Saturday, December 14, 2013

Gaia's Daughter #3

I've been so inspired since creating Gaia's Daughter #2, I've made another one.... Now listed in my Etsy shop.  Here are her pictures, and Etsy write up:
GAIA'S DAUGHTER #3 was inspired by a very Spiritually Oriented woman who has dedicated her life to being of service to people in crisis. She is one who truly walks her talk. See if Gaia's Daughter speaks to you, or brings to mind someone who lives their life in Holy Service and Devotion....perhaps your Self?

The inner structure of Gaia's Daughter #3 is made with with the beautiful 'Lacy Moss' (lichen), collected in nearby Monterey, and is supported by several sticks, one collected from the riverbed in Yosemite Valley, the other from a Coastal Cypress, complete with it's seed pockets. Her 'hair' is moss collected locally in Ben Lomond.

Her inner garments, including her 'cloak of many colors', are a fiber collage of many 'rescued' silks, designer fabrics, and yarns, perhaps representing the countless lives You, or some you know, have touched. Her flowing skirts are beautiful repurposed designer sample fabrics. And her wraparound cloak is a vintage crochet doily, symbolizing the gift of caring that is woven together throughout all time. Her crochet cloak seems to cradle the assemblage of faces she holds dear.

Gaia's Daughter's face.... this particular cabochon kept speaking to me, that she wanted to grace this doll. I think, because she is sturdy, substantial, with an elegant spiritual gracefulness, all of which depict one who walks the Spiritual Path. I especially like her timeless gaze, as though she is watching over us all through eternity.



Her BREASTPLATE: I include a breastplate on all my spirit or wisdom dolls. Traditionally, a breastplate is a device worn over the torso to protect it from injury, as an item of religious significance, or as an item of status. A breastplate is sometimes worn by mythological beings as a distinctive item of clothing.

In this case, Gaia's Daughter's breastplate depicts the countless lives you, or someone special, have touched, represented by five faces, cradled in Nature's womb of ferns. Perhaps symbolic of our Sacred Grandmothers passing on Ancient Wisdom to our Sacred Granddaughters.

Nestled in a cocoon molded in a bed of ferns, the symbolic meaning of fern is magic, fascination, confidence, shelter, discretion, reverie and a secret bond of love. And the metaphysical meaning of the number Five draws our attention to the wonder of life, and beckons us to appreciate the perception of chaos all around us.


Just a bit more about my Spirit Wisdom Dolls... I've worked with polymer clay but find greater comfort creating with earth-friendly terracotta clay. Also, We have a nearby 'fabric rescue' center (Fabmo, located in Mountain View, CA). Fabmo saves the lives of so many amazing designer fabric samples, offering them to artists who will give life to these samples previously destined for the landfill. And so, while most of my Spirit Wisdom Dolls are organic, collected in nature, I feel that by using these 'rescued' materials, we are utilizing the gifts that the Bountiful Universe so abundantly gives.

3 comments:

  1. Hello Chris--Oh her hair is so perfect! and the silk (?) dress fluffing out on the lower half is wonderful--and yet another fabulous face (remember that old Sinatra tune " ....her face, her face, her fab-u-lous face.." ...uh, maybe before your time???)You are truly gifted. I am loving being greeted by my two Spirit Women when I enter my sewing space..hugs, and best wishes for a holiday full of peace and joy...Julierose

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  2. Thank you Julierose! (I love your name, by the way) Thank you for the Sinatra memory! The fabric of her skirt is actually four samples of a kind of netted designer fabric with some other silky fabric appliqued randomly. The samples were about 12" square, so they lent themselves to a handkerchief style hem. I just put away tons of more samples I picked up on Thursday.

    Hope you have a lovely weekend, stay warm!! I'll think of you in your sewing room, as I'm working in mine!
    Hugs, Chris

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  3. Another lovely creation from your talented hands! I really enjoyed reading the story that goes along with her and how you have used otherwise to-be-cast-offs, giving them another life.

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Sweet Blessings and Big Love to you