playful week

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Salley Mavor

April Prince, Judy Sue Goodwin-Sturges and Salley Mavor

I spent the week playing with friends, both real and imaginary. Judy Sue and April from Studio Goodwin-Sturges came to visit. It was so fun to have them over! Judy Sue and I go way back to my art school days, when she was my teacher at RISD. She is still inspiring and challenging students to find their own way of working. In fact, she makes a point that her classes are about “making art”, not illustration. She’s all about opening up possibilities! Hearing her talk excitedly about her current classes made me feel lucky to have had her guidance early on.

The next part of the week was spent playing with dolls. I set up my doll house and Pocketful of Posies Tree at Highfield Hall for their Holiday’s at Highfield event (Nov. 28 ~ Dec. 7). You can see more photos of the house in last year’s post here. My doll house is inhabited by antique Santas and a family of dolls from my new book, Felt Wee Folk – New Adventures. I just found out that it’s release date is Feb. 16, 2015 and copies can be pre-ordered from C&T here. And, when the book is printed, I’ll be selling autographed copies (with an extra goody) through my Etsy Shop. This is the 3rd year I’ve decorated the Pocketful of Posies Tree and the 2nd year it’s been at Highfield for the holidays. I’m always happy to unpack and hang the nursery rhyme ornaments and spool garlands. I hear that people who see the tree are disappointed that the ornaments are not for sale. But, I’d rather display them together as a group every year, in a place where lots of visitors can see them. If you’re local, come join the festivities at Highfield Hall!

France (Canal du Midi)

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Last month, my husband Rob and I went on a barge trip along the Canal du Midi in France. We were part of a group of 18 friends who rented 3 barges for a week. Rob put together photographs he and I took, along with videos of the trip. He made the film for our barge friends, but I really like the way it came out, so I thought I’d share it with the rest of the world.

France (doorways w/vines)

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Salley Mavor

La Redorte, France

Let’s go back to our recent trip to southern France. Among the gazillion pictures Rob and I took of doors and windows, there are more than a few which feature trained leaf vines and other plants. It was so odd to see vegetation growing out of the pavement, with no dirt in sight. I love the way a bit of greenery frames and softens the straight angles on the buildings.

Carcassonne, France

Mille Petit, France

Argen, France

Argen, France

La Redorte, France

La Redorte, France

Bram, France

Marseilles, France

Marseilles, France

new Ltd. Edition Fairies

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Ltd. Edition Fairies; Holly & Birch and Lilly of the Valley

OK, I’ve learned to never say never again! 3 years ago (in this post), I announced that Pansy would be my last Ltd. Edition Fairy. Looking back, I needed to close that chapter of my career, so that I could move forward and grow as an artist. It was an important and necessary step to take, but I’ve found that the desire to keep my hands busy has won out, especially while away from home. The portable nature of wrapping bodies and stitching felt clothing for these wee folk dolls is perfect for traveling. So, for 2 years I’ve been slowly working on a group of dolls, with the goal of eventually selling them in editions of 25. In keeping with my original intention of banning mass production work from my studio, I only worked on them when traveling, in airport waiting rooms, planes, boats, and trains. This arrangement allows me to have a stitching “fix” while away from my studio and there is no pressure to complete the set of dolls by a certain time.

For those of you who are new to my work, these fairies are the same designs found in my 2003 how-to book, Felt Wee Folk: Enchanting Projects. The long awaited follow-up, Felt Wee Folk: New Adventures will be published in March, 2015.

Well, the dolls are finally ready to show themselves and have been added to my Etsy Shop! Two editions of 25, Lily of the Valley and Holly & Birch have been created in transit around the world, across oceans and continents, including America, South America, Antarctica and Europe. The dolls will only be sold through Etsy with a credit card or Paypal, on a first come, first served basis.

What happens when these sell out? Will there more in the future? Possibly, but realistically, it would be a few more years before they make an appearance. It all depends on how much idle travel time there is!

Working on fairy tunics on a train en route to Toulouse, France

Lily of the Valley has blonde braids, a green wool felt tunic and a white flounced petal skirt.

Lily of the Valley Ltd. Edition Fairies

During our barge trip in France, Rob took this photo of me engrossed in stitching felt fairy tunics, while waiting for a lock to fill along the Canal du Midi.

Lily of the Valley Ltd. Edition Fairy

Holly & Birch are a girl and boy pair with dark brown hair and black and red wool felt outfits.

Holly and Birch Ltd. Edition Fairies

Holly and Birch Ltd. Edition Fairies

2 exhibits, many miles apart

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Salley Mavor

detail from “Birds of Beebe Woods”

I’m excited to let you know that some of my most popular pieces are included in 2 group shows which are both opening this weekend, one locally in Fall River, MA and the other way across the country in Arizona. Since it’s close to home, I’ll be going to the opening at the Narrows Center for the Arts and hope to meet some you on Sunday, Nov. 8, 4:30 – 7:00 pm.

detail from Rabbitat 2011

Rabbitat and Birds of Beebe Woods are included in the group show, ART QUILTS XIX: Permission to Play, Storytelling Art Quilts at Vision Gallery , Chandler Center for the Arts, Chandler, Arizona ~ Nov, 7, 2014 – January 17, 2015.

