About Salley Mavor

I make 3-dimensional fabric relief pictures that are photographed and used to illustrate children’s books. I sew together different materials to create fanciful scenes in relief, much like a miniature stage set, with figures imposed on an embellished fabric background. My work is decorative and detailed, full of patterns from nature and found objects, all sewn together by hand with a needle and thread.

Cover Up (part 2)

Posted on March 27, 2016 by Salley Mavor

This is the 2nd part in a series of posts about my new piece Cover Up (24″ x 30″), which features 45 individual characters who represent women from particular times or places. They all wear some form of head covering, adornment, makeup or mask that serve as markers, whether they are forms of self-expression or dictated by religious or cultural tradition. There’s a wide array, from exaggerated fashions to veils that hide women from sight.

UPDATED series of posts with photos and commentary about making Cover Up:
Cover Up (part 1), Cover Up (part 2), Cover Up (part 3 and video), Cover Up (part 4), Cover Up (part 5).

Some depictions are identifiable by their national costumes, tribal markings or regional headdresses and others are less distinguishable and open to interpretation, but they are all distinct individuals who fit into a collective portrait of women through history.

I tried to personify a variety of ethnic groups with accuracy and sensitivity. I didn’t want them to look like those plastic international souvenir dolls (shown on right), with generic features molded in different pigment shades. And I hope that Cover Up has more depth than a fashion show or a Unicef card. My intention was to show portraits of real imagined people, with their own personalities and spirits, who live or have lived with the pressure imposed by their society’s ideas about being female. Even the Geisha has an identity underneath her white pancake makeup and the Afghan woman has a unique self inside her blue burqa.

I used Google Images to find reference material and practiced painting likenesses on 20mm wooden bead heads with tiny brush strokes. As I watched the crowd of characters grow, I realized that each one had a story to tell. So, I photographed them all separately before sewing them onto the larger piece. Looking at the women individually may be a way to appreciate their distinct styles, but the relationship between them is missing. When viewed alone, there is no context for comparison, whereas the whole piece creates a juxtaposition that I find more thought provoking.

The following images are a collection of portraits of women who depict cultural, national, and religious forms of head coverings and tribal markings that reflect notions of female modesty, fashion, status and conformity from different times and places. The originals have 20mm wooden bead heads and these photos are enlarged so you can see the details.

Instead of making a key that lists each character’s source, I’ve decided to resist the tendency to label them and let their humanity speak instead. I hope you enjoy meeting the women!

12 x 17 posters featuring of a selected group are available in my Etsy Shop here.

Cover Up is part of a series (that includes Face Time and Whiskers), which focuses on bringing to life different people from around the world, using themes of history, style and cultural identity. In each piece, head and shoulder busts peek out of “cameo” framed holes. Their faces are painted 20mm wooden beads, with wigs and adornments, similar to the doll heads in my how-to book Felt Wee Folk – New Adventures.

The next post (part 3 & video) shows the process of making the pieced felt background for Cover Up. Read Cover Up (part 1) here.

To keep up with new posts, please subscribe to this blog Your contact info will not be sold or shared. If you’d like to see more frequent photos tracking the projects in my studio, please follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram.

Cover Up (part 1)

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Salley Mavor

This is the first in a multi-part series of posts about my new fabric relief piece, Cover Up. It’s the female counterpart to Whiskers, my previous exploration of men’s facial hair styles. Cover Up focuses on women’s head coverings that serve as identifying markers imposed by the conventions of a particular time and place throughout history. I wanted the 45 characters to invite comparison and point out contrasts and similarities between different societies, whether they are open or restrictive in tolerating self-expression and individuality.

I loved the research phase of the project and spent many days hunting down images of women from around the world, each wearing a form of covering that reveals something about the culture they come from. I’ve depicted individuals with all sorts of veils, scarves, hats, makeup and facial markings that reflect different notions of female modesty, attractiveness, fashion, status and conformity.

UPDATED series of posts with photos and commentary about making Cover Up:
Cover Up (part 2), Cover Up (part 3 and video), Cover Up (part 4), Cover Up (part 5).

While searching through the images, I considered this question, “At what point does a bold, new fashion statement evolve into just another form of conformity that brands a group identity?” I also reflected on being a part of our diverse American society that is made up of immigrants and how this experience may influence one’s perception of “the other”.

