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Layl's Silly Milly Art

Layl McDill Polymer Clay Sculpture Gallery

Circus Queen

Circus Queen photo

Created in 2005
27"x25"x4" $950

 

Inspiration - I was in a gift shop when I saw an imagine of a circus woman with an elephant on or in her dress.  I decided to turn the dress into the circus tent and add as many animals as I could fit. As the image stewed in my mind I could not convince myself to make her smaller. She demanded to be a very large piece.

Technique: Her first "life" was as a free standing sculpture with the back of her tent revealing a lion. She was shown like this at a show at the Phipps Center in 2005. But when I brought her home I realized she had not been properly baked (thanks to my oven that was spiking up to 375!) She had several parts that were not completely cured so I put her dress back in the oven (she was in two parts at the time). Unfortunately I forgot the golden rule about re-baking- PROP like crazy! I had taken out some of her armature and she collapsed. So I reconstructed her and she began her second life as a wall piece. I used a lot of Apoxy Sculpt to reassemble her and permanently attach her body to her dress. Now she is amazingly sturdy. I take her to a lot of shows and I admit I toss her around a lot and she has held together spectacularly.

Sold- I had this piece for quite awhile since she was too big to bring to most of my shows.  But in 2010 I decided to donate her to the Marcy Arts Partenership Gala held each year to raise funds for Marcy Open School.  In the fall of 2009 I had done an all school residency that was funded by MAP so I wanted to give something big!  I'm happy to say that a very happy Marcy parent is thrilled to own this piece especially since she has been a fan for years.

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