Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Big Green Bear Statue - Mixed Media

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Thank You CANDY COLWELL!!
(You can click on her name to go to her blog)

Candy nominated me to share 7 days of my favorite projects from 2015.  So fun and exciting!!!  This is DAY ONE. :)

You all know that my first love is painting on canvas. 
However... I can other things - eheheh - so thought it would be good to share with you some variety of projects!! 

Last year I was very honored to be a
Guest Designer for Rhedd's Creative Spirit Altered Art . 
This was my project.... 

One day, I was out on our wrap around porch - glanced across to the cow pasture to admire the new calves and literally stubbed my toe on.... WHAT?  Would you believe... A BEAR?  

That crazy bear had been sitting there in virtually the same spot for the past year. He was chipped, moldy, wind damaged, and had lost the fish that used to hang out of his mouth.  Nope - no idea how that fish got away!!!!!!!!

With my big toe pounding - right then and there - I decided that bear had to go.  Bending over to pick it up, I felt the strangest rumble in my thinking cap and then as I stood up... that ole thinking cap started to hiss and crank and sputter.  By the time I had walked around to the trash can... there was no way to let go of Mr. Bear and toss him.  My thinking cap was now in purring mode and even with an aching toe... I knew that Mr. Pygmy Bear.... would need sprucing up to meet Rhedd's Creative Spirit friends&family.  

(Keep reading if you want to know how he got his name!)



Now onto the rest of the story!!!

Here is a snap of the bear BEFORE! But he was much worse looking than the picture shows - not salvageable - as he was.  He is made out of a hard plastic mold but it will chip and the fish totally broke off his mouth so... it's seems like a strange plastic.





I absolutely adore bright shimmery shiny sparkly colors. Since we have had generations of  'Baylor University Bears' in our family... Mr. Pygmy Bear was painted in green and gold. 

And it was really nothing more than just that - painting.

Mr. Pygmy Bear himself was done with the following items:
Pebeo Studio Acrylics DYNA - Iridescent Green Yellow
Pebeo Studio Acrylics DYNA - Iridescent Precious Gold
Ranger Ice Stickles - Diamond
Ranger Ice Stickles - Black Diamond



Mr. Pygmy Bear's "cliff" side - where he is standing - was done with: Ranger Alcohol Inks - lots of colors



You will also so some of the following little creatures:
lady bug
bee
lizard
large butterfly
small butterfly
snake







Mr. Pigmy Bear's earth was done with the following: 
Pebeo Studio Acrylics DYNA - Iridescent Green Yellow
Preserved Spanish Moss
Pecans (from the ranch)
Acorns (from the ranch)
Rocks (from the ranch)
Wood (from the ranch)
A few real leaves too!
Prima Flowers





And Mr. Pygmy Bear is a fair size - here is a picture with a ruler!



After the project was finished, I shared sweet Mr. Pgymy Bear was some friends.  One of the guys pulled my hubby aside and said he like the bear but the pecans were a bit big compared to the bear. My every loyal - precious hubby of 43 years said... 
"Oh - didn't you know... this is Mr. Pygmy Bear".

Needless to say... I was so proud of hubby for saving me!!!
And everyone was laughing loudly at his quick humor too!

It was a fun project to do. 
Hugs j. 


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8 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

What a fantastic piece you have made here, I LOVE this bear so much, WOW!!! Really great. Hugs, Valerie

Astrid Maclean said...

Wow, that is one amazing piece of up cycling, he looks incredible now!! Amazing colours!!

Candy C said...

Wow! What an amazing g transformation! I am so glad that you did a before picture so we can really appreciate the difference. I love your shiny bright colors on the bear it's self. Amazing what you used to achieve those. I also love that you found so many things on your ranch to embellish Mr. Pygmy Bear! Thanks for sharing!!!

yyam said...

Well, you are a lady of many talents. I LOVE how this project turned out. Fabulous!

Pamellia said...

Oh my gosh, how amazing that you chose this project for your first showcase...I'm pretty sure it's the project that first really grabbed my attention and brought me to your blog!! Just amazing work Joi!! Hope all is well in your corner of the crafting world, just playing some catch up after my week away. hugs :)

Jackie PN said...

I do think this was the first piece of your art that I saw, and I said, wow, she is cool and so is her bear! The rest is history! xo

Win Dinn, Artist said...

What a fabulous bear this is, Joi - just love all the texture and the story about her creation. Marvellous! xo

sarascloset said...

Like others before me, I think this may be my first piece I saw of yours, but his image is burned into my mind. This is just a pleasure to see again! Big hugs!