La Lluvia
Once upon
a time, in a land far away, there, Over The Rainbow, I discovered you,
embellished with a kind of light and charm, mystery and magic, that one
finds only in this special place. Whether it was Fate or Luck, we met
again, my Beaded Art Doll, and I renamed you appropriately enough, La
Lluvia. You were the answer to a prayer, a moment of divine inspiration,
the perfect companion to accompany me in the search of fulfillment and
creative happiness.
My
search began because of my move to the Valley, a new home which left
me with a sense of loss for friends, my former sweet home and gardens
of beloved plants. There lushness was the norm and flowers and fruit
sprang from the earth with abundance, health and beauty. Now I live in
an arid valley at 7000 feet where the surrounding mountains are snow
topped most of the year. Where winter lasts until May and comes again
in early September. Temperatures get quite warm during the day but can
drop to freezing at night even during the summer some years. The wind
blows strongly all seasons. It ships the soil off the western foothills
to collect and create a sandy floor in the Valley bottom and dunes at
the foot of the eastern mountains. The surrounding mountains accumulate
snow, in good years, for the water that comes to the Valley in rivers
and streams and the underlying aquifer. Dark clouds swirl around the
Valley from time to time with the promise of rain but more times than
enough create spirals of swirling dirt or spectacular lightening shows
and let fall little or no water. Rain in the whole Valley is unpredictable
and rare.
Water,
this precious element is the source of prosperity or failure in the Valley.
It is closely guarded by laws and ditch riders. The Valley is crossed
by major irrigation ditches which feeds smaller ones for those who own
rights to water. Every drop of water is measured and accounted for. In
dry years, when the snow pack is low and Spring rains few, necessity
rules. Flower gardens do without and water poor lands turn brown. Green
is limited to the crop circles and rivers' edges. In fat years the rivers
swell their banks, ditches run full and everyone has a garden that is
a gift to the eye. Fat years are not the norm.
How,
I wondered, would I grow the gardens I needed in such a place? How would
I find the source of inspiration in such a harsh environment? What element
would provide the answers? Rain, the sweet promise of growth and life,
the free blessing from above was the only answer. In the distant past
prayers, charms, chants and gifts to the weather gods were employed.
The promise of rain was sought in natural events and sometimes in dreams.
I would have to search for my own way to fulfillment and this is how
you came to me, in a dream and in an inspiring unusual event.
The
event was the first sign of Spring, the arrival of the Mountain bluebirds.
These small bright blue birds come in the early spring to establish nests
in boxes set up on fence posts all over the Valley. They stay only a
short time to raise their young and then fly to the mountains where they
spend the summer. The third week in March we had a spring storm which
blew icy wind off the mountains. The snow started as a few flakes, then
flurries and by late afternoon had increased to a driving white-out storm.
Five bluebirds took shelter in my cat's outside raised house near my
back door as the storm intensified. I could see them huddled together
in a brilliant clump of blue from my bathroom window. The cat, Pumpkin,
a great bird hunter, I knew would quickly dispatch them so I brought
her inside. Pumpkin gladly gave up her outside freedom to a warm night
on the sofa. Off and on all night I checked on the birds, a soft glow
of blue hunkered safely in a corner. The next morning the sun shown brilliantly,
melted away the snow, warmed the air and the bluebirds flew off. The
cat went back outside and I was left with a warm glow and a profound
feeling of hope and promise.
A
month or so later I had a dream. It was an idea of a totem or fetish
for female rain, the Native Americans' idea of rain that falls gently
and nourishes the land. "She" appeared to me dressed in a mist of rain
drops falling from a cloud drifting about her shoulders.
1. Bead Knitted Doll
In
her hands was a crystal sphere which radiated a rainbow of lights that
encircled her. I woke from the dream with the idea of her complete in
my mind and quickly sketched out her form. I knew that she was the promise
of help for me in my creative search. I called her La Lluvia, the Spanish
word for rain in honor of the early Spanish settlers who established
the irrigation systems and started farming in the Valley.