The possibilities were endless and I could have kept making new heads for a long time, but I had to narrow it down and chose styles that I thought would best represent a variety of cultures. In a lot of cases it came down to choosing depictions that had characteristics I found personally intriguing.

After finishing the portraits and before making the background field to put them in, I took separate photos of each one and shared them on Instagram and Facebook. I invite you to follow me on these other social media sites for more frequent postings and notices, which include behind the scenes pictures.

The response to the photos was so enthusiastic that I decided to print a poster which shows enlargements (200%) of a selected collection of these portraits. The 12 x 17 poster (shown left) is available in my Etsy Shop here.

Cover Up is part of a series that includes Face Time and Whiskers, which focus on bringing to life different people from around the world, using themes of history, style and cultural identity. In each piece, head and shoulder busts peek out of “cameo” framed holes. Their faces are painted 20mm wooden beads, with wigs and adornments, similar to the doll heads in my how-to book Felt Wee Folk – New Adventures.

Please stay tuned for more posts about making Cover Up. Coming up are more photos of the portraits and how the felt background was made. My husband Rob is even working on a short video with material he filmed while I was stitching the piece. Read (part 2) and (part 3 & video).

Cover Up preview & poster

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Salley Mavor

Cover Up (24 x 30), is the newest piece in an evolving collective portrait series. I’m in the process of writing more posts about the making of Cover Up, which will be published soon, but, I wanted to send out a preview first. It was an engrossing project that kept me busy all through the cold snowy days of winter. Cover Up depicts women wearing cultural, national, and religious forms of head coverings and tribal markings. The portraits reflect notions of female modesty, fashion, status and conformity from different times and places.

A series of posts with photos and commentary about making Cover Up:
Cover Up (part 1), Cover Up (part 2), Cover Up (part 3 and video), Cover Up (part 4), Cover Up (part 5).

UPDATE: In this series, which includes Face Time and Whiskers, I’ve focused on bringing to life different people from around the world, using themes of history, style and cultural identity. In each piece, head and shoulder busts peek out of “cameo” framed holes. Their faces are painted 20mm wooden beads, with wigs and adornments, similar to the doll heads in my how-to book Felt Wee Folk – New Adventures.

Because the many little portraits are hard to see, I decided that the finished piece (shown above) wouldn’t translate well into a reduced sized poster format. Instead, I chose to feature a selected group of women, with their photos juxtaposed in a grid. Each head is enlarged 200%, so that you can take in the details and essence of the person. The 12 x 17 poster (shown below) is available in my Etsy Shop here.

Several recent exhibitions of my artwork have included printed enlargements of the figures in Cover Up, such as this display in “What a Relief” at the Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk, ME.

Whiskers (part 3)

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Salley Mavor

Whiskersblog In this 3rd and final post about Whiskers, there are lots of close up photos, including individual shots of all the bearded and mustached guys. I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to take a detour from making sweet faced wee folk characters and delve into the world of hairy men! The styles range from handle bars to goatees to hipster beards. There’s more about Whiskers in Part 1 and Part 2.

Last summer, when I started making the piece, I posted a photo on Facebook of my work table full of bearded heads. Someone asked if there would be women as well. I answered that this piece was about facial hair and that only bearded ladies could be included! Don’t fret, a crowd of women (with head coverings, not beards) are featured in my next piece Cover Up, which I’ll write about in the future.

Whiskers, Cover Up and more new large (24″ x 30″) works will be included in my upcoming show, Intertwined – Needle Art of Salley Mavor at the Bristol Art Museum in Bristol, RI this fall, Sept. 16 – Oct. 30.

I pinned the head and shoulder portraits in their peep holes before sewing them in place. At this angle, don’t the guys look like they’re floating in swimming pool lanes?

After consulting with my artistically perceptive son Ian, it was clear that the piece needed another element to help finish it off. At the last minute, just before it was scheduled to be professionally photographed, I decided to add a red thread zigzag to the border.

