Large Kasa Obake (Torn Umbrella Ghost) Girl
Artist's notes on style, materials and inspiration:
My favourite yōkai are always the tsukumogami or tool spirits - discarded or disgruntled objects once used by humans but animated into mischief because they weren't thanked for their service or appreciated for their hard work.
There are a few different umbrella yōkai - these are household objects that often get broken and discarded so it's no surprise. They don't appear in traditional folk tales but are familiar creatures in some local legends (a rain umbrella in Ehime that causes people not to be able to move their feet when they see it, and a ghost umbrella in Tottori prefecture). Toriyama Sekien illustrated the 'hone-karakasa' or 'bone-brella' - an umbrella that has been ripped apart by high winds and flaps about wildly. I've had a few umbrellas in my time turned inside out by wind!
The most familiar of all is the 'kasa-obake' - a torn oiled paper umbrella that in the Edo period became the most commonly seen version - with one leg, wearing a wooden sandal and with one eye and often a long tongue.
My version is a tall wood girl dressed up as a kasa obake, looking forward to causing lots of mischief...
My pieces are ainted 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.
Main section turned from Tulipwood/ Poplar. Leg made from beechwood. Sandal made from laser cut plywood.
Hand painted and finished in a matt acrylic protective top coat.
Painted underneath with a little blue bear head.
Approximately 27cm 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.
