Poppets in Baltimore long to see Stardust

Neil emailed to remind me that I have friends in the Baltimore area. Yes, I do!
And you would likely enjoy an exclusive viewing of Stardust. Yes, you would!

Me too.

Gather together! Take your Poppets to see Stardust! And send me photos!


You can get your MOVIE PASSES FOR STARDUST HERE.

Poppets at Play

On Dreary Days, We Play.

Yes, indeed. Weeks of dreary days that seemed to go on and on, even into our sleeping hours, into our dreams.

So, what to do but to play?

Ravyn, Bent and Robert are all working on brilliant new pieces for next time.

For now, I'll open the gallery with the Poppets that came from, well, dreary days of play. I considered what Poppets might do on any particularly dreary day, and discovered that they like putting on costumes and masks and creating their own elsewheres.

Some of them explored the world Lewis Carroll created for Alice. I enjoyed a renewed appreciation of that world while I researched for the sculptures. And, of course, found many side roads I'd like to visit with Poppets, like famous 'fools' and Punch and Judy.

At any rate, play was what was called for, play we did, and all was for good.

Some of our Rat friends joined us. It's been quite a long time since I made rats. I realized too, painting these, how much I've missed them. Poppets and Rats seem to get along splendidly.

The auctions are HERE.

10% of Wonderland-inspired Poppet sales is for NORML

10% of other Poppet sales is for NCAC

10% of Little Red Poppets is for CBLDF

10% of Rats is for CBLDF

A number of people are asking me about the Neil Gaiman Rat. I plan to have at least one on each upcoming auction of the limited edition one. I'll also have one each of the other author rats; Edgar Allen Poe, H. P. Lovecraft and Harlan Ellison.
The new Neil Rat will be an open edition and will be out later this year. If you want to be on the mailing list for that, please email to

ravyn@poppetplanet.com

If you have any questions, ask me. I really like hearing from you. I hope you enjoy seeing the new work.

Already, I'm back in the studio.

Dee and Dum, Springs, 4/20, It's a Rat

Dee and Dum.

Today was mostly for taking photographs, which tends to be an important part of an artist's life and tends also to be tricky when the subjects are very small and occasionally mischievous and not completely cooperative.








I enjoyed watching "Fortune's Teller" go through it's mechanical rounds today. In honor of studio policy-- Nothin' Can Go Wrong Now-- we decided to run it for a solid week to check for bugs.
Found one---the noise of the spokes against the stop is louder than we want.
Most likely, the solution will be a combination of changing the angle of the spring, adding a bit of hidden insulation and installing and sealing the glass front. We originally used a plastic spring but the resistance wasn't enough, so the wheel spun too long -- by the time the wheel stopped on a fortune, the spotlight by which to read the fortune was out. Not to mention the metal spring will last much longer and be easier to replace.


That solved, there's some painting and detailing left. When that's done, I'll post a video and in -progress photos. The coolest thing about all of this--and unexpected-- was that when I saw the piece in motion, it truly creeped me out.



It's a profoundly satisfying thing to have made something that scares me, even a little.

I highly recommend it.



Making these these Poppets, sometimes I can zoom in, as when Orion and I pretend we're tiny, or when we lie on the grass and study objects in the night skies.

Eventually, looking inward at small things, or outward at large ones, size and distance begin to feel like the changeable inconstant concepts they are. Just for a moment.

I did actually make a few rats. I haven't made any in months, but thought it would be a good idea to make some more regularly. I miss the little fellows. Possibly that's why I started making rat masks for Poppets? Is a rat in a Poppet mask coming next?

Possibly I should open more windows in the studio and not leave the paint thinner open.

I hope you've had a good 4/20. Remember never to stop questioning the rules.
Who, what, where, when, why and how.

g'night

Talk and Toys

TruthDig Debate: Sam Harris v. Chris Hedges
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 8 p.m.Royce HallUCLA

A Truthdig debate between Sam Harris and Chris Hedges

Moderated by Robert Scheer
For more information and tickets:TruthDig Debate email: author@samharris.org

This looks worth a drive on the TEN to me, especially if Pete's driving, and likely some interesting conversation on the way home.
*****

So much bad news. So much sad news.
Our house is quiet but for the sound of distant gardening and smells of cut flowers and fresh coffee. How tempting it is to hide out in here. But we won't. We watch. We learn. Don't we?

On Dreary Days We Play. That seems to work. On dark days, when all else fails, I can make toys.

This box holds a Little Red Poppet and two masks for her to wear. It reminds me a little of a trunk doll I had when I was a little girl, a little of a ballet box and seems a bit like a Victorian toy.

I like it.

Masks and other costumes seem to be a theme this month. We'll open the gallery again on April 28th with Poppets dressed in costumes from "Through the Looking Glass" and others. There will be a few rats this time too, as I can fit them in.

Mostly we're back to working on the fortune teller, which will be very cool once done, but for now, because of all the delays, is getting to feel like an anvil over our heads. Well, my head. Ben seems unaffected by either headlines or deadlines. Good for him, otherwise he'd be making toys too. Then again, what are the kinetic pieces if not big toys?

At any rate, it's good to be working in the studio again. Now it smells of paint instead of dust, which in my view is better. And if I make only toys for awhile, that's okay too.

There are lots of new topics up on the forums www.poppetplanet.com including some new Poppets on Tour photos on flickr. Thanks Laura!

Supposedly there will be a Poppet Planet party at Balticon. As soon as I have more details, I'll post them here.

My coffee has been drunk. Time to make things.