SALLEY MAVOR

WEE FOLK STUDIO

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.

alphabet book

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Salley Mavor

I made this alphabet book for a typography class at RISD in about 1976. The class was held in the basement of the graphic design building, where the old letterpresses were set up. As I recall, the assignment was to make something that used the large collection of metal type that came with the presses. I doubt the presses are still there, making space for all of the new computer graphics equipment. During this time at school, I jumped at any opportunity to bring sewing and fabric into my work.

The old linen book cover is looking yellowed and stained.

The 4 inch square pages are made from cloth-covered card board.

I rolled ink or paint on the metal type and stamped each letter of the alphabet, making patterns on fabric.

doll house boxed set

Posted on January 23, 2011 by Salley Mavor

A friend found this wooden box of doll house furniture and dolls in her family’s stuff and gave it to me. I don’t know where they came from or how old they are, but I’m guessing they are northern European, possibly German, from about 100 years ago. It looks like a coffin inside, with padded satin cushioning the furniture and doll bodies. The dolls are about 3 1/2 inches tall.

The woman’s hour-glass figure makes me think these were made in the age of corsets.

I like the man’s baggy pantaloons and formal shirt and jacket.

There are 3 little carved cats.

The dolls’ eyes seem too cutesy compared to everything else in the box. Maybe they are Betty Boop’s grandparents!

The miniature basket and woven chair seats are perfectly made.

Impromtu book signing on friday

Posted on January 18, 2011 by Salley Mavor

Book signing CANCELLED due to snow.

I’ll be up in the Boston area this friday, so the Danforth Museum asked if I’d like to come in for an hour to meet people and sign books. Everyone is invited to come to the museum in Framingham from 12 noon to 1:00 pm. My original illustrations from Pocketful of Posies are being exhibited an extra week, until Saturday, January 29th, so there’s more time to get to the show. I’d love to see some blog followers on friday!

detail from "Pocketful of Posies" 2010

Also, Pocketful of Posies was named an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book of 2010. The ALA committee writes,”Familiar and lesser known nursery rhymes, illustrated with superb needlework and appliqué, create a charming dollhouse of a book.” Thank you to all of the wonderful librarians around the country who have taken notice of my book!

Martin Luther King day

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Salley Mavor

In honor of Martin Luther King, I’ve gathered some images from my children’s picture books.

from “In the Heart” 2001

from “You and Me: Poems of Friendship” 1997

detail from “In the Heart”, 2001

from “You and Me: Poems of Friendship” 1997

from “Pocketful of Posies” 2010

from “In the Heart” 2001

from “Hey, Diddle, Diddle!” 2005

This post was inspired by the pictures of Mimi Kirchner’s beautiful dolls on her blog.

Also, the Pocketful of Posies exhibit at the Danforth Museum will be extended another week, until Sat., January 29th.

visit to Studio Goodwin Sturges

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Salley Mavor

I recently visited Studio Goodwin Sturges in their new location in Providence, RI. Judy Sue Goodwin-Sturges and I have known each other since I took her illustration classes at RISD in the mid 70’s. We’ve worked together on books since she started her studio in the 90’s. In addition to teaching, she represents a wonderful group of artists, some of whom are former students, and matches them up with publishers. Here she is in her studio office.

The studio moved from Boston to this window lit space in the back of her house. It’s located a few streets from where my mother grew up in Providence.

I saw a felt banner I made years ago displayed with some of the studio’s books. I didn’t know that they were involved with Puff the Magic Dragon and Judy Collins’ Over the Rainbow books. There’s a nice note from Peter Yarrow.

The Studio is a wonderful, supportive agency that has developed hundreds of children’s books.

One box filled room was full of books that Judy Sue moved from Boston. We combed through dozens of boxes until we found my books. She’s trying to down size, so she gave me most of what she had.

One of my early dolls was propped up on the center table at the studio. Her shoes and vest are made of leather.

It’s the same doll that I’m making in the photo below, which was taken by my roommate at RISD in 1976.

salley at RISD 1976

I also saw the framed pin display I made for Judy Sue sometime in the 80’s. This way she could see her collection. The custom-made cow may show my first use of bead udders.

: pin display, 1980’s

Visiting the new studio, with so many visible memories, makes me appreciate how much support I’ve received from Judy Sue to do what I love to do! I’ve written about how she encouraged me during my student years at RISD in earlier posts here. I love this picture of her with some of her former students, including Ashley Wolff and Holly Berry. Thanks Judy-Sue!