2. Crystal with Radiating Rainbow
I
began my work to create a physical object from an inspiration. I sought
out the right beads, the perfect form, to bring my dream to life. The
knitted beaded bag I have made for years as gifts to friends and family
became her body, blue beads on blue thread. The bag could hold all the
tokens of rain from around the world, prayers, amulets, symbols and signs
that I might collect over time. Her head was made of a circle of panty
hose and stuffing covered and formed with seed beads. Blue crystals that
would reflect sky and water were chosen for her eyes. Brown beads, the
color of good earth became her hair. Copper wire wrapped cord covered
with beads created strong arms and legs. Ruby red boots were added in
memory of another girl who had a connection with rainbows and who also
had trials before she found her "home". With arms and legs
sewn on the basic form was complete, the magical aspects were still to
come.
3. Closeup of face and hair
4. Ruby Slippers
To
the bag I began to add the aspects of falling rain, many lines of clear
and shades of blue, seed and bugle beads ending in a droplet hanging
down to form a skirt and fringe off her arms. The floating cloud across
her shoulders was sown in layers of beads, the bottom layer of silver
and the ones over it white. Silver lined clouds are another symbol of
promise. In her hands I attached a crystal sphere which woudl radiate
rainbows in the sunlight the way I saw La Lluvia in my dream. Hanging
from the crystal were added glass shells. Shells being another aspect
of water.
5. Skirt and Fringe
Because
I wanted to be able to wear La Lluvia, I incorporated the rainbow in
the dream into a necklace. This was accomplished with a peyote stitch
of glass beads to form the rainbow affect that not only encircled La
Lluvia but the wearer as well. This rainbow is broken here and there
with clouds which also disguises the necklace clasp. Lastly I added bluebirds
from the spring snow storm, on her shoulder and flying over the rainbow.
6. Clouds and Blue Birds
This
at last is how I saw La Lluvia in my dream, a radiant figure of blues
and whites surrounded by a rainbow of ultimate promise. And so we two
begin our quest together in this special place. Our adventures and
accomplishments are ahead of us. We will now watch the skies for clouds
that will swell
over the Valley with hope that the rain will fall, water the earth
and make our plants grow. We are looking forward to the beauty and fragrance
of a flower garden we can share with newly met friends. La Lluvia and
I will watch for the glorious rainbows that we can see from end to
end
arching over our flat Valley at the end of these rain storms and be
content and fulfilled.
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Side Image
Back Image
Detailed Image
La Lluvia
(rotation)
List of Materials
and Techniques Employed
Body:
Materials: Knitted bag: blue and white 11/0 seed beads strung onto Soldier
Blue Coats & Clark Upholstery thread. Knitted with 0000 knitting needles.
The bag is knitted using a pattern where there are 1 to five beads
between two knit stitches (4 rows of 1, 4 rows of 2, 4 rows of 4, 5
rows of 5, five sets of turns and repeat upwards). The flap is a continuation
of the bag of one bead two stitches for three rows then with additions
of a single bead between each knit stitch starting in the center and
adding two beads each row until only the outer stitches are two knits.
Then decreasing one bead and stitch on each end of row working into
the center until the three center beads create a point. Knit without
beads two rows, cast off and tie off. When the bag and a aflap are
completed, the bag's sides are sewn together, the bag is turned rightside
out and a snap is sewn onto the flap and bag.
Head:
Materials: 1" square of panty hose, batting, thread, two 4mm Austrian
cut crystal beads, 13 off-white seed beads, 11 pink and brown seed
beads, white and brown Nymo thread and beading needles.
1" square panty hose filled with batting is sewn into a half inch
ball to form the head. The nose is a pinch of the panty hose ball
on the opposite side of the tie off. Two Austrian cut crystal aqua
beads for the eyes are added to either side of the pinch. The whole
ball is covered and formed with 13 off-white seed beads using white
Nymo thread and square stitch, 11 pink seed beads for mouth and cheeks.
When the head is completed it is sewn onto the flap of the bag. 11
brown seed beads in groups of 7 or 9 beads are then sewn on in loops
for the hair.
Arms
& Legs:
Materials: 1/4" cording, 28 gauge copper wire, thread, 13 off-white seed
beads, 11 ruby red seed beads, red and white Nymo thread and beading
needles.
