Lucy Westenra.
Her first name
means 'Light'
rather ironic
in view of her fate.
Bram Stoker describes her
in her sarcophagus
"There lay Lucy, seemingly just
as we had seen her
the night before her funeral.
She was, if possible,
more radiantly beautiful
than ever; and I could not
believe that she was dead.
The lips were red,
nay redder than before;
and on the cheeks
was a delicate bloom."
Dracula. Bram Stoker. 1897
Poor, dear Lucy.
Light in the Darkness indeed.
But we don't pity her.
We want to be her;
be the sexy, powerful vampire
and live forever, forever young.
asked us to search for
"the delicious goodness that
blooms in the dark."
I think some of it is here,
the glamour and wicked delight
of the vampire.
Forever beautiful and desirable
but greedy and amoral
as a child.
Thank you,
dear Magaly,
for inviting us and embracing us
in this wonderful party.
I had such fun
and made so many new friends.
Lucy Westenra
Paperclay over cloth.
Tea-dyed cotton,
vintage lace,
Hand-dyed Tibetan lambswool wig
She is exquisite... What a radiant Darkness!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Magaly, and thank you for this whole wonderful bloggy party. I've had such a lovely time!
DeleteLucy is so delicately beautiful...I couldn't help but think of 'Lucy in the sky with Diamonds' But I guess she will be 'Lucy in the sky with vampires' instead. How odd it is...I am reading 'Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell' a book about two English magicians. Mr. Norrell, with the help of an elf, just raised a Victorian maiden back to life again, (at the point I am reading in the novel) and here you have another maiden of a different sort who will also 'come back to life' at intervals. The novel I am reading is by Susanna Clarke and it totally reads like a Victorian novel with a magical twist to it...make that a rather 'dark' magical twist to it. I do love reading magical fiction books.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of your thoughts. I have been out of touch from my blog of late, just too much going on.
It is a delight to see your beautiful progress with your exquisite dolls.
XO
Teresa
http://amagicalwhimsy.blogspot.com/
Oh, Teresa! I LOVE Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell! It has some wonderful doll ideas, too. I'd love to make the Gentleman with Thistledown Hair. I hope you enjoy reading it, it's just the perfect book for dull skies and rainy days, when you're tucked up with some hot tea.
DeleteThank you for the lovely things you say about my dolls. Your support means a lot to me. :)
Lucy is perfection, you've really captured her tragic innocent on death before her new life took hold. Love how you've laid her out on a bed flowers as well, in that pose she also reminds me of the image from the Cadfael story 'Virgin in the ice' with her flowing red hair and white dress.
ReplyDeleteOh! I remember that one on the telly! Thank you! And there's a really creative idea for a doll. Hummm....
DeleteGorgeous craftsmanship! I can see all the love and care you put into her.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope my dolls show how much fun I have making them. They always teach me something new.
DeleteShe's absolutely beautiful:)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary Ann! :)
DeleteI have just finished reading Godmother by Carolyn Turgeoun and your Lucy would fit perfectly with her story as well.
ReplyDeleteShe looks peacefully beautiful.
Oh! I rushed off to Amazon to read about that. What a fascinating idea for a book! Thank you!
DeleteShe is magnificent! Your work always inspires me.
ReplyDeleteblessings,
Penny
Thank you so much, Penny. Your support means a lot.
DeletePoor beautiful, yet tragic Lucy....Oh goodness I love her
ReplyDeleteCarol
Oh, Carol, thank you so much! I'm thrilled you like her!
DeleteYou are so sweet...Thank you for visiting and leaving such kind words.
ReplyDeleteblessings,
Penny
Hugs for you and thank you :)
DeleteYou are so creative. Lucy is simply adorable!
ReplyDeleteHer golden hair frames her delicate, rose-tinted face perfectly.
Death has not stolen her beauty.
When I first saw her, I thought of Ann of Green Gables, particularly in the scene where she recites Tennyson's poem, The Lady of Shalott.
Youtube clip Here
Thank you so much for your lovely comments about poor, undead Lucy. I was going to make her all pale and Nosferatu, but after re-reading the novel, I found that's not how Bram Stoker saw her at all.
DeleteAnd thank you for the clip! I'd forgotten about this scene. Real life can mess up those romances, right? I should make an Anne doll, I have the carrot hair. I'm definitely making a Lady of Shalott doll now!
