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Papier Mache
Born on
a sugar beet farm in southern Ontario, Robin's first experience
with papier mache was when she was nearly entombed in a Minnie
Mouse head made for Halloween - "so big that I could look
out of only one of the eyes at a time", she muses.
After moving
to Vancouver Island and starting grade one, she endured the usual
art classes - including more papier mache, which was never anything
more technical or elaborate than flour, water and newspaper strips
- but always resulting in "soggy, bulbous masses drying
on heat registers or sunny windowsills".
Over the
years, the love of glue, paper and "the messiness of it
all" has lasted and grown. Flour and water has been replaced
with industrial adhesives and hardeners and newspapers are only
used on occasion. Armatures are made from "just about anything"
to create the necessary shapes, then outer coatings are added
and manipulated to achieve the desired textures and detail. After
thorough drying, the animals, birds and people are ready for
painting and finishing.
Robin's
inspirations come from everything around her. "It's a pleasure
to know that my pieces have found their way into homes as far
away as England, Japan and the United States.
Robin also
welcomes custom orders.
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