Arms and legs are made the same way. The only difference being that
the cording for the legs is slightly longer than the arms. Using 1/4"
cording, cut two 4 3/4" pieces for legs and two 4 1/2" pieces for arms.
Secure each end by melting slightly with a match. Cut two pieces of copper
wire about 18" long and fold together until 3" long and twist until tight
for the legs. Cut two pieces of copper wire about 15" long and fold together
until 2 1/2" long and twist until tight for the arms. Stitch the copper
wire to the cord and fold over the excess cord and stitch it down. Wrap
the thread around the cording and the wire and knot off at the opposite
end. The wrapping should be snug to hold the wire and the cord in place.
Knees and elbows are created where the decrease from two to one cord
happens. 13 off-white seed beads are sewn with white Nymo thread ina
square stitch to cover the arms and legs.
Hands are created by adding fingers, five rows of 3 to 5 beads, to the
end of the arms. Boots were added to the legs using the square stitch
and ruby red 11 seed beads and red Nymo thread. Arms are sewn on the
seams of the bag at the opening and the legs are sewn on at the base
of the bag.
Embellishments:
Dress:
Materials: 11 seed beads (3 shades of blue and white), bugle beads (3
shades of blue), drop beads (3 shades of blue, clear and AB), and blue
Nymo thread.
Starting at the base of the bag and working up every third row on the bag,
lines of blues and clear seed band bugle beads are added with a drop bead
at the end of each line. These lines go all the way across the front of
the bag and around the back of the legs. The lines are worked into the
knit stitches and the beads of the bag. From the center third row up, lines
of beads are reduced one row each level on the bag until the lines end
under the arms. This leaves a triangle of the bag showing down the front
and the back empty of any lines.
Peyote
stitch with the same blue seed beads as the bag creates the sleeves with
open work on the end. Lines of beads as on the bag are added to the bottom
on the sleeves for fringe.
Cloud
Around Shoulders:
Materials: 11 seed beads (white, clear, silver and pearl), 1 ceramic
blue bird bead, 1 short bugle, 1 small crystal bead and white Nymo thread.
Using a modified peyote stitch white, pearl and silver lined seed beads
are added to the flap of the bag, extended out from the flap and around
the head and down the back. Another layer of white and pearl beads are
stitched at the neck lay on the previous layer on the front. This top
layer has added clumps of pearl beads here and there and a porcelain
blue bird attached with a short bugle and crystal bead. The bugle bead
keeps the thread from cutting on the porcelain.
Necklace:
Materials: Rainbow-10 seed beads (garnet, medium orange, yellow, light
green, light sapphire and dark purple) and white Nymo thread. Clouds
-- 11 seed beads (white, clear, silver and pearl), 2 ceramic blue bird
beads, 2 short bugle, 2 small crystal beads, and white Nymo thread.
Hook and eye.
Using 10 seed beads (garnet, medium orange, yellow, light green, light
sapphire, and dark purple) on white Nymo thread with the peyote stitch
a rainbow effect is created. Half way up the rainbow on both sides,
clouds intersect using the same beads and stitch as on the collar and
a blue bird is also added in the same way. The rainbow continues from
the top of the cloud and angles around the back of the neck to two
cloud clumps that cover a hook and eye clasp. The clouds are created
with the same method and beads as the other clouds. The ends of the
rainbow are sewn on to the bag at
the seams.
Crystal:
Materials: one Swarovski teardrop crystal, 11 seed beads (silver, blue
and clear), 3 pressed glass shell beads and blue Nymo thread.
Silver, blue and clear 11 seed beads are sewn around the base of the
Swarovski teardrop crystal to cover the base and give an attachment
for the hands. Three lines of blue beads are attached to the base of
the cyrstal ending in pressed glass shells shaped beads, dark and light
blue and clear. The fingers of the hands are sewn to the beads at the
base of the crystal.
Dimensions:
Doll: 7 1/2" long, 3" wide, 1 1/2" deep
Doll with Necklace: 16"
Widest point on necklace: 8 1/2"
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