Month: March 2014

owl work

I’m  working on some new owls – a  new smaller owl shape for me with some new details.  I’ll finish these tonight and photograph them in the morning . They are part of my “new creatures” update tomorrow ( friday 3/28 ) evening.

owl work

And onother new shape –  a hummingbird – a bit larger than a real hummingbird but still quite small, she fits in the palm of your hand.  The bird and owls are made mostly from Sri textiles – I love this muted palette.

hummingbird

 

 

 

laurent

Another new creature Laurent ( all my rats are french) and a blue owl.

blue owl

junk in the trunk

 

He’s big and blue and  bad, and has some junk in the trunk.

stoop sale

Happy spring! I’m spring cleaning like nobody’s business  and preparing for the second annual ann wood virtual stoop sale. There will be a couple antique garments, some vintage fabric and paper (the usual suspects)  as well as some original art work and a truly odd assortment of  other things. The sale is happening on etsy : https://www.etsy.com/shop/annwood on Sunday evening, March 23rd, at 8 pm (new york time). As always  – you can refer to my calendar to know what’s coming up. There are some previews below and maybe more tomorrow if time permits – this is always more work than i think it’s going to be.

beaded cape

The beading on this  wretched antique cape is all black glass, hand done and super detailed – there are lots of different designs and cool dangly things.

bead_detail_3

Below – another detail form the cape beading, paper mache flatware, a drawing of a  ship, a celluloid flower pin from the 50’2 and some art deco chandelier crystals – they’re lovely and I have a bunch.

stoop sale items

tiny theater

I think I’ve mentioned before – I had a pretty serious puppet phase in the  mid 90’s  – the little theater and odd little cast of characters  has been in a box forever – maybe someone will enjoy it. I also made tons hand puppets and gave them away, the remaining spare parts and almost finished puppets will be in the sale on Sunday too.

puppet parts

shells And shells – lots and lots of shells – some I collected, most I purchased.  So many possibilities……….

march

I love March.  Especially after a winter like this has been – and it’s not over – but the last couple days have been glorious.  The sun was out, the windows were open and I worked on  little birds this morning.

bird work

I finished the little group of  camper birds this afternoon and started photographing things for the shop.

camper birds

bird departure(after their official photo they went off to enjoy the day)

I got such a late start on photos I had very uneven light – I have found that a sheet of cheap drugstore white poster board makes a  very serviceable reflector.

poste board reflector

Checkout the difference with and without:

lamb shadow

march_lambs

(The birds and lambs will be in the shop tomorrow 3/12)

Sri Mushroom Specimens

Occasionally, and always unexpectedly, a package magically appears in my vestibule from Sri Threads.  They always inexplicably contain exactly what I need at that moment and things I couldn’t even dream of – all thoughtfully collected by the brilliant eye of Stephen Szczepanek. When a package appears I make tea and put on music and spend way more time than necessary  unpacking and examining – it is such an incredible gift. The textiles  are remarkable in color and texture and history – bits of eccentric mending and exquisite wear and patina that bring qualities to whatever I make that just pass through me – that is such  a particular sensation – an ideal.

eccentric mending

I think the magical and thoughtful way they come to me brings a certain spirit to  the objects as well -they spring from  a wonderful set of circumstances I did not and  could not invent – happenstance is magic.

This weekend I finished a group of 12 little experiments made  from Sri treasures – each numbered and signed ( the numbered series will close at 100).

sri threads mushroom specimens

I’ll finish photographing them today and add them to the shop tomorrow 3/4.

Update: if you would like to make your own mushroom specimen you can find the pattern here.