hunkered down in my studio

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Rob and I are spending every spare moment in my studio, taking photographs for the revised edition of Felt Wee Folk. We need hundreds of pictures for the new book and we’re making good progress! There’s barely enough room for all of light stands, wires and equipment. The light box creates an even, pleasing light, so once it was set up, we spent a few days taking overhead shots of the dolls and step-by-step samples. I just started writing the new chapters and directions, which I find requires a different kind of discipline than stitching. So, if I don’t post for a while, I may be absorbed into the world of words, telling instead of showing. We have another, larger light box that is good for the scenes. We’ve been taking pictures of the dolls all grouped together in a crowd, thinking that it would make a good book cover photo. Rob raised the tripod up really high to get the right angle. I wish you could see their little faces all looking up and waving, but that’ll have to wait until the book comes out in 2015.

Update: See the book here.

next stop on the “Posies” tour

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Gallery 65 on William, in New Bedford, MA is the next location for my Pocketful of Posies exhibit. The work will be on display at the gallery Feb. 27 – March 29, 2014. I will be giving a talk at the closing reception on Saturday, March 29 a 3:00 pm. Please note: I will not be able to attend the opening on March 8th. We’ll be traveling (with Polly, of course) – location announced later, with lots of pictures.

I’m also happy to report that the exhibit at the Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis, MA has been extended until Feb.16th.

Close-ups (women)

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Salley Mavor

The women in my artwork are usually busy doing something. They’re harvesting, teaching, doing handwork, cooking, washing and talking, etc. I use arm gestures to bring my figures to life in an otherwise static medium. And I like the keyhole shape that a woman in a skirt makes.

detail from “Picking Peas” fabric relief 1986

detail from “Mary Had a Little Lamb” book published in 1995

detail from “Mary Had a Little Lamb” book published in 1995

detail from “The Storyteller” fabric relief 1995

detail from “In the Heart” book published in 2001

The mother in the kitchen is from my book, In the Heart and the last 2 close-ups are from my book, Pocketful of Posies.

Celeste the dancer

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Last month, during Holidays at Highfield, my friend Celeste and some other lovely young dancers spent an afternoon in their Nutcracker costumes, circulating among the visitors. Here she is, posed in front of my doll house and Pocketful of Posies tree. I’m happy to have Celeste back on this blog. She’s has been featured before; Celeste’s class visits Highfield, Dolls from Istanbul, Wee Yo Yo Ma.

Scheduled presentations in 2014

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Salley Mavor

Beginning this coming Saturday, I will be giving several talks about my artwork in 2014. Some presentations will be to quilting guilds and others are in conjunction with art exhibits. I hope that many of you who live close enough will attend an event. As well as telling the story of my artistic development, I plan to bring along my Self Portrait: A Personal History of Fashion. See the current schedule of events below:

Keep up with my schedule on the Events Page.

Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, 2:00 pm, In conjunction with her exhibit, Pocketful of Posies (11/9/13 ~ 2/16/14), Salley Mavor will give an artist talk, “Once Upon a Thread” at the Cape Cod Museum of Art, Dennis, Massachusetts.

Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, 10 am, Plymouth County Cranberry Quilters, Carver Public Library, 2 Meadowbrook Way, Carver, MA. Members free; guests $5.00.

Tues., Feb. 25, 2014, 7:00 pm Bayberry Quilters ~ Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, Harwich, MA and Wed., Feb. 26, 2014, 9:00 am at Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Rd., Brewster, MA. Members free, guests $5.00. http://www.bayberryquiltersofcapecod.com/

March 29, 2014, 3:00 pm ~ Closing event and talk at Gallery 65 on William, New Bedford MA. Pocketful of Posies Exhibit is on display Feb. 27 ~ March 29.

Friday, May 9, 2014, 7:00 pm In conjunction with her Pocketful of Posies exhibit (April 5 – May 27), Salley Mavor will give a presentation about her work at the Cotuit Public Library.

July 4 – August 16, 2014 ~ Salley Mavor: Expressions in Stitches: Then and Now Falmouth Historical Society, Falmouth, MA. Opening reception and artist’s talk ~ Sat., July 12, time to be announced.

wedding cake prop

Posted on December 26, 2013 by Salley Mavor

UPDATE: Felt Wee Folk: New Adventures was published in 2015. The following post was written in 2013.

I’ve recently finished making a group of wedding couples for the new edition of Felt Wee Folk (2015 pub date). While I was working on them, I imagined that the dolls would be photographed on a cake, lined up on tiered layers. As a prop, the cake didn’t have to be real, but I wanted it to look realistic. My friend Terry McKee provided technical assistance and moral support as we spent 2 afternoons in my kitchen working the problem. Terry and I have teamed up on a number of projects, including a real wedding cake and a baby quilt.

We quickly found out that the sharp edges of the Styrofoam cake forms tear through the fondant, so we changed our approach. We padded the sharp edge with fondant and abandoned the by-the-book instructions that called for draping the cake over the top and sides with one piece of fondant. We decided that a top and collar would work better, since we would be able to cover any seams with frosting later.

Here’s Terry rolling out the fondant collar. It took most of the afternoon to cover both tiers and the base.

