Storybook Ball(2&3)

Client: N/A
Task: Immerse gala guests with memorable event and table centerpiece
Program/Tools: Expanding house foam, real and artificial plants, storybook figurines, Sculpy clay, acrylic and string fairy lights, artificial plants, felt and faux fur, LED & wiring, Dry-wall mud, Acrylic paints & Spray paints

Let the wild rumpus start!

So I love to create all sorta of things and when I can create a magic in-person experience and have it benefit a charity of my choice, then that is the best win-win I could ask for. Below are two consecutive years that I participated in the CHaD Storybook Ball where we create a magical table display based off a children’s book of our choice. I chose Where the Wild Things Are and the original claymation Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.

A flurry of rough sketches crowded my sketchbook when ideas started pouring out of my head early on. Working though attainable materials, tools and hardware I had at my disposal, budget and overall viewer experience all helped mold these into the final products.

There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen

Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are

Misfit Toys & Reindeer Games

The Latest Storybook Ball I designed for was a test of my Polymer Clay skills and handy-ness with wiring. I chose to create a blast from the past for people to enjoy during this Winter Wonderland gala. I figured, these have been made out of clay already, there must be a tangible way to recreate them from clay again. So it began – hand sculpting and painting all but two main characters (Yukonn & dogs and Bumble) and 96% of the landscape, this was a fun take on bringing this classic story back to life.

Keep scrolling to see a bit more of how an event like this comes to life. Enjoy some candid shots of my process from rough sketches and bulleted lists I’d jot down through to the final work.

*pop!* She thinks I’m cuuute!

Rudolph