Judy-Sue (back), Salley, Ashley Wolff and Holly Berry, 1980's

magic snow dust

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Salley Mavor

Last Saturday night, a fine dusting of snow fell from the sky. It looked magical outside when the sun rose in the morning. The houses, trees and bushes appeared as if they were covered with artificial snow, like in a model train winter scene.

These houses surround the village green in Falmouth. Many of them are B&B’s, right in a row, in one of the town’s historical districts.

This one looks like it’s sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Closeups (bags)

Posted on January 8, 2011 by Salley Mavor

Purse, handbag, satchel, luggage or sack— they are basically containers to carry loose things around. As a sculptural object, there are just a few requirements, including storage space, durability and ease of use. I don’t understand the craze over designer bags. From what I’ve seen, most aren’t very interesting and are kind of ugly. Clearly, the fashion world is a mystery!

This first purse is being clutched by a wrench hand in my found object piece, Walking the Dog, which can be seen here.

detail from “Walking the Dog” 2005

This little piggie going to market is from Pocketful of Posies. The string bag is made with a needle crochet technique that I figured out on my own. I’m not patient enough to follow directions to learn the proper way to crochet with a hook, so I just fool around with a needle and thread.

Here’s an old man clothed all in leather, from the illustration for the folk song “One Misty Moisty Morning”. This and all of the next closeups are from Pocketful of Posies. The photos are blown up to about twice their actual size.

detail from “Pocketful of Posies” 2010

detail from ‘Pocketful of Posies” 2010

detail from “Pocketful of Posies” 2010

Treasures: shell cards

Posted on January 8, 2011 by Salley Mavor

I’ve cherished this set of shell decorated place cards since I was a child and remember thinking that they were too special to write on. They are kept in the same cardboard jewelry box I stored them in 40 years ago.

I love the simple scenes using tiny colored shells, with watercolor accents.

This girl with a shell bonnet and bouquet decorates a bridge score card.

Pocketful of Borders: back cover

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Salley Mavor

I always make book covers toward the end of a project. In the case of Pocketful of Posies, I’d already spent a couple of years on the book before I was ready to tackle the all important jacket design. See the front cover in an earlier post here. Whereas the front requires a title and by line, all the back really needs is space for a bar code.

sketch for "Pocketful of Posies" back cover

I decided to make a child inhabited landscape and neighborhood without a clear up or down. This way, I could set the scene for the book, going from general to more specific inside. Day and night would be separated diagonally.

Since the illustration already had a border of leaves, I just had to make a pattern (in red paper) and cut the felt into the wavy shape.

Then, I blanket stitched around the entire outside edge with pima cotton. I also signed and dated the bottom corners with chained stitched embroidery floss. This original illustration is part of the Pocketful of Posies Traveling Exhibit at the Danforth Museum in Framingham, MA, which will be on display through January 23rd.

back cover from "Pocketful of Posies" 2010

Note: See other posts from the Pocketful of Borders series here.

pot holder tutorial

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Salley Mavor

Every year, I make pot holders to give away to my friends. It’s become a seasonal ritual that started with my grandmother’s version. She used to sew a curtain ring in a corner, to hang them up with. I’ve had one of her’s in my kitchen drawer until last week, when I finally threw it out. And she died over 20 years ago! Over the years, I’ve adapted the design, which I’ll show you here.

Pot holders are so simple to make and it’s a good way to use up scraps of loud fabric that don’t match anything. I first pick out some fabric from my stash–this time some shop keepers, with a line of paper-doll chain style shoppers. I’ve had this fabric sample for years and can’t remember where it came from. I also included some checked batik fabric and some favorite 40-year-old blue Mari Mekko scraps.

I cut the batik fabric on the bias and sewed several lengths together to make tape for the edging.

An old cotton mattress pad is the secret ingredient to making pot holders like my grandmother’s. I had used up my old supply and recently found a cotton pad when cleaning out a relative’s house. Yipee! Polyester filled pot holders just don’t insulate well enough!

I cut out pieces and sandwiched together 3 layers, a front, a cotton pad middle and a back.

I then outlined the figures by stitching through the 3 layers.

Then I stitched the bias tape around the outside edge of the back side.

I then turned the bias tape over to the front side and pinned it in place.

This is the most fussy part—-stitching the tape on the top side. The tape usually puckers a bit as you turn the corner. I had previously stitched on a Wee Folk Studio label that was left over from the days of selling felt purse kits.

I saved some extra length of bias tape to flip over for a loop.

Now, they’re all in my friends’ kitchens. I like to make pot holders because they are not too precious—they will be used and enjoyed daily and can be thrown into the washing machine.