Small Milagro Spirit Icons

In a burst of energy as I was preparing for the Paradise City show last month, I decided to create not only the large Milagro Spirit Icons (which I will post; I promise) but smaller Milagro Spirit Icons.  To keep the retail price affordable, I used small face molds (versus sculpting each head), created a solid form body structure, and mounted the icons on a base of polymer clay.  The Milagros were created from hand colored and stamped shrink plastic (versus authentic handcrafted silver Milagros.)

Therefore, these icons were a little simpler in construction than the large icons and were also created in batches (e.g. all the heads at once, all the bodies at once, etc).  By taking a production-like approach I was able give them a mid-level price tag which placed them in-between the price of the Vaughn Hills Sprites and the large Milagro Spirit Icons.  And each one still retains its own personality.

Talking Stick Art Doll Round Robin: The Final Swap

Last week Karen, Judy, and I gathered to have the final swap in our Talking Stick Art Doll Round Robin.  A bit of time has passed since our last swap.  At that time we exchanged the doll heads which now had bodies attached.  In this final swap our original doll heads were being returned to us completely finished with bodies and any other embellishments that the last artist felt would complete the doll.

Here is the head that I created for the first swap:     In return I received Judy’s doll head. 

This is the body I created for Judy’s doll head:

For the final swap, I received Karen’s doll head with the body created by Judy: 

This art doll was fairly complete and I couldn’t think of anything else to add to it.  After several weeks had passed, I decided that Karen’s Talking Stick Art Doll would receive a place of honor; a shrine in which to reside.

Below are pictures of Karen’s doll inside the shrine, the back of the shrine and the side of the shrine.

The fortune says “Keep true to the dreams of your youth.”  The mirror chip is to keep away bad spirits.

     

The figure on the side is a tree spirit.

Here is my completed doll as it was returned to me.  Isn’t he great?  Karen created the body and crown.  Judy did the final embellishments and the feet.  I love those feet!

     

And, finally, a picture of the three Talking Stick Art Dolls; our little tribe.

The talking stick art doll round robin was a great experience.  It gave each of us an opportunity to try some new techniques, to test our creative muses, and most important, to play and have fun.

To read about the inspiration for this swap, go here

To read about the first two parts of this swap, go here and here