Friday, June 1, 2012

Off to See the Wizard

I started making miniature figurines in 1990.  I've made HUNDREDS of figurines.  I've covered all sorts of themes from professions and sports figurines, hobbies like quilting and fishing, angels of all sorts, and pieces for every major holiday.  You name it, I've likely made it.  But some pieces stick out to me as my favorites, and this is definitely one of them. 

Everyone has seen the movie, of course.  Lots of people have read the book.  And even if you haven't, you can certainly pick the characters out of a line-up. They are quite possibly the most iconic fictional characters there are.  And they are a source of inspiration for a lot of artists, me included. 



I first made this particular figurine as a birthday gift for a very good college friend.  Her whole family loved the movie and each year they would make a big celebration out of watching it together on TV. (This was back in the day before video and DVDs and it was only on TV once a year.) They never missed it, and they sometimes watched dressed as their favorite character. She was thrilled with the gift, and I knew there were others out there that loved the movie as much as she did.  So I decided to add this piece to my collection. 

Off to See the Wizard is available in my etsy shop.


Making Off to See the Wizard is very labor intensive, so it has never been my hottest selling item, because the price prohibited that. But it is what I consider to be one of my 'show stoppers'....a piece that attracts a lot of attention and comments.  And having people appreciate your labors of love is about as good as it gets.  It was actually a bittersweet moment the time I first sold one.  I was THRILLED that someone loved it and wanted it and was willing to pay for it, but I had worked so hard on that figurine and loved it so much I almost hated to see it go!  (I tend to have attachment issues with some of my work....something I've had to overcome.)

I've made many of these figurines over the years, but it still continues to be one of my favorites, and it still attracts many admirers.  And I'm always happy when someone wants to take it home.


 
Do you love the Wizard of Oz?  Who is your favorite of the four main characters?  Or do you prefer one of the others?  Glinda the Good Witch?  The Wicked Witch?  Did the Flying Monkeys scare you to pieces like they did me?  I would love to hear your thoughts!

"There's no place like home....."
Lisa

2 comments:

  1. I love your Wizard of Oz creations Lisa!!

    Everything about The Wizard of Oz brings me back to when my daughter was little... She had the movie and all the songs memorized. She would have to dress up like Dorothy and carry her stuffed Toto in order to watch it... Then she would sing right along with it. I remember one day at a shoe store the sales clerk asked my daughter her name and she said, "I'm Dorothy Gayle from Kansas." LOL!! Until that moment, I didn't even realize Dorothy's last name! Anyway, the whole movie has special meaning in my heart and it's true, there's no place like home!

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  2. Thank you, Trina! What a precious story about your daughter. I'm so pleased that my figurines can bring those special memories to mind for you!

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