and I had to do it for multiple cures). She suffered a few minor injuries (mushroom parts broke off and cracked in the cure). These injuries required lots of spackle (polymer paste), paint, glue and objects and polyester batting support to indure several extra rounds of heat curing. I had my moments of doubtbut, chose to work through them despite my negative, anxious vibes. In the middle f the night, while the world sleeps, I am able to let go of "real world" inhibitions and just go with the flow. When things go wrong I just keep on working through it.

If you are asking for my sources of inspiration in general, there are many; Brian Froud art, my woodland garden, my true love of mushrooms and fantasies. I hope this makes sense and is helpful in some way.
Peace out!
LaLa

For The Love Of Mushrooms

Handle-The Mushroom Troll and Agaricus Bisporus- The Mushroom Maiden

Handle, The Mushroom Troll- His mother is a wild boar and his father is a mushroom troll.  He is a vegetarian and feeds on wild mushrooms.  He is a gentle giant with a kind heart.

Agaricus Bisporus- The Mushroom Maiden

Handle was out in a meadow gathering wild mushrooms for his supper when he spotted her for the first time.  He was mesmerized.  He had never seen such a beautiful sight.  His mouth dropped open, his face curled up in confusion, and his one good eye nearly popped out of his head.

He had never felt so enamored before.  He had an unbearable desire to kiss her.  He hid behind a tree stump, out of sight, as he contemplated his next move. 

His dilemma is that he is, after all, a mushroom troll, and she is the most enormous mushroom ever.    He is not sure whether he wants to kiss her or eat her!!!

Both figures are hand sculpted, of polymer clay, by me.  I do not use any molds or forms.  The mushroom troll has a soft body built over a wire armature.  His head, hands, and feet are polymer.  His clothing was all hand sewn, right on to his body, also by me.  I did not use any patterns.  His vest and shoes are leather, shirt, knit fabric, and pants made of hand felted cloth (felted by my good, friend Sherri Morgan.  Thank you Sherri!).  The maiden is polymer clay hand sculpted over a wire, aluminum foil, and masking tape armature and base.  Her gown is mostly made of hand sculpted mushrooms, her sleeves are made of hand painted tulle fabric.

Both figures are free standing and do not require additional supports.  The maiden is 15" tall and the  troll is 16" kneeling and about 29" standing.  I have arranged them in a meadow made of real moss attached to a fabric backing. 

 

Agaricus Bisporus trying on her new hat

Agaricus Bisporus trying on her new hat while her "make-up" sets.

The first one was too small so she had it enlarged. Sometimes size really does matter! What do you think?