My Moonchild

Last year I took a seminar on the making of marionettes in a studio called Prassein Aloga. I have worked on a special kind of marionette that has no strings and is moved solely by the hands of the marionette player -who in most cases is a real actor that co-stars with his own marionette.  

It took me almost a year to find a chance to photo-capture the end product of this seminar.  The reason for this is that I couldn't take the pictures by myself since, in order to give life to this marionette, I had to be present in the actual photo!!! 

Well, as you will see, in the end I really enjoyed "co-staring" with my own creation! You will also notice that what people say about character creation (whether this is doll making or animation) is true: we do look alike with the creatures that we make!  

Without any further delay let me introduce you to my moonchild:

Greetings good lords and ladies:

Some close-ups:

The main materials used is paper-clay and wood.  The marionette is approximately 75cm tall (moon on the head included).  Now, here are some more moves:

Here you can see the similarity that we were talking about:

Oh, my God, I have a mini-me!!!

Playing around some more...

That's all folks!!!

In honor of my good friend Zori

Today, the 26th of march, is a painful anniversary that I feel like honouring. A year ago, my beloved dog, my best friend, has passed away. He was the sweetest, smartest, most loyal friend one could have!  He was my companion during the most difficult period of my life and left me exactly at the time when everything was coming back into place. As if this soul's only purpose was to keep me safe and busy until I could find happiness again! His life was a gift to me that I will always cherish.

When we decided to call him "Zori" (myself, Christina and Giannis), a word that in Greek means "tough time" (due to his vigorous temperament) I couldn't have guessed the coincidence of his life lasting only as my life's toughest time...     

He was only one year and a half! His life was so short, but in this time he managed to make so many people love him dearly! Because this sweet creature knew how to love back, how to express his appreciation and tenderness to anyone who came near him! A young, happy, beautiful dog, full of life and positive energy. He died after eating a poisoned piece of food that somebody threw in the street with the intent of killing a breathing soul just to make his neighborhood a little quieter (a very common criminal practice here, in Greece, that is left unpunished).

Today I struggled hard to forget the images of his agonizing death and remember Zori as he really was: a happy, vivid, communicative little tramp! I couldn't decide whether it was appropriate to make a post on this blog, since I'm using it only for creative purposes. But then I thought that this is my way of honouring him: making him part of the life that he helped me create.

Zori mou, I will love you always!   

The Love Monster

A week ago I came across an old legend that we used to learn in school. It's about Alexander the Great and his sister's everlasting love.

  The legend states that when Alexander the Great died, his grief-stricken sister attempted to end her life by jumping into the sea. Instead of drowning, however, she became a mermaid passing judgment on mariners throughout the centuries and across the seven seas. To the sailors who encountered her she would always pose the same question: "Is Alexander the king alive?" If the answer was positive she would allow the ship and her crew to sail safely away in calm seas. If not, she would send the ship and every sailor on board to the bottom.

I was inspired to make a little "love mermaid".  I discarded the darkness and rage of this tale and tried to imagine Love as a sweet fairytale monster. Strange but pure, with the wings of Eros (another mythical depiction of Love) that would carry it to the end of the world. 

So here is my "Love Monster". It is made out of polymer clay. It is approximately 10cm wide and 9cm tall.     

Sis with rainbow blanket!

Another one of my mother's crochet afghan blankets, even more colorful than my picnic rug (see post on the 20th of February)! 

This one is also 1m x 1,3m and is sold for 70 euros!

By the way, the gorgeous creature that takes advantage of the warmth and fluffiness of this beautiful blanket is my sister Vasso  (for whom I made the "Stylish penguin" box -see post on the 9th of December)!