Patches, an IKEA hobby horse all painted and primped and ready for a new generation of tots. Images clickable to make larger as usual!
M Y A R T — One day a couple of years ago, I was sitting in the publisher's offices. I had probably just delivered a book, or was there to pick up a manuscript for a new one. I've been associated with this company for years, working full time for a while, and freelance the rest of the time, and I have quite good friends there, so I usually hang out for a while if I, and they, have the time. This day, my good friend, fellow freelancer, Nancy, brought in her son's hobby horse for another friend of ours that works there, Joanna. Nancy's sons were in their teens, one ready for college, and Joanna's son was about to be three. Nancy was giving the hobby horse to Joanna so Thomas, Joanna's young son, would have as much fun on it as Nancy's two sons had 10-15 years earlier. I piped up and offered to give it a new paint finish, to update it a bit. I believe this was in May or June. They both agreed it would be a great idea, so instead of Joanna bringing it home that day, I did. Thomas was a bit young for it anyway, and Joanna was going to save it for Christmas. I had plenty of time!
While the actual painting and finishing only took about 40 hours, I must have stared at the damn thing for almost 5 months, lol. By the time I decided what to do, and how I was going to paint it, the Christmas deadline was looming! I finally finished it around the 22nd of December if I remember correctly, having worked all night the last 2 nights. Christmas was saved, and Thomas loved it. The entire family loves it. Phew!
I named the little horse, Patches, after a calico cat I had when I was a kid. First I did an all-over striped treatment, with white and alternating pastel stripes. Then I did an all-over copper glaze to tone the stripes down a bit, to go with the natural wood face which I left that way. Then I painted 'patches' all over it, detailing them with various patterns such as a checkerboards, stripes and a woven look, and further detailed them with simulated thread as if they had been sewn on. I mixed a bit of glitter in with the polyurethane to give it a slight fantasy-like look, and to give the finish a 'grip' for the young guy to hold onto so he wouldn't slip off. I also re-created the mane, which had been all one color beige wool to start with. I wove in various novelty wools in lots of colors and textures, including silver, gold and copper look yarns. I was really pleased with the way it turned out. I ALMOST didn't give it back, lol. But I'm no Grinch, so Thomas had a nice hand-painted present waiting for him that Christmas morning.
Patches can by summed up in two words - absolutely adorable ! Casey, this is where your miss out. You should trademark the image and the name and find a factory to mass produce them for you. There aren't to many women I know that wouldn't go crazy for this little horse - whether they had kids or not. I can see this as a decorative item in spare bedrooms, in front of fireplaces, etc. You could sell a half million of them easily, and get a pretty penny for them in the process.
ReplyDeletePatches is just darling. You turned him into a real treasure. I like to fast forward forty years and hear what stories Patches has to tell.
ReplyDeletePX: Thanks so much! I guess I lack the ambition gene. I never think like that. All I think about is whatever piece I'm working on at the time.
ReplyDeleteAnnie: That's why I like working on stuff for children from time to time. I know when they're my age, and I'm long gone, they'll still have a unique possession created by a mystery artist, lol.
OH CASEY, WE LOVE YOUR SWEET SPRIT. I LOVE THAT LITTLE PONY. PLUS, I THANK YOU FOR THE STORY AND PUTTING IT HERE ON YOUR BLOG. WE CAN TELL HOW MUCH YOU LOVE YOUR EVERYDAY HOBBY. THEN TO SHARE IT WITH THE GUYS AND US GALS, IT'S JUST WONDERFUL. YEARS AGO WHEN WE LIVED IN OKLAHOMA, SOME OF THE GALS I WAS FRIENDS WITH USED TO MEET AT EACH OTHERS HOUSE AND WE WOULD PAINT STATUES OF ANYTHING FROM ANIMALS TO COWBOYS.THEY WERE MADE OUT OF PLASTER OF PARIS IF I REMEMBER. THAT WAS AFTER MY CERAMIC DAYS OF SPENDING WAY TO MUCH MONEY AND GIVING ALL MY PIECES AWAY EXCEPT A COUPLE OF THINGS. ANYWAY, I BOUGHT THIS DARLING BABY HIPPOPOTAMUS IN A LAYING DOWN POSITION. JUST SO CUTE. LIKE YOU SAID, YOU SPENT 40 HOURS ON THAT PONY WELL I DID THE SAME THING AND I ALSO PAINTED A PATCH QUILT. EACH PATCH WAS A DIFFERANT DESIGN.THE DESIGN HAD TO BE THOUGHT OUT. TURN OUT REAL NICE IF I SAY SO MYSELF. MY OLDEST DAUGHTER HAS IT WITH A COUPLE OF CHIPS ON IT HERE AND THERE. I WISH I HAD IT BACK. AFTER WE GOT THROUGH WITH OUR PIECE WE WOULD SPRAY ON A FINISH OF OUR CHOICE. I LIKE THE MATTE LOOK ON MOST. I DO HAVE FOUR PIECES THAT I DIDN'T GIVE AWAY.THREE COWBOYS AND AN INDIAN BUST.GRAMPS WOULDN'T LET ME GET RID OF THEM.OH YES, I FORGOT I ALSO STILL HAVE OLD SALT THE FISHERMAN.MY FAVORITE ONE.
ReplyDeleteTIME FOR BED. GOOD NIGHT AND SWEET DREAMS.
I'm thinking about doing that to my hair...and then after I'm released...
ReplyDeleteJust kidding.
You've made a family heirloom.
I hope it's passed on from one generation to the next.
There may even be a future "Casey" who might touch up the rough "patches" when the time comes.
Marius
AFTER I REREAD MY STORY ABOUT PAINTING THE QUILT I LEFT OUT WHERE I PAINTED THE QUILT. I PAINTED THE QUILT ON THE HIPPO AND MADE IT LOOK LIKE IT WAS COVERED UP. IT WAS REALLY CUTE. I WISH I HAD A PICTURE TO SHOW.
ReplyDeleteGRANNY
Amazing! Did your friend cry when she saw it? I am sure I would have! You took something special and made it even more special...I like the idea of a "future casey" working his magic on it in years to come to spruce up a well-loved toy.
ReplyDeleteSo funny you should post this at this time as I was just wanting to ask you if you had ever done art with children's books. In going through our storage, I have a box full of books that were mine (so 50+ years old)...not sure what to do with them and wondered if art is made out of them?? Was trying to picture in my mind what that would look like.
mare
oh, followed Marius' link to his blog...nice!!! Px, you're next up to start your blog...patiently waiting :)
FORGOT TO SAY. I LOVE THE HAIR ON THE PONY. HOW DID YOU DO IT?
ReplyDeleteGRANNY
The mane on the little hobby horse is made from all sorts of novelty yarns. Some were variegated, some were nubby, some were metallic. The mane on the original horse was yarn and it was stapled into a groove in the neck. I carefully took it all out, and then I wrapped the new yard in and around the old yarn, and restapled it all back into the same groove, I love the way it came out too.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS CASEY, I LOVED IT ALSO.
ReplyDeleteGRANNY