beetlegrass

Flea Market Finds: Miniatures

 

Stitch Wars Strikes Back!

Here's the flyer for the show -- it's not in a month far, far away -- it's in AUGUST! Stitch, little fingers, stitch! :-)

GoLocalProv Press

Some press about the Small Town exhibit in a local news/entertainment blog.

I answered some interview questions for the article, as you'll see, but thought I'd share with you ALL the questions asked, and my answers.

What inspired you to become a children's illustrator?

Since childhood, I've loved drawing and reading and working on crafty projects. We were raised without a TV in the home, which equaled = "make your own fun", and there were plenty of supplies around with which to do this. My mom and sisters were and are very artsy -- with drawing and needlework, etc., and, as the youngest in the family, it stands to reason that I wanted to do what they were doing and enjoying. My mom read to us each night. I'd sit right up next to her, following along as she read, the accompanying pictures both a treat and an education about good illustration. It wasn't until  I reached second grade that I learned that you could BE an illustrator as a job, so I decided then that's what I'd be. I illustrate for children -- for their education and their entertainment -- because I know to what kids respond, I like playing a role in their education, it's an area in which I'm well-suited, and it's fun!

How is 3D storytelling different from your 2D illustrations?  

For me, 3D storytelling or 3D designing doesn't have to be as "buttoned-down" as a 2D illustration. When I design 2-dimensionally, I have many things I have to take into account -- size of page, where type is going to lie, the specifics of what is being taught to the children (and showing these things accurately).

However, when I design 3-dimensionally, it seems I have more latitude for "play". The area in which I'm working is still a factor, but If I have all my "toys" (puppets, props) around me, I can arrange them in a variety of settings. Arranging elements (as opposed to designing them from the ground-up) takes virtually no time at all, whereas if I were to do this same thing with DRAWING, it would take a billion times longer.

I'm happy to be able to work both ways -- one provides a nice "break" from the other; things learned from working 3-dimensionally enrich my 2-dimensional work; and being able to know what makes a good image in 2D ALWAYS informs what makes a good image in 3D.

Why miniatures? What makes them so special?  

Some of the things about working with /making miniatures that I like are: they don't take up a lot of room, they're not difficult to lift (or shouldn't be), you don't need a LOT of whatever material it is to craft them, and there is something that can only be described as "charming" about a life-size thing made teeny. For a lot of girls/women, I'm sure, there is a fondness for all things doll-housey. I suppose I had this feeling towards dollhouses too, growing up, but more so with the town named "Beetlegrass" that lived on my dresser. It was the bigger scope of LOTS of families -- not just one -- lots of the things going on, with tons of things that needed to be made that got me going back then, and which still "has" me, inspiring me to create the many scenes in the Children's Museum display. In telling my dad about the exhibit, he asked, "Is this like Beetlegrass?" I agreed, "Yeah. It's like Beetlegrass on STEROIDS."

Can you describe the process of creating these miniatures?

In making finger puppets, I start off with... my finger! I wrap it with wool roving, which I dip into a bowl filled with warm water and a squeezin's worth of dishwashing liquid. I dip and sqeeze until the roving starts to hang together, and then I start to gently rub the roving. Wool is pretty nifty in that it has scales on it, and wet and warm and soap and friction work together to make the scales cling tighter and tighter to one another, until the item is "felted". When it feels as though this finger shape is felted enough (and you get better at knowing this over time), I run it (still on my finger) under cool running water, squeezing out all of the soap. I then remove the form from my finger, and put it on a rack to dry, which takes maybe a day. After the finger form is dry, I stitch into it, adding eyes/arms/hair, etc. -- all the things that will make the puppet unique.

I made some of the miniatures for the display using polymer clay -- dusting with pastel chalks to add the illusion of being baked -- adding a gel medium here and there to create shine. YouTube tutorials of other people making their mini clay items were very helpful, not to mention: fun.

Some miniatures were embellished with paint and other materials. Some furniture was constructed by chopping up OTHER furniture I had. I cannibalized a lot of "stuff" to make other "stuff" for this display!

RISD Blogpost

My alma mater was kind enough to include the PCM exhibit on their blog today.

Article in Providence Daily Dose

Link here for an article about the exhibit I did for PCM. Providence Daily Dose's slogan is "HIGH POWERED NEWS AND NONSENSE". Hmmm... I wonder which category I fall into?

P.S. The sheep you see in the photo ARE in the exhibit, but their scene is MUCH MORE involved -- come see for yourself!

A Banner Day!

Made a new banner for my ETSY shop -- couched cushion design in the background with some egg cozy guys greeting folks when they arrive. I like that the orange in the design works well with ETSY'S logo. Did I plan that? Maybe. MEG Illustrations on ETSY

"Toot, toot!" That's the Sound of My Own Horn.

Here's the link to the Providence Children's Museum blog post re: the marionette installation, which then in turn links you right back here! (If your head gets too spinny, there's always Dramamine!) 

Thanks to PCM for the shout-out & kind words -- appreciate 'em! :-)

Christmas Card 2003

In 2003, my sister Jane & I were heavily into... altered books & the like, so it was the various accoutrements from that art form that inspired my Christmas (or New Year's) card that year.

Besides being one of my all-time favorite winter birds, the Cardinal has a great song, which is "Cheer! Cheer! Cheer!", so I thought it be fun to "cheer" in the new year with this little guy. Anytime I can combine some bit of trivia with an illustration is a good time for me.

Also a good time for me: YOU having a Merry Christmas!
Do so, wouldya? ;-)

© Megan E. Jeffery.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Christmas Card 2001

In Christmas of 2001, after the attacks on the World Trade Center & the Pentagon, there was a renewed feeling of patriotism in the United States, with American flags everywhere & on everything.
Because of this, I decided to combine Santa with Uncle Sam (making him "Uncle Santa") in the classic "I WANT YOU" poster, but replacing US's dour expression with a more jolly one.

The inside of the card read:

... to have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

© Megan E. Jeffery.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Christmas Card 2000

2000's Christmas card (and I mean it this time: it really WAS 2000) centered around a peace theme. Doing a "Christian spin" on the yin & yang sign, I implemented the Lion & the Lamb, who co-exist in the Peaceable Kingdom.This design was a rubber cut print-- much easier to do than a linoleum cut!

On a personal level, I had been through a lot that year, having been both diagnosed with & healed from cancer all within a 5-month period. Not a "fun" time, for sure, & not one that I would care to repeat, but all the same: it grew my faith in God, softened my heart, & gave me a first-hand knowledge of His healing grace. What this experience taught me about the character of God helps me now, when going through hard times. Testify, y'all! :-)

© Megan E. Jeffery.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.