The Finished Pieces: Eostre

I want to share the good “official” photos of the big pieces I built this spring for the “Odd Birds” show.   I usually refer to this piece as “The Giant Bunny”.  However a lot of people at the latest art festival I attended called her the scary bunny or the creepy rabbit.   Her official name is “Eostre is Watching” after the pagan goddess with her hare companions thought to be associated with the origins of the word Easter.

Eostre aka Giant Bunny started her life as just that a dirty white giant stuffed bunny sitting in the corner at a small thrift store. I actually paid her no mind, looking right past her former self. But my partner was totally taken with her and KNEW I needed to take home that ratty 3ft stuffed bunny for something.   Well my partner was right!  Giant Bunny was one of the most enjoyable large pieces I made this spring.  She became a giant Wild Thing using basically the same techniques I use on my small Wild Things.

Eostre’s face started out as a hair dressing mannequin a friend found in a free pile. She wears amulets or talismans on her shoulders  that include shotgun casings, rusty washers, springs, locknuts, chains, and bones.

One of the on going themes of my artwork is the juxtaposition of different religious icons.  So adding the classic catholic sacred heart to the pagan bunny seemed like a perfect compliment to each other. I also enjoy playing with the dichotomy of sweet and soft and dark or gruesome.  I would love to hear what other readers see in Eostre.  My goal as an artist is not to tell the whole story but to set the scene for the viewer to create their own story.    

Details on the paws were stitched out of vintage sari material. The all seeing hand was a dollar store find that was originally painted with blue and white classic Dutch designs. The vintage moving eyeball was actually removed from “Junk in Her Trunk” and is one of my favorite details.

 

A couple pictures of Eostre in the progress.