The collection of heads have doll wigs similar to the ones in the new edition of my how-to book, Felt Wee Folk. Some whiskers are painted, but the glasses and embroidered felt beards are a new development, since the book was written. So, here are the fellas…

I had a blast researching and making the bearded guys and I hope that you enjoyed meeting them! It’ll be the women’s turn next, when I show another new piece, Cover Up in future posts. You can get a preview on Facebook here and Instagram here.

Whiskers, Face Time, Cover Up, Birds of Beebe Woods, Self Portrait: A Personal History of Fashion and more will be included in my exhibit, Intertwined – Needle Art of Salley Mavor at the Bristol Art Museum, Bristol, Rhode Island, Sept. 16 – Oct. 30, 2016.

Whiskers (part 2)

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Salley Mavor

Early on in the process, when I was mulling over the idea of making this piece and starting to do research, I envisioned a large, bearded face. I wanted to create a structure that could serve as a display mechanism for the group of little men. And because most people never see my original artwork, it was important that there be a strong graphic image that would translate well when reproduced in different image sizes.

At first, I was attracted to the “green man” concept, but veered more in the direction of Assyrian sculptures, which have wonderful stylized beards. I stayed with the green palate and added blues and browns.

In this post, I will show photos of the process of making the beard, which turned into a separate piece that could be used as a costume!

The beard is made up of small scraps of felt, that are pieced together like a crazy quilt. I drew peep holes on a paper template and matched felt pieces like a jig saw puzzle to fit. The pieces are sewn together on the back with a slip stitch and then embroidered along the front seams with a fly stitch. I made a lot of progress while on vacation, which is further evidence that I work all the time. The view out the window was nice, though!

I used my felt covered wire technique to outline the beard and facial features.

To keep the holes rounded and firm, I stitched wire around the openings. The smaller curls on the mustache and beard top are made with floss wrapped wire.

The next post (part 3) click here shows the finished piece, with close ups of the bearded men. To read Whiskers (part 1) click here.

To keep up with new posts, please subscribe to this blog. Your contact info will not be sold or shared. If you’d like to see more frequent photos tracking the projects in my studio, please follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram.

Whiskers (part 1)

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Salley Mavor

Ok, it’s been awhile since I’ve checked in. My only excuse is that it’s winter – my favorite time to hunker down and go full throttle on a project. There’s no way I’m going to some place warm! I know that some of you are of like mind, but we happy hibernators generally don’t get much agreement out there. I’m happy to say that I just finished a piece I’ve been working on since fall. Cover Up depicts cultural and national forms of head coverings and tribal markings that reflect notions of female modesty, fashion, status and conformity from different times and places.

For now, let’s play catch up with a series of posts about a 24″ x 30″ piece I finished last summer. Whiskers focuses on beards and mustaches, showing an array of male characters from different cultures and historic periods.

Little men peek out and display themselves like an unlikely collection of international souvenir dolls. Their painted wooden heads appear in vertical lines, within a large man’s beard, which acts as a holding place. The bulk of the large beard is comprised of small pieces of felt that are patched together by hand with embroidery stitches. The large man’s bas relief face and beard are defined with lengths of wire covered with felt or wrapped with thread. Whiskers explores diverse societies and their origins, using needle and thread to signify the unraveling and mending of human cultures throughout history.

I made the heads like the wee folk dolls in my how-to book, Felt Wee Folk – New Adventures. Some beards are painted on the wooden bead head. I also tried something new, by gluing embroidered felt beards to their faces.

I had a blast researching beard styles for the collection of characters. This piece is a continuation of a new series that explores history and fashion. Face Time (shown below) is a previous piece showing cameo portraits from early civilizations to the present day. See Whiskers Part 2 here.

Posies originals for sale

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Salley Mavor

Pocketful of Posies 2010

Just a reminder that the last day to catch the Pocketful of Posies exhibit at the Upcountry History Museum – Furman University in Greenville, SC is Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016. As I’ve mentioned before, this is the last stop on the tour and it’s gratifying to hear from many of you who’ve gone out of your way to see the show. My goal was to offer the opportunity to see my original work and I’m happy that has happened in so many locations! No matter how excellent the printed reproductions, seeing the real 3d art is a different experience than looking at the pages of the book. Sometimes I wish the exhibit would continue, but my instincts say it’s time to wind down the project and move onto the next creative endeavor.