I lined up the dolls to see if they would all fit. After Terry went home, I spent the rest of the afternoon decorating the cake with pieces of fondant that I cut out with leaf and moon shaped cookie cutters.

On day 2 we resumed work on the cake. Terry put her piping skills to work as she applied frosting around the edges.

I piped out some squiggles on top and voila, a wedding cake! Terry was a big help and it’s always more fun to work together as we tackle these new and unfamiliar projects. The cake should last a bit, being just sugar and styrofoam. I’m not sure how long I’ll keep it after we photograph the scene.

Rob and I set up the cake in the light box, with a silk curtain behind and took photographs for the book. Autographed copies of Felt Wee Folk: New Adventures with extra goodies are available in my Shop.

UPDATE: In the years since the book was published, I’m made several custom wedding cake toppers for friends and family, which are in the archives.

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Posies exhibit, continued into ’14

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Salley Mavor

The 3 year Pocketful of Posies Traveling Exhibit was originally scheduled to end at the end of 2013, but I’m happy to say that it has spilled over into 2014. Sold pieces will go to their owners, but I’m holding onto about half of the collection, so that they can continue to be exhibited.

“Hickety pickety my black hen” detail 2010

detail from “Pocketful of Posies” 2010

Little Boy Blue

detail from “Pocketful of Posies” 2010

“Pocketful of Posies” detail 2010

“Pocketful of Posies”

I just got word today that the show at the Cape Cod Museum of Art has been extended 3 more weeks, until Feb. 16th. Here’s the current 2014 schedule:

Nov. 9, 2013 – Feb. 16, 2014 at the Cape Cod Museum of Art, Dennis, Massachusetts (25 pieces shown) Saturday, January 4th, 2:00 pm ~ Artist’s Talk, “Once Upon a Thread” by Salley Mavor.

Nov. 21 – Dec. 29, 2013 at the New England Quilt Museum, classroom gallery, Lowell, Massachusetts (25 pieces shown)

Feb. 25 – March 29, 2014 at Gallery 65 on William, New Bedford, Massachusetts (20 pieces shown) Saturday, March 29, 3:00 pm ~ Artist’s Talk by Salley Mavor to be followed by a closing reception. Right down the street, Birds of Beebe Woods will be exhibited in Fiber in the Present Tense 2014, at ArtWorks! during the same time.

April 5 – May 27, 2014 at the Cotuit Public Library, Cotuit, Massachusetts (20 pieces shown) May 9, 7:00pm ~ Artist’s Talk by Salley Mavor

July 5 – August 17, 2014 at the Lexington Public Library, Lexington, Kentucky (20 pieces shown)

More locations will be added as venues and dates are confirmed. Are you interested in hosting a future exhibit? Inquiries are welcome from museums, art centers and libraries with funds for shipping and insurance. (weefolk@cape.com).

another scene from Felt Wee Folk 2

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Salley Mavor

With the cold of winter upon us, it’s been easy to get into the spirit of my next scene for the 2nd edition of Felt Wee Folk, which will be published in 2015. The set-up includes a snowy hillside and an icy pond made of paraffin. I built the hill with chicken wire and wood. Then, I covered it with old-fashioned fluffy “snow” fabric that drapes in a convincing snow-like manner. I sprinkled on a product called Buffalo Snow Flurries, which looks like plastic bag material chewed up into really small pieces. It falls and glitters like snow, but feels nasty and gets over everything. I added old fake pine trees that my husband’s family had and some real bayberry branches that look like miniature trees.

We’ve moved the photography operation into my studio and used a light box for the first time. With flood lights shining on the outside of its white walls, a softly lit space is created inside. Rob set up his computer on my ironing board and monitored the shots.

The dolls in the scene are skiing, skating, sledding, tobogganing and making a snow man. Even Jack Frost makes an appearance!

visit with Mimi & Rising Star Quilters

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Salley Mavor

Since I was in her neighborhood yesterday, I dropped in on Mimi Kirchner. We had a cup of tea and chatted in her studio. If you haven’t seen her stuff, take a look at her blog here. She’s been really busy making her wonderful dolls and tiny world pin cushions. I loved seeing all of her half finished projects lying around.

Then I headed over to Lexington, where I spoke to the members of the Rising Star Quilt Guild. I love meeting and talking with quilters because, not only are they generally nice people, they get the fabric and sewing thing. Here I am, signing books after my presentation.

Posies Tree @ Highfield this season

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Salley Mavor

I am pleased to announce the the “Pocketful of Posies” tree has returned for another season–this year it is set up in the front entrance of Highfield Hall in Falmouth, MA. The tree, which is decorated with nursery rhyme themed ornaments/vignettes based on my book, Pocketful of Posies, will be on display during Holidays at Highfield (Nov. 29 – Dec. 8, noon ~ 4pm). My dollhouse and 5 original fabric relief illustrations from my book, In the Heart are also on display.

I made the ornaments for last year’s Family Trees event at the Concord Museum and I was happy to bring them back for this year’s event at Highfield Hall.

Here are closeups of some of the ornaments/vignettes.

The 10 day event got off to a great start, with lots and lots of visitors stopping by Highfield on Friday. The building is beautifully decorated upstairs and downstairs. I feel honored to be a part of such a fun and lively event!