The Last Show On Earth

Happy Sunday to all,

When I was studying art we were given a project with the theme of dissection. It was a quick project for two weeks, and I decided to look at symbols in art, dissect them essentially and create a piece based on this theme. I looked at the Heironymus Bosch painting “Ship of Fools”. I find Heironymus Bosch paintings to be fascinating, with the nightmarish apocalyptic scenes loaded with symbolism. I have often wondered if this could have relevance to our society today? As I progressed with the project I concentrated on two areas -  lust and gluttony. I created a large peice which was made from wax and fruit in the shape of the female form. The outcome was a little bit too conceptual for me but here it is. Two pages from my sketchbook and images of the piece.

The project turned out to become something more and left me wanting to expand this. However with the nature of study I then moved on to do other projects, with this project still lurking in my mind. So where is this leading to? Over a year on and as I celebrate my first year being an artist of some sort and we still have a roof over our heads I  feel a natural progression towards this theme.

May I introduce the “The Last Show on Earth“. The last show on Earth is an apocalyptic circus with the theme of the seven deadly sins. As the circus travels it tells tales of the end of the world. Would you like to see the act of pride? Meet the Lady Gula or feel the wrath of Ira. After the show you may be rewarded with a plague. What ever happens it will be a show one will never forget.

I have finished creating two characters based on this theme.

Mr Bob Memento Mori

 
Mr Bob Memento Mori performs the Dance of Death. He cries ‘Your riches won't help you here, I shall take you by the hand, for you must join my dance‘. During one performance he lost his scythe. When he asked if anyone had seen his scythe, for some reason people were rather non forth coming, I cannot think why.

Doctor Mors Mortis

If you hear the tap tap of a cane, smell a heavy scent of aromatic herbs while a low whispering voice sings ring a ring of roses, then beware! Doctor Mors Mortis is on his way. He will use various methods to cure you, such as wrapping you up in a blanket drenched in cold water, unleashing  pigeons to treat your swellings, or applying leeches. If he prods you with his cane, then maybe all is not well and you will soon be seeing Mr Bob Memento Mori.

If you would like to meet these two handsome fellas you can find them at all my characters' favourite haunt - Etsy.

Mr Bob Memento Mori

Doctor Mors Mortis

Your's From the Circus

Sarah

Mr Lime

Good evening,

I spent the whole day in my studio today, and of course made it messy. So the great clean up of 2011 is on hold. I have just put up another item on Etsy. May I introduce Mr Lime the Clown. I was inspired to create him as I love green hair  and felt it would go with bright red lips. I would like to develop this character more, so he may have a body to match the head next time. I am also developing a thing for bowler hats. This may be on par with my love of stripes.

You can find him here

Mr Lime

I plan to write a more lengthy blog soon, on a new project. Hope everyone is having a fun and creative day.

Your's from the circus,

Sarah.

Here comes the Chaos

Hello Chocolate Teapots,

Note to self, whilst adventuring around Hobby Craft be prepared to want to spend lots of money. I came back with a booty of treasures. Now I have to justify this and create lots and lots of creepy things. My main purchase was lots of ribbons.

The Halloween collection continues.  When I am not creating creepy misunderstood clowns or skulls I love making cakes and biscuits. So these will be perfect!

Ginger biscuits. Yum Yum!

I am also in the process of tidying the studio again, here comes the chaos bit...

No circus studio should be without fairy lights. I originally wanted to use proper fair ground lights, but alas I feel our energy bill would go through the roof. Plus our house would be lit up like a carousel.  Oh I wish….

The great tidy up of 2011 continues. I should just accept that studios will always has some chaos in them one way or another. Maybe I should just embrace the chaos..

Your's from the circus

Sarah

The Plague and the Pumpkin.

Blegh cough cough.....