During the 5+ years since the book was published, I haven’t actively promoted sales of the original illustrations, since I wanted the collection to stay intact for the traveling exhibit. Over the last 2 years years, the size of the exhibit has reduced, as buyers have purchased about half of the pieces. Many people saw the book and contacted me, purchasing pieces without seeing the originals. Other buyers saw the exhibit and wanted to have one of their own. Now that the remaining artwork will soon be shipped home from South Carolina, it’s time to announce that 22 framed originals from Pocketful of Posies are available for sale.

Interested in purchasing an original piece? Please contact me for a list of available artwork. Each piece is displayed under Plexiglas in a custom-made cherry wood frame. Prices range from $2,500 to $6,500.

detail from “I eat my peas with honey”

“Hickety pickety my black hen” detail 2010

detail from “To be, to bed”

detail from endpapers

detail from “Old King Cole”

detail from “This little piggy”

“Little Miss Muffet” Pocketful of Posies

detail from “Queen of Hearts”

detail from “One, two, buckle my shoe” 2010

detail from “Little Bo Peep”

Pocketful of Posies

detail from “The cock crows in the morning”

detail from “Twinkle, twinkle little star”

detail from “There was a little girl”

Little Thing Magazine

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Salley Mavor

I was excited to receive a copy of Little Thing Magazine, a style and fashion quarterly, which includes an article about my work. It’s printed in Chinese, with a smattering of English headings, but I think most people will just look at the pictures. The winter issue’s theme is Girls Love Illustration and features a dozen interviews with illustrators from around the world. The magazine is girly for sure, but not in a too cutesy. Its editors do a good job of gathering a sophisticated collection of “beautiful things” to pour over. I’m not sure who it’s aimed at, but there’s definitely a youthful, playful spirit that many people (besides teenage girls) can appreciate.

All that said, I find it peculiar that a publication out of Hong Kong would be so devoid of Asian influence. It oozes European style and the fashion pages show only models that look like they’re straight out of Scandinavian central casting. Besides being perplexed by this incongruity, Little Thing Magazine is chock full of inspiring images and I’m grateful that they reached out to me! Incidentally, a couple of years ago, the magazine featured my friend Mimi Kirchner’s tattooed dolls, which she writes about here.

January snow

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Salley Mavor

We had the first snow of the year, the kind that leaves a light white powder on every surface and sticks to tree branches. It’s just the beginning, with more snow forecasted this coming weekend…

Felt Wee Folk – New Adventures – the first year

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Salley Mavor

It’s been almost a year since the new edition of Felt Wee Folk – New Adventures was released, so I thought I’d bring you up to date on what’s been happening. Besides feeling a bit guilty for contributing to the wee folk addiction problem, I’m very pleased with how the book has been received. There’s more than one report of innocent people getting hooked on wrapping pipe cleaners and stitching little felt outfits. From what I hear, they’re out of control and haven’t the will power to stop making wee folk dolls. I say, keep stitching, because it helps calm the soul.

The book is now into its 2nd printing and sales have passed 9000 copies. Just imagine the wee folk population explosion! Printed copies or the e-book version have found their way to every corner of the world, helping make the book a C&T Publishing Top 10 Bestseller!

Most books are purchased in craft and quilting shops and from online retailers. A big thanks to all of you who’ve ordered autographed copies from my Etsy Shop. Extras include a poster, note card and fairy skirts and wings. Besides all 50 states, I’ve sent copies to Australia, Canada, UK, France, Norway, Jordan, Israel, Taiwan, Brazil, Latvia, Japan, France and Russia.

poster – Felt Wee Folk

Hundreds of fairies have been dressed in faux flower skirts and wings purchased from my Etsy Shop.

The Felt Wee Folk book trailer has been viewed well over 10,000 times on YouTube, C&T and my Facebook Page.

People have found out about the book through social media (Facebook and Instagram), the blog tour and magazine articles.

I like to think that lots of wee folk brides (and grooms) topped wedding cakes this past year.

Rob and I spent some time playing outside with the wee folk in the bugle weed forest, which grew in our yard.

Many of you made you made and set up your own nativity scene this past Christmas. I hope that Felt Wee Folk – New Adventures continues to be available for a good long while, so that more innocent people can get hooked on making wee folk!