Dina Goebel - Art-doll sculptures (2016

DEAD FAIRIES

I am obsessed. Dead Fairies symbolize extinction of species through our actions of deforestation and pollution. Using a ceremonial mummification process, we acknowledge the lost cultures and ancient rituals.

Emoria - Emperor Gum Moth

'EMORIA' is a vintage Emperor Gum Fairy. We estimate she was captured and preserved by trolls around 1880 which was a common practice as mounted fairies provided great cash or trading income for the trolls. There were two fairies found in an abandoned troll cave in Gippsland Australia which was once lush with forests, sadly these fairies are all extinct since 1910. The trolls must have been killed off at some point and therefore their treasures have been left untouched.

This Emperor Gum fairy is one of the larger Australian native moth-type fairies. This ones wings were well preserved and you can see the amazing interconnection with the local wildlife this fairy had from her forest home. The body however required some restoration and all adornments were missing.

Emoria is made using paper clay and mulberry paper, her hair is from mulberry silk and merino fibers, her dress in mulberry paper and silk gauze. Emoria is 43cm x 43cm x 8cm deep.

Enaista - hybrid fairy

'ENAISTA' - Of course all extinct now, this fairy doesn’t appear to be an Australian native. She has European features such as the maple leaves in her upper wings, however Enaista must have arrived very young (usually in ship cargo) or was born here as she has developed local water features in her lower wings.

Enaista probably spent her life in a large regional or botanical garden which is consistent with the location she was found. Her color has faded but is incredibly well preserved, this is common with the fairies who have moist climate lives . Quite a mish-mash our Enaista, imagine her when she was in full living color!

Enaista is made using paper clay, cold porcelain, vintage lace and mulberry paper, her hair is the silky soft angora and her dress is from fashion designer Camilla’s range of exotically patterned silk gauze which has also been trimmed with vintage lace and Czech glass beads.

Dreandra - seasonal fairy

'DREANDRA' - is a Seasonal Fairy, along with her kin she changes colors with the changing seasons. This wonderful preserved fairy was found in Gippsland Victoria, she is a very rare find having such rich, vibrant autumn colors.

Dreandra is a ribbon joint doll with moveable arms and legs and rotating head, she is designed to hang on the wall to best showcase her amazing wings. Made from air dry stone clay and porcelain clay, Dreanda is dressed in a silk gauze skirt, has alpaca wool hair and is beaded with Czech glass and Swarovski features.

Dead Fairy Zombies

Sp Cabbage Moth

Sp Tiger Moth

Blackwood Fairy - 'Dreymoir'

Blackwood Fairy - 'Acacia'

Blackwood Fairy - 'Lilith'

Blackwood Fairy - 'Mordrid'

WOOD SPRITES

Narnargon

Narnargon – a flowery wood sprite

Narnargon is such a gentle earthy creature. She blends seamlessly into the paperbark trees and white ghost gums as she scurries about collecting native pink flowers for her collection. Covered in tea-tree flowers and carrying gum blossoms .. little butterflies follow this pretty gemmed wood sprite throughout the day.

Narnargon is mounted on a naturally shed deer antler and made using air-dry stone clay, cold porcelain with additional decorative elements of mulberry paper and Czech glass beads. This sculpture is 40cm high to the top of her hair, the deer antler is 30cm wide and 25cm deep.

'Miinara' - night sprite

'Shameira' - wood sprite

BIRDS BIRDS BIRDS

Eingana bird-woman

‘Eingana’ in her nest, lets us into the little world of the unseen beautiful things around us. Modeled on the Great White Egret in Australia, Eingana is a bird woman, her name means: creator goddess in Australian Aboriginal mythology.

Her nest is sitting on a bed of driftwood and made using a combination of differing materials – twigs, leaves, feathers, mulberry paper, plus an assortment of little treasures surrounding her home. Eingana the bird woman is made with air-dry paper clay, her feathered limbs are cold porcelain, her long egret legs covered in mulberry paper. She has glass eyes, little eyelashes and a mixture of long kid mohair locks. Her two bluish eggs are made with cold porcelain, then iridized and marbled in many layers. Size: 32cm high, 28cm wide x 12cm deep.

