Silvain - Keeper of the Forest

As an admirer of art dolls, I've been wanting to try my hand again. Silvain, Keeper of the Forest, is the most recent result.

Silvain's head was sculpted from Sculpey clay, cured and painted. I wanted to make him Elvish, so tried a mix of green acrylic paint, which I promptly tried to remove, with mixed results....which I rather liked.

Hence his blotchy, semi-painted complexion.His eyes are cobalt blue glass beads.

His body began as a bundle of willow twigs (an idea I got from seeing a doll made by Minnesota artist Brenna Busse), with twig shoulders and arms wired in place with copper. Longer twigs were added to make him stand alone and his hands were attached with wire and glue.

 Hand were sculpted over a wrapped wire armature, giving him long, thin fingers that should be break-resistant. They were also treated with acrylic color to match his face. Wire from the hands was glued and inserted into a small hole drilled into the end of his twig-arms. His tight-fitting sleeve was then over-wrapped with cord to secure.

He wears a simple tunic and a leather mantle, composed of animal skins, leaves, hair and grasses (i.e. silk leaves, velvet, leather and fiber scraps, raffia and yarn). Trims from an old pair of sandals connects the cloak in the front.

A few wooden beads, a small brass bell and some beads are hidden in the fibers.

Silvain's head was completed with a metal cap (old brass filigree earring) and feathers. He also wears small brass ear studs and has pointed, elvish ears.

He is holding a talisman made from a polished fruit seed, with a tassel of fibers, seeds and beads.

Though today he stands in Eclectics Gallery, yesterday he was outside, checking the weather, wishing it would rain in the woods soon.

He loves the autumn when he can walk through the leaves and put the trees to sleep for the winter.