8″x10″acrylic, 2010. Piggy is one of two portraits commissioned by Kathleen for her nieces. The lighting on this toy is a bit “hipster caught partying,” or “Polaroid,” but that’s kind of fun! Check back tomorrow to meet Piggy’s equally glamorous friend.
Tag: acrylic
Freckles
11″x14″ acrylic, 2010. Freckles, a fine example of the genius amalgam of stuffed toy and security blanket, belongs to 2-yr-old Nadia. Her mother Jessica bought it for Nadia when she was too tiny to appreciate him, but she now turns to Freckles when sad, scared, or sleepy. Jessica says that when Nadia started daycare, Freckles made the transition easier (for both of them) with his presence as a familiar friend.
Snuffles
8″x10″ acrylic, 2010. Mamaista was kind enough to host a toy portrait giveaway, and the winner was Casey from the excellent blog www.mooshinindy.com! Snuffles, a classic, Gund bear, is her own childhood toy. His velvet nose is long worn away and he has bald spots behind one ear and on his belly. Although this general type of Gund bear was pretty common when most of us were kids, Casey points out that it’s rare to find one that is dark brown! Casey’s daughter Addie also been given two of these bears, both of a light tan color. I had a white one, myself. Had. Hmmm, where is he?
Bunny, Bunny, Quack Quack, and Mr. Elephant
11″x14″ acrylic, 2010. Sharon has 3 children with four favorite toys between them. There are two “Bunnies,” the largest belonging to five-year-old Luke. The second “Bunny” and “Quack Quack” are three-year-old Lilah’s blanket animals. “Mr. Elephant” belongs to 8-month-old Daniel. Sharon commissioned this portrait of the entire group to hang in her own bedroom! I love this idea — it’s like a sort of symbolic, metaphorical portrait of her children.
Very Fat Lion
5″x5″ acrylic, 2010. I don’t actually buy that many stuffed animals, but every once in awhile a truly special beast will make its presence known to me and I just have to have it. Such was the case last week as my husband, daughter and I wandered around our local Job Lot in search of some random item which was evidently not random enough to be carried by Job Lot. This absurdly proportioned lion made us all burst out laughing. There was no discussion or debate — the fat lion just stepped on into the shopping cart like he had been waiting for a bus.
James
8″x10″ acrylic, 2010. James is undoubtedly the most media-savy stuffed robot you will ever meet. He presides over Lisa‘s coffee table while she blogs with wit and charm about social media and modern entrepeneurial issues. About 12 inches tall and made from red cable-knit yarn, James scares Lisa’s guests by being so adorable that they can’t even stand it!
Gwen’s Doll
8″x10″ acrylic, 2010. I was so happy to make this painting for little Gwen, daughter of our good friend Bob. She is just enough ahead of our Sonja in age that Bob has been passing down some pretty hefty essentials to us as the kids have grown! In fact when I was pregnant, I remember that one of the first things to make our impending baby real to me was seeing the infant car seat sitting in the middle of our living room floor, having just been dropped off by Bob and Gwen. And now Sonja rides in Gwen’s former toddler seat. Bob is an awesome guy, and Gwen is beyond adorable. I hope that she finds that this portrait does justice to her constant companion “Dolly!”
Maddie’s Bear
5″x7″ acrylic, 2010. This portrait will be the second I have painted for Melissa’s household… a hopefully less disturbing counterpoint to the first, which was of “Choppable,” Melissa’s husband’s childhood toy. This red bear belongs to her daughter Maddie, who is now 12. You can read about the sweet relationship between Maddie and her bear on Melissa’s wonderful, very funny blog.
Mademoiselle Louise
8″x10″ acrylic, 2010. I LOVE this crazy, knit chicken! It is part of the L’atitude Enfant series of stuffed animals, as are our other knit friends Don Gato and this cow. I bought it at Target for Sonja when I was about two minutes pregnant, having been waiting for an excuse. But Sonja is frustratingly diplomatic with her toys, and seems to select a new one or two each day to dote upon. She is working methodicly through our collection and has yet to show much interest in poor Louise. When Sonja was a newborn I would often waggle the chicken in front of her face, babbling in high-pitched french — maybe Louise has already had her moment in the sun.
Hoo Hoo
5″x7″ oil, 2005. Our Sonja, who is almost two, is under the impression that owls and penguins are the same animal. She’s not as familiar with real owls and penguins as she is the abstract variations of illustration, animation, and toy design, so I guess it’s understandable. This little owl is one of a the elite group of toys who live in Sonja’s crib. She is extra interested in him right now because she likes Little Bear (the show and the books) and is convinced that Little Bear’s friend Owl can fly to the moon.