Stitch it up 1

I was at the Goodwill store today looking for patterns for a different project (I was looking for printed images or fabrics for creating lightning bolts or electrical patterns) and while browsing I came across the random bags of stuffed animals and I got an idea. I decided to purchase a bag of said animals, a bag of interesting thread (appears to be homespun wool thread), and my idea was to disassemble and reassemble stuffed animals in interesting combinations. I should get to other creations with time but I first started with a bright green monkey and a purple and orange elephant. I recombined the heads of these stuffed animals and then decided to attach the newly formed head to an old "Russell Stover," chocolates-associated kangaroo. "Roo" was removed. Head was removed. Recombined head one was attached in  place of head of kangaroo head. Other head was attached to the pouch. One bright green monkey arm was included in place of an elephant ear on the pouch-associated head. The wool yarn used initially proved too difficult for my upholstery needle (which broke) and I ended up using a heavy duty upholstery thread for the rest of the project. Additionally, I included a sound and LED light unit from a Carter's baby toy in the head of the primarily-monkey head: squeeze the head, it plays a lullaby and two parts of the head now light up red with the music. I'll try to post more pictures of additional creations as they are made.

Complete view of finished product. Total height is about 6". I could call it "Elepharoonkey," ....

Right profile view of finished product.

Close-up of 'revised' head of stuffed animal.

Want of Talk

My son was diagnosed with apraxia this week. That night an image kept running through my mind. The following picture is what has come of it so far. I'm in the process of developing the idea.

The picture is 18" x 24" on bristol paper; medium acrylic base used as adhesive of Seattle Times clippings and as coating of newsprint; foreground image drawn with permanent ink on bristol paper, cut out and laid on prepared background

I'm planning more color and production of background. I'm also considering treatment of the image of my son as well. I might try to create a more realistic image or might leave the highly contrasting images. Either way, I plan to colorize and add pattern to the speechless communication of the person. My son is surrounded by words, understands and interprets them, but is unable to speak them himself. Silent, but we communicating volumes.