Here she is, my first attempt at papier mache. She told me her name is Flora Schmetterling. Schmetterling is the German word for butterfly, so I think her name suits her, don't you?
She started as a discarded water bottle, recycled aluminum foil, some cardboard and some masking tape. Most of the papier mache was made from recycled newspaper, but for the final layer I used some pieces of watercolor-stained paper towel I had been using for months to clean my brushes.
She started as a discarded water bottle, recycled aluminum foil, some cardboard and some masking tape. Most of the papier mache was made from recycled newspaper, but for the final layer I used some pieces of watercolor-stained paper towel I had been using for months to clean my brushes.
Flora Schmetterling has finally emerged from her cocoon. She realizes that her days are numbered. She is fragile, beautiful and determined to fulfill her purpose.
She loved being a caterpillar. In those early days she was colorful, curious, traveled extensively, and loved to dance the night away on various plants under the moonlight. And she could eat and eat and eat. Those were the days!
Finally, it was time to grow up and cocoon. Those were dark, formative years. They were necessary but difficult, because all her beauty and talents were hidden in her cocoon. Even her cocoon was hidden from the world, to keep her safe.
Finally she felt a stirring inside her soul. She was changing and no one could stop her! Her cocoon couldn't contain her any longer. First there was one little crack, than another, and then POP! There was air, there was light, and she could breathe again.
She remembered those days long ago - travel, adventure, dancing.
She basked in the new day - her wings drying and becoming more radiant, delicate yet powerful. They would carry her far.
From now on she would no longer be confined to the ground. She could fly! All her beauty and talents gloriously visible and impossible to contain in a cocoon ever again.
She remembered those days long ago - travel, adventure, dancing.
She basked in the new day - her wings drying and becoming more radiant, delicate yet powerful. They would carry her far.
From now on she would no longer be confined to the ground. She could fly! All her beauty and talents gloriously visible and impossible to contain in a cocoon ever again.
As I see it, Flora Schmetterling is like so many of us women in "middle age" who are ready for new challenges. We're ready to show our true colors and talents, and we're ready to fly. No more crawling, no more cocooning. It's time to spread those wings and see where they take us.
I really like the way this first project turned out. I like how wrinkled her face and neck look, and I like how she looks like a piece of naive folk art. There are a few things I will do differently when working with papier mache from now on, but overall, I'm quite pleased with Flora Schmetterling.
The idea of a folk art piece came to me when I found a book about folk art at a resale shop recently. This book has hundreds of stunning photos of the folk art collection at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I don't know how I missed visiting this museum when I was in Santa Fe a few years ago, but it's definitely on my list of places to see the next time I'm there! (If you are interested in the museum, you can find it at www.internationalfolkart.org/)
I hope you find your wings, like Flora Schmetterling!
The idea of a folk art piece came to me when I found a book about folk art at a resale shop recently. This book has hundreds of stunning photos of the folk art collection at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I don't know how I missed visiting this museum when I was in Santa Fe a few years ago, but it's definitely on my list of places to see the next time I'm there! (If you are interested in the museum, you can find it at www.internationalfolkart.org/)
I hope you find your wings, like Flora Schmetterling!