Rhissanna your talent "Wows" us every time! Lucy is amazing, Bram Stoker's stories of vampires intrigues us, the way you put them together enchants us.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and your sweet comment!
Blessings, Edie Marie
Thank you so very much, Edie Marie! Lucy was one of those dolls that came together all at once and it's wonderful when that happens. I'm glad you like her.
DeleteThis doll is so beautiful and eerie all at once. I do love Dracula and it is certainly the classic monster story, perfect for Halloween.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jennifer. I can't do zombie dolls but I enjoyed this one. I'm looking at making some more on that theme, to go with my sleeping Alices.
DeleteI love the doll, she is so delicate, and I love the story behind it. I am not into vampire stories at all, but the idea and your creation flow in such harmony. Thank you for sharing your work, your blog makes a fascinating read too.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Luba! I'm glad you're enjoying the blog. I'm not much for horror, but reading the story again inspired me to make Lucy, as close as I could to the description in the book.
DeleteHello my Pretty,
ReplyDeleteshe's so lovely in sleep. Lucy looks like she would break if you just but touch her. This is a gorgeous doll. Perfect for Halloween. Your work is always awesome.
XXOO Marie Antoinette
Thank you so much, dear Marie Antoinette! She is my first Halloween doll and I'm so happy with how she turned out.
DeleteOh she is such a sweet looking lady
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shashi! I hoped she'd look very delicate and ladylike in those flowers, and not at all like the monster she is becoming.
DeleteWOW! Your talent just increases with each doll. The face is beautifully delicate. I love how you did her eyebrows. The dress is so fresh and lovely. The color of the Tibetan wool is gorgeous and hand dyed too wow! I've never tried hand dying my own wool. Lucy is precious.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely thing for you to say! Thank you! I'm still learning with each doll; there's always something new to discover. The eyebrows sculpted themselves when I made her and it was her wicked expression that decided she should be poor undead Lucy.
DeleteTibetan lambswool dyes a lovely ginger with orange flavoured generic kool aid powder. It's just a mix and stir and you know it's worked when the dye bath is clear the next morning and the hair has soaked up all the colour. It's like magic!
Thank you again :)
She is breath taking!! I love her!!! She looks real!! Wow girl!!
ReplyDeleteBig Hugs ;o)
Thank you so much, Stacy! I'm glad you like her. She was a doll that pretty much made herself and it's wonderful when that happens.
DeleteTruly I was admiring Lucy in Stoker's description... I didn't feel pity for her, but was just sad she couldn't lead human life anymore...
ReplyDeleteYour doll is amazing! I love her red ribbon...
Thank you! There's little bite marks under her ribbon; it didn't seem right to leave them exposed.
DeleteIl tuo lavoro è sempre così meraviglioso che ogni volta sono incantata!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Patri
Grazie di cuore! Sei molto gentile!
DeleteHey Young Lady ;o) I am so happy you won, especially when you made me laugh so hard on your comment for my painting ;o) I need your address again ;o) You can e-mail me through Etsy or at stacy8@rogers.com
ReplyDeleteBig Hugs
Oooh! Stacy! I know! I'm just so thrilled! Thank you, thank you! And yes, I'll be able to listen in on their conversation :)
DeleteI'll email you and thank you again!
Lucy is so delicately lovely in her beautiful intoxicating immortalness !
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Willow! What a lovely thing to say :)
DeleteHey Chicky ;o) I just wanted to thank you for the lovely comment you made on my blog about me getting into animation! You are too kind! You never know where my art will take me? I would probably have to go to school for that? Not sure? You know I use to do makeup, a long time ago and my one dream was to do makeup for films. I did some pretty cool makeup around Halloween! Even scared myself! LOL! I am so happy you loved my hairy chest Disco Crow ;o) LOL! Have you got your painting yet?? Hope so ;o) Big Hugs ;o)
ReplyDeleteOh! I didn't know about the make up! I need help, Hon! Do me a makeover?
DeleteAs for animation, there's probably a movie maker on your computer. I do know they're a lot of work to do but heck, Disco Crow is worth it!
The painting wasn't there on Saturday. So I'm giving it a couple of days and then I'll try again. I will tell you as soon as I have it; I know how worrying it is to send things out by post and it's such a relief to know they've arrived safely.