Making Santos- Part 2

Yesterday, we met to finish our Santos. I spent the morning sewing a dress out of the muslin, cheese cloth and lace I'd acrylic stained on Saturday. She's very simple, contemplative, wise.
My intention was to pin tags to her dress with universal desires and crown her head with a flower garland. She seems like an oracle to me. Now, I'm not sure if my original ideas fit her simplicity and sereneness.

This is an example of how I often over think and over do. When are you finished with a piece? How do you reconcile one idea with another? I may have to create another one using my original ideas because she's evolved into different interpretation.
The Santos grouped together along with closer views.



What do you think? How do you determine when your artwork is finished, complete as it is or needs more layers or elements added to it?

Making Santos

Gaelyn Lakin, one of our Portland Art Collective members, is moving to California. She makes the most incredible Santos and several of us wanted to learn how she creates them. Gaelyn, Tory Brokenshire and Stephanie Brockway taught the workshop. First, we took our dolls found at the Goodwill and removed their bisque heads (no hair) and arms. Steph made each of us a doll stand with her wood working skills.

Tory showed us how she covers the head in Sculpey clay, bakes and paints the faces.

The arms are attached to painted dowels. The stand is painted before assembling the doll. Then, I sewed the head to her body/stand and wired the arms onto to her body.

Tomorrow, we dress the dolls. In preparation, I stained some muslin, lace and cheese cloth using an acrylic staining process learned from Susie LaFond's tutorial. I can't wait to see how she evolves.