Kelpie

I finished my last piece for the Studiopolis group color show Blue:

It's a kelpie I've named Merric, which is Gaelic for "ruler of the sea." Kelpies are sea monsters from Celtic folklore. Known to appear on land as beautiful horses, kelpies lure people, especially children, onto their backs. Having lured a rider, the kelpie's skin becomes adhesive and escape is impossible. The kelpie returns to the sea and drowns and devours its rider, eating all but the heart or liver.

My kelpie looks much more benevolent than its folkloric counterpart. I had hoped he would look slightly more fearsome, but I'm still pleased with him nonetheless. Plus, I got to try some new techniques. I had wanted to give his tail and fin a fishlike look; I considered painting on scales, but ran out of time, so I opted instead for spraying on a coat of clear, pearlescent acrylic. I like the effect it gives, like he's still wet from the sea.

Adding the wooden stand is a first for me too (thanks to the uber-talented Robyn Fabsits for the inspiration there). I painted a plain pine plaque, drilled a hole in the center, and glued in a dowel I had painted to match. The dowel is inserted through a small hole cut in the kelpie's belly. I think this is something I will start doing more often, especially for gallery pieces. It allows me greater control over the pose of the finished piece, plus it looks more artistic and professional.

Now that the Blue pieces are finally finished, I can return to my regularly scheduled programming. I'm working on a bunch of stuff for the shop, and have some other fun surprises to share this month as well. Stay tuned!