Ok, Harpies have kind of a bad rap mythologically speaking, ugly horrible women that steal food, objects, and people. Well, maybe they had some good reasons. I don’t know, but I do know that I am drawn strongly to the image of bird and woman combined as one. It has power and lots of narrative potential that leaves the mythology in the past. Come join me in constructing YOUR version of the famed Harpy be she happy, sad, or fierce. We will deconstruct and work with artificial bird decorations and doll heads. Then using fabric scraps, yarn, wire, and feathers we will put them back together into a new and unique creature. This is a project-based class with tons of room for exploration and variation. I really encourage everyone to go where their muse is leading them. You’ll find that these newly learned techniques can be applied to many different kinds of mixed media work.
Supply List:
- One or two artificial bird decorations made of foam and feathers found in excess around the holidays at big craft stores like Michaels and Joannas usually in the floral section. Also try online at Lamplight Feather Company (has a wide variety) tonyhill.net/productCat43986.ctlg
- One or two doll heads plastic or porcelain to correspond with your bird bodies
- Fabric scraps to be torn up (think different textures i.e. lace, cheesecloth, tulle, silk, etc)
- An assortment of Feathers for embellishing
- Fabric glue-- sm bottle (I prefer Fabri-tac Permanent Fabric Adhesive)
- A piece of craft foam
- Light colored embroidery thread and a needle
- Large hole beads, buttons, washers, or keys to embellish wire hanger
- Basic wire tools (wire cutters, sturdy needle nose pliers)
- Scissors
Optional:
- A small assortment of acrylic paint and a detail brush if you
- wish to paint your doll’s face
- Thin pieces of rusty metal or copper to create wings and hats and tin snips
- Other misc junk to embellish your bird (silk flowers, doll hats, old jewelry, etc)
Teacher will provide:
- Rebar wire for hanger
- Rusting solution
- Gesso
- Walnut ink
- Liquid nails adhesive
- Steel wool
- 24 ga annealed steel wire
- Misc tools
P.S. No stressing allowed! It is about the creative process, not the specific supplies.