I have the plague again and have been shuffling around coughing waiting for the plague Doctor to come. There was a knock a the door this morning, but alas it was not the Plague Doctor but the postman delivering some books and some eyeballs. I have nearly finished my Plague Doctor, all I have to do is attach the cane they used to prod people and then he is finished. If I feel someone tapping on my shoulder with a cane, then I know all is not well.

I am feeling rather happy as I have acquired an old sewing machine in which my Mum has rather splendidly lent me. I normally avoid sewing machines like the plague, but I have reached a point with my work where it would really help and speed up the time I spend. A lot of my work will still be hand sewn, but the larger pieces will be constructed on the sewing machine. Here is a picture of the old girl, I have named her Mad Lucy after the book "The bride of Lammermoor" by Walter Scott.

We have brought our first Halloween item. This is very tasteful for us but the moment I saw it I had to have it. I may venture out next week and try to find some more Halloween bits.

If I had the money I would have a hundred of these in the garden all different shapes and sizes. I feel the pumpkins would go very well with the dolls heads which are hanging from the tree.

Your's from the Circus,

Sarah.

Cuthbert’s makeover.

I made a jester stick a while ago called Cuthbert The Crow. Although I liked the idea of a crow jester stick once I made Cuthbert I was not entirely happy. I took some photographs of him and I was not happy, then re- took them still not happy, and kept repeating his process until I decided that Cuthbert needed a slight make over. I decided to break up the black up of Cuthbert’s head and added a crown, making him move into royalty of the crow world. So here is Cuthbert a new and hopefully improved update.

You can find Cuthbert  here.

Cuthbert The Crow

I also put up a few other bits, although it was a while ago. Gertrude the ghost, and an eyeball necklace.

EyeballNecklace

Gertrude The Ghost


I have become quite a fan of paper mache, and would like to experiment more with the process,. So on my travels around the internet I found this on YouTube. This made from paper and cloth, the piece is absolutely magical and inspiring.

Budda

Your's  From The Circus

Sarah.

Automaton and Mr Fluffy.

As I delve more and more into the heart of 3D, I have become more keen to start making objects that actually move. There is a child like delight within me when I see objects that move, the sound of the mechanisms working, the jagged movements of the object, to the tinkling haunting music.

I often find myself thinking what next? How can I push this further and the constant answer in my head is “make the objects move”. Of course this then opens up a whole can of worms because automation is not easy.  However I thought that I would start out really basic and I mean basic and see what happens from there. I had an idea to start  the movement with a spring. The movement of a spring can be quite comical, if you imagine a human being moving this way, so I experimented with this.

The outcome is a new character called Mr Fluffy The Bouncing Clown. In honour of Mr Fluffy I created a quick short video.

Mr Fluffy has made his debut on Etsy

Mr Fluffy

For the next act, I may include a body rather that just a head or maybe not...


Yours From the Circus,

Sarah

Hello Autumn.

I have had a rather productive and exciting week. New ideas are being developed and plans being formed for the next phase of work. My favourite time of year autumn is approaching and Halloween is drawing nearer. I find this time of year inspiring, scary ghosts, horror and  macabre objects suddenly start to appear in shops for Halloween and I find myself buying lots of Halloween decorations for our house. We have these up all year, when a visitor approaches our house they are greeted by three skeletons. I am getting slightly ahead here, but there is something about Autumn.

I thought I would share some images of work in progress.

 New clown called Mr Fluffy or Captain Fluffy I have not decided yet.  There is a spring on top on his head so he will bounce up and down.

 These two were inspired in the week I had the plague. A plague Doctor and Death, the circus is going to have a darker aesthetic. More of this will be appearing.

 Clown which is at the beginning of being painted.

 Early stage of a new Jack in a box.

 I have always loved these images ever since I was a child. ( no wonder I was the odd one at school). I have a book called  "Strange Stories and Amazing Facts" which I used to look at alot when growing up, the book had lots of these images and I sometimes feel the book inspired my love for horror and the macabre.

 Plague Doctor, such a great image.

Lastly Mr Pug.  I had to get a cat in some how.

Yours from the Circus

Sarah.