A Stevedore, A Shaman & A Decapitation

My creatures for Plush You LA at Munky King have flown off to California. The show opens on 26th August at Munky King, 7308 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046. As usual I find myself wishing I could attend, if you make it, take some pictures for me! I can’t wait to see all the plush excellence on display, I think it is going to be an amazing show. Above and below: Fish Boy-The Shaman, The Sad Fate of Mau of the Octopod Clan and Theodore the Stevedore.

Mau looked very different originally. Upright, with a little helmet, claw socks and gloves-she didn’t look right to me when she was finished. I think I made my pattern much too thin, tried to replicate the slightly wonky aspect of my initial drawing. I was so upset by my perceived ‘failure’ that I almost cried with frustration (it *was* gone 3am!) & then I decided to chop her head off & change her story. Gory, perhaps a little Grand Guignol, but she works much better for me now. In fact I feel very protective of her, I hope she goes to a caring home.

Isn’t ‘stevedore’ the most magical word, euphonious, easy on the ear? I’m pretty sure I first came across it in a song by The Small Faces, the tale of Rene, the docker’s delight! Theodore really couldn’t have had any other job, it fits him like a pair of claw gloves.

I came across this image of a Stevedore on the New York Waterfront over at the MoMA website. I like the look of this gentleman, he reminds me a little of my Great Grandad, whose name was Percival Varnum, a fine Victorian name, always shortened to Perce, never Percy! Perce had the prickliest mustache, like porcupine quills and the twinkliest eyes I have ever seen, roguish and full of life. As I mentioned in a previous post I have been tossing the idea of producing a winter collection around, thoughts of Perce are proving to be an inspiration. Think Alec Scudder in Maurice (below).

Probably the most famous Stevedore in popular culture, Terry Malloy (played by Marlon Brando) in On The Waterfront.

I haven’t written a thing about the Fish Boy, I guess he is self explanatory and I wanted to use those feathers so badly! Wish them all a happy voyage if you please.

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5 Responses to A Stevedore, A Shaman & A Decapitation

  1. I love them all !
    Mau is absolutely perfect like that ! You’ve been brave to chop her head off ! Very Henry VIII of you 😉

    And these feather-ears ! Yum !
    Also, Ruppert Graves, Yum ! (I adore him in “Room with a view”)

    Δ Δ Δ
    -m-

  2. Lisa says:

    Thank you M! Perhaps I can forge a lasting career from plush decapitation? I confess that I had a picture of Rupert Graves as Scudder stuck to the wall above my desk in the library workroom (next to Jean Pierre Leaud!), my Great Grandad did dress like him, flat cap and all, lots of tweed-yum.
    xxx

  3. everyeskimo says:

    oooh you know that decapitation is right up my alley. they’re all lovely and wonderful. and i love that you’ve told the whole story about mau. sometimes my favorite pieces have come from a frantic reworking. your work is just wonderful, with one head, no heads or two heads. xoxo.

  4. Kristen Rask says:

    yahooo! They are wonderful. I promise to take lot’s and lot’s of pictures! xoxo

  5. rupert is so dreamy
    i think he deserves a plush named after him
    perhaps a sailor cat with a wooden peg leg
    why stop at decapitation
    there four limbs to consider and that doesn’t even count the tail
    kidding aside you know i love them all and if someone doesn’t sweep the almost headless kitty off the wall I might need to adopt it myself

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