'Black Gold'

'Cocky Girl'

'Such a Dandy'

AUSTRALIAN BIRDS is a series which portrays the commercialisation of women, birds and our native wildlife .. thereby endangering so much habitat and ecosystems, we dont even realise it. Birds (a slang for women) seem caught up in a world of fashion, beauty and products in the effort to wear an unnatural facemask that drive this conflict … perhaps its all part of mothers nature plan to preen and strut, who knows?

‘Black Gold’ is an Australian Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, is an enormous cockatoo which lives in isolated pockets along Eastern Australia. Large, heavy birds with an eerie distinct wail, I have adorned this girl in her finely beaded wattle blossoms and leaves, with hand-made clay feathers which are beaded and layered on a mesh and chiffon cape. Wearing a heavy helmet to support her enormous strong beak, her body is the same as all the runway birds, a unique sculpt cast in resin.

‘Cocky Girl’ is an Australian Sulphur-crested cockatoo that frequents the Victorian east coast and other parts of Australia. A beloved larrakin in our bushland, I have adorned this girl with her signature crest and hand-made clay feathers, which are beaded and adorned with miniature clay flowers. Her cape is hand-colored velvet and her body is the same as all the runway birds, a unique sculpt cast in resin.

‘Such a Dandy’ is an Australian Galah, the most common type of cockatoo across Australia. They live in large flocks and frolic around in such a silly tumbling manner, I have adorned this girl in her signature rose and grey colors, with hand-made clay feathers which are beaded and along with some vintage lace. Her cape is hand-colored velvet and her body is the same as all the runway birds, a unique sculpt cast in resin.

INSECT DOLLS

'Serquet Zera'

'Serquet Zera' – scorpion art doll

‘Serquet Zera’ is the protector of women and the giver of renewal. Serket of Egyptian mythology was the scorpion goddess who prevented harm, she protected women during childbirth and watched over the well-being of the dead. Serket is also know for her gifts of renewal .. when its time to shed the old and begin a new journey forward .. let her help you find light through the darkness.

35 cm high, 35 cm long x 20 cm wide

‘Abika Ladibird’

Abika's a childhood favorite of mine … the colorful ladybird beetle. Today it reminds me of the 1960s swinging ponchos, mini dresses and that vivid wonderful ladybird orange.
Abika’s cape is hand-dyed hemp/silk fabric trimmed with mink fur, silk ribbon and glass beads. Her wings are digitally printed and beaded organza which can be opened into different positions; both the cape and wings are removable leaving this stunning modelesque insect in a glistening bronze mini dress. Made with air-dry & apoxie clay, alpaca hair and glass eyes.

36cm high, 12 cm x 8 cm wide, free standing sculpture

'Chyrsolina Beetlejuice'

In image of my mum Irene

Chrysolina beetles have always amazed me due to the amazing way nature creates bright iridisation and metallic effects. I wanted to capture the blue shell of the chrysolina into my own art-doll.

This blue beetle is made with air-dry paper clay and worbla. Her shell is a striking iridised blue covered in flowers, insects, leaves dripping with Swarovski gems and beads. Her inner wings are hand painted silk which has been beaded with Japanese glass beads, and her bodysuit is a shimmering black stretch velvet topped by a mink collar. With blue glass eyes and a grey angora cropped hairstyle, Chyrsolina Beetlejuice is accessorised with ball-joint doll shoes by Ursi, a blue vintage cross necklace and my own crafted silver leather hand bag.

39cm high, 10×10 cm long

'Chyrsolina Beetlejuice'

‘Queen Bebebelle’

This Queen captures of all those wonderful fairytale princesses twirling at the ball. As the Queen Bee she is among her hive and reveling in her amazing honey colored life.

This Queen bee is made with air-dry paper clay and cold porcelain clay. Her skirt is lined with mulberry paper, sculpted bees and hand dyed silk; her black velvet vest is beaded and trimmed in hand colored lace, silk and vintage flowers. With glass eyes and an angora beehive hairstyle, she glides on her ballet heels and is adorned with flowers and Swarovski crystals.

