kagami mochi girl III

Artist's notes on style, materials and inspiration:

This turned Tulipwood girl is posing as a special offering known as a Kagami Mochi (鏡餅), a New Year decoration made from two round mochi rice cakes, a larger one on the bottom, then a smaller one, and a daidai Japanese orange placed on the top. She has a delicate brass leaf pair in her hat. According to Shinto custom, these should be placed in several locations around the house from the 1st January to the day of 'kagami biraki'.

Kagami mochi means 'mirror rice cake' (perhaps named after the mirrors used in Shinto religion), and is thought to contain the spirit of rice, therefore is a perfect way to welcome 'toshigami-sama' - a Shinto deity who visits during the New Year, as well as being offered to other household spirits. Kagami mochi is either home made or comes packaged in plastic containers in convenience stores and supermarkets.

My pieces are painted in a naïve and simple style, with visible brush strokes and differing paint consistencies. It is important to note that these dolls are made from real wood which will have naturally occurring markings and grain, and sometimes there will be small amount of bleeding along the grain, or knots, which is to be expected when using untreated wood - please make sure you consult the pictures carefully before purchasing.

A note about 'Wood Girls'
My wooden girls are turned by a production turner to my designs and then hand painted in the U.K. by me, a British artist, exploring patterns and scenes encountered by me on my travels and in daily life.

Lathe-turned Tulipwood, hand painted and finished in a matt acrylic protective top coat. Fancy bow can be untied and removed if desired.
Stamped underneath with roaring bear logo in blue ink and dated 2023.
Approximately 14cm high.

Please note: THIS IS NOT A TOY and should be kept out of the reach of children. Wood girls should be kept away from water which can damage the wood and painted surface, and also away from direct heat/ sunlight which also can affect the surface colour and the timber itself.