Click on this poster to read the list of artists in Art Quilt XIX:

And the other show in Fall River…

detail from Self Portrait : A Personal History of Fashion 2007

Self Portrait: A Personal History of Fashion and Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary (from Pocketful of Posies) are included in this group show ~ MODERN SPIN: CONtemporary TEXTiles in an Historic Mill at the Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River, MA. Nov. 7 – Dec. 27, 2014. Opening Sunday Nov. 9, 4:30 – 7:00 pm.

from “Pocketful of Posies” 2010

Click on the poster below to read the list of artists in Modern Spin:

New wee folk cards

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Salley Mavor

A Wee Gathering

In anticipation of my new how-to book coming out next March, I’m excited to be offering a series of new note cards. It was hard to narrow it down to six images from the many project and inspirational photographs in Felt Wee Folk: New Adventures. (Update: Pre-order autographed copies from my Etsy shop.)

Felt Wee Folk: New Adventures 2015

A year ago, my husband Rob and I were busy setting up scenes and taking photographs for the book, which I chronicled in these posts. I’m happy to finally share some of the scenes, which give a glimpse into the newest wee world! Cards can be ordered from my Etsy Shop. Of course, the Wee Folk Studio watermark will not appear on the printed cards. They come in sets of 4 of the same image, or a 6 card variety pack. The new cards include A Wee Gathering, Winter Play, A Buggy Picnic, Beach Babies, A Family Outing and Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Wholesale inquiries from retail shops are welcome. Please contact me for a price list.

A Wee Gathering and Winter Play bring to life a variety of doll projects from the book.

Winter Play

A Buggy Picnic is in the book’s photo gallery. The book includes directions for making the little girl doll in the doorway, but the houses and insects are added for fun and inspiration.

A Buggy Picnic

There are lots of wee folk babies in the book. I used my collection of shells to set up this Beach Babies scene.

Beach Babies

A Family Outing pictures a woodland family emerging from a tree trunk doorway.

A Family Outing

A schoolyard full of children fills the Mary Had a Little Lamb chapter.

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Polly’s trip to France

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Polly doll had a wonderful time on her first trip to France! She got up close and personal to a large face and was introduced to some delicious food.

She saw a model of what the city of Marseille would have looked like in ancient Roman times.

She loved the brightly painted doors and shutters…

and even met some of her own kind.

She took in the view from atop the village of Les Baux-de-Provence…

and climbed sedimentary rock.

She saw some amazing wild life.

She saw the same places where Van Gogh lived in St. Remy…

and took shelter under some mushrooms.

In St. Remy she visited the Glanum archaeological site…

and touched the ruins.

She navigated the Canal du Midi…

and walked around the medieval city of Carcassonne. It was a splendid journey!

To keep up with new posts, please subscribe to this blog (top right column on the home page). 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

France (lock houses)

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Salley Mavor

During our visit to France, we spent a week navigating a barge along the Canal du Midi. There were many locks to go through and each had a cute lock house, all with signature red tile roofs, and green doors and shutters.

The canal was beautiful, with tall plane trees arching over, creating a shaded waterway. Our excursion included 18 friends from home, 9 couples who were divided into 3 boats. The barges were like floating Winnebagos, with accommodations for sleeping, cooking and eating aboard. Like renting a camper, you are given a key and simple instructions and off you go! Some of us rode bikes along the side path, faster than the barges, which puttered along at 5 miles an hour.

Each lock had a keeper who operated the lock, which in this case lowered us down.

I was so taken with the charming lock houses! The canal took us to several towns and villages, which I’ll be showing in future posts.

France (store fronts)

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Toulouse, France

We’re home from a wonderful trip to France, where we spent the first week gallivanting through Provence. Then, we piloted a rented barge along the Canal du Midi from just outside of Toulouse to Argens. Over the past couple of days, I’ve been culling through 1000+ photos, grouping them in my usual collections of windows, doors, streets, misc., etc. I thought I’d start the tour with the iconic images of French store fronts. I’ll be posting more photos over the next few weeks and will be sure to feature Polly’s adventures, too!

Des Baux-de-Provence, France

St. Remy-de-Provence, France

Des Baux-de-Provence, France

St Remy-de-Provence, France

Avignon, France

Marseille, France

St. Remy-de-Provence, France

Elsie Marley goes to Concord

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Salley Mavor

I’m pleased to let you know that an original fabric relief illustration from Pocketful of Posies will be part of a special exhibit at the Concord Museum in Concord, Massachusetts this fall and winter. My contribution is the double page spread of “Donkey, donkey old and gray” and “Elsie Marley, shes so fine, she won’t get up to feed the swine”. I thought this would be a good opportunity to revisit this piece and show some process photos about adding the border.

First, here are the particulars: Oct. 10 – May 3, 2015 ~ Good Night, Sleep Tight: Art from Children’s Literature will feature over twenty original illustrations from classic and contemporary children’s books woven around the themes of bedtime, dreams, and lullabies. My old friend and college mate Beth Krommes will also have an illustration from one of her wonderful books in the show.

I will also be signing books at Author and Illustrator Day on Dec. 7th at the Conc ord Museum, Concord, MA. This event is held in conjunction with the annual exhibit, Family Trees: Celebration of Children’s Literature.

After the illustrations were photographed for the book, I needed to make them presentable for their next life as framed works of art. I cut out pieces of felt to make a border and embroidered them with my initials and the date. Although it took 3 years to make all 51 pieces, I treated the collection as one work and dated each piece 2010, the book’s publication date. Then, I stitched the felt scene and border onto a stretched piece of upholstery fabric. And last, but not least, my husband Rob built wooden shadow box frames for all of them, which you can see here. See posts about making more of the borders here.