Some of my most valued time is alone in my studio, honoring my passion and following my heart.
The process
Bringing ideas from my brain, to paper, to life.
A peek into Woog World
The hours that go into my sculptures are countless. I've spent years in school, learning, experimenting, playing. I've spent years since growing and honing in my skill sets to be able to create this body of artwork. My mind is always pulling from my surroundings, finding faces in wood grains, in the rust stain on a bumper, in shadows and in tree bark. My ideas move from my mind to a concept sketch in one of my many sketchbooks. My fabric materials are sourced second hand so I'm always on the hunt for yard sales, thrift stores, etc. Sometimes I leave empty handed, other times with more than I can carry. And that's just the start, the on going parts of my process, that have no end. And then there's the rest of steps I've created to a process that works for me, that ends in a fabric, soft sculpture, a Wild Woog just for you.
from mess to masterpiece
How it works from start to finish...
01
Finding Second-hand materials is an On going process that simply never ends. i'm always on the search for used fabrics at thrift stores, yard sales, market place etc. and occasionally sweet friends donate some fabric as well. Each time I collect more fabric, it all gets washed and is ready to go!
step one
02
Sketching. All my Wild Woogs start as a concept sketch. I usually start with the eyes first and work my way out from there. Sometimes I bring my sketch to life right away, other times they hang tight, for another day. I always have a sketchbook on me just in case I get inspired and need to get an idea out of my head.
step two
03
Making The Face. Over the years I've grown to crafting faces in a few different ways. I either needle felt the face with beautiful dyed wools, or hand sculpt it from polymer clay and paint it. I do not use molds which allows me to make every Woog completely one-of-a-kind!
step three
04
Selecting Fabrics. I hold up the finished face to all the fabrics I have until the right one pops out. Color theory and design come into this step. what colors compliment each other, more contrast, less? Unseam it, cut to size etc. I do not use or make any patterns for myself. each piece of fabric is different and I try to get the most out of each piece, whatever that shape or size may look like.
step four
05
This step is where everything comes together - i start Sewing! I use a mix of hand sewing and machine sewing to bring each of my Wild woogs to life. There's something incredibly satisfying about taking a sketch and turning it into a tangible art piece for you all to enjoy. Don't forget to check out the 'Adopt' page to grab your own!
step five
I use scraps of fabrics that are too small to do anything with. Usually these scraps are trimmings from the woog in the works or parts of materials that have holes and are not usable. I try to make my art with as little waste as possible. The fabric scraps also help to add weight to my work, instead of any plastic pellets etc. I don't always have enough scraps to fill each Wild Woogs, so I mix the scraps with some soft poly-fil.
What do you stuff your Wild Woogs with?
I originally specialized in custom painted pet portraits, and still do some on the side. Unlike my accurate paintings of pets, Wild woogs gave me a way to be as whimsical and free as I wanted. There is no right or wrong way to make a Woog. I could let my imagination fly.
How did you get the idea to make Wild Woogs?
Wild woogs are works of art, soft sculptures, fabric sculptures. They are meant to add a little whimsy to our day to day norm and NOT INTENDED AS TOYS. Choosing to gift a work of art to a child is entirely up to you, I'm honored if you choose to share the importance and value of art with a child, I hope it inspires them to stay creative, and make their own art, but I do not make my artwork to be used as a toy.
Are woogs for kids?
My work is handmade, one of a kind and made from used materials. When you adopt a wild woog you are also getting my idea, my time, my education, my talent, a little moment of my life with it. Wild Woogs weren't born in a day, They have been many years of trial, error, investments in tools, materials, exploration. They are works of art and I value them as such.
Why are Wild Woogs expensive?
don't worry, I have the answers!
You might have some questions