40cm high, 12×12 cm long

‘Madame S. Caterpillar’

Madame S. was inspired by the Saturnia Emperor Gum moths we have here and also found around the world. I loved how the bright green bodies of these caterpillars are spotted with bead-like ornaments of bright blue! However only one sub-human caterpillar comes to mind, Absolem from Alice in Wonderland, the fantastical hookah smoking character which Alice bumps into. Madame S. Caterpillar is an extension of this personality – bored with life, encrusted with personal riches, and assessing the little Alice as a droll child.

I have made this fixed doll-like sculpture with air-dry paper clay, glass eyes, hand dyed raw silk cloak trimmed with dyed and beaded mink fur trim. Her body and cloak is decorated in wonderful creatures, colorful Czech glass beads and finished with nice shiny things like Swarovski crystals. The hookah is a tiny Egyptian glass perfume bottle with a hand-made brass pipe; the coat is removable.

36cm high, 12 cm long

'Promethea'

'Tamyka's Home' snail girl

OCEAN CREATURES

‘IREENA’

‘IREENA’ – Mermaid

Ireena is my second gentle, pastel colored mermaid. She was created to bring calm and repose into your environment. Floating effortlessly above a sea bed of natural crystals, Ireena imbues a sense of fun and peaceful quietness as she gazes through her green glass eyes cheekily at you.

Her head dress and pectoral fins delicately colored in shimmering purple tones and are inspired by sea feathers. She adorned with natural pearls, crystals, and glistening Japanese glass seed beads. Her tail is made from mulberry paper to create a fine yet shapely, floating effect and her white hair is from angora which has been embedded with more glass beads.

‘ANNAMEILE’ – Mermaid

Annameile is a wonderfully gentle, pastel colored mermaid. She is holding her treasure egg, a glowing neon crucible wrapped in silk gauze. This lovely mermaid specimen lives among the kelp forests of the Tasmanian coastline, her beautiful colors gently ebb from green to blue hues, and her kelp-like hair blends into her surrounds.

The magical crucible she carries glows at night a beautiful neon green. Annameile is mounted on a hardwood timber block and made using air-dry stone clay, cold porcelain with additional decorative elements using mulberry paper and silk gauze. Annameile is an entirely one-of-a-kind creature, never to be repeated, all hand made and sculpted over a strong wire armature.

This sculpture is 44cm high x 20cm wide and 20cm deep.

‘ANNAMEILE’

Octopodian Diva

The Consortium

The Housewife

EARLIER WORK

Idunna Deerwoman

'IDUNNA' - hybrid fantasy art doll.

Idunna Deerwoman is a complicated, beautiful yet strange creature. She walks throughout the forest living her life eternally as Idun (the goddess of rejuvenation in Norse mythology, keeper of the magic apples of immortality). In reality, when she looks backward she remembers her eternal youth, when she looks forward her true age is revealed and looking downward, she sees the changing body of the goddess.

I love her gently muted colors of forest green through to fleshy pale pink. Richly ornate with textures of forest vines, leaves and seeds, Idunna is also adorned with glittering treasures and wonderful mossy headdress as she strides gracefully.

Size: 50 cm high, 40 cm long x 10 cm wide, free standing static sculpture.

‘Standing in a Field of Dreams’

A recurring theme over 4 decades .. woman toed, I'm not sure why, repressed maybe.

This has so many images rolled into one .. is it a scarecrow, a witch at the stake, or a crucifixion perhaps?
This piece depicts the joys in life but are we ever truly free?

Size: 43 cm high, 30 x 14 cm timber base.

Made with air dry and apoxie clays, fabric, alpaca doll wig, on a natural timber base.

‘When I Grow Up’. A reminder that no matter how old we are, there are still things we are searching for, or to do in our lives. This sculpt expresses the sentiment that age is no barrier to finding yourself or fulfilling your dreams. Size: 44 cm high, 19 x 10 cm timber base.

‘Just Living in a Shell’ captures all those beautiful unseen things hidden in our world, from sea shells and creatures, to glistening wet hair and gentle shades of color.

'Mr Rabbitman' was my first exploration into making my own art dolls. After collecting art dolls from around the world, it was time to try my artistic skill.