Giljagaur.....Gully-gawk and Needle Felting
Giljagaur........... Gully-gawk arrives today. He is a handsome and most happy fellow. His passion is the froth, that forms on the warm milk as it comes from the cow. He sneaks into the barn and while the milk maid is not looking, Giljagaur dips his finger into the milk pail and licks the froth off his finger. Giljagaur, was lucky today.
I have loved the story of the thirteen Jolasveinar, as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl I was given Christmas cards with drawings of them, by Eggert, that I had carefully colored in, with color pencil. I still have nine of the cards and suspect that there were actually only nine in the beginning, as in some of the stories there were only nine are mentioned. One of my favorite Christmas songs is about, Jolasveinar one and eight, who came down from the mountains, and the adventure they had along the way..
I have wanted to create the Jolasveinar for many years, but could not find a medium to work in, that would fit my image of them. I took a class on needle felting on the internet, a year and a half ago with Amy Rawson, through joggles.com. I took to the medium right away and practiced designing and making various figures, until I felt ready to work on the Jolasveinar. I started working on them, in the middle of October last year and had them all done by the 24th of December. I did them in sequence, so that I could show them all here day by day, as they arrive.
This year I have added three figures that are related to the Jolasveinar. They will make their debut soon.
This project has been the most satisfying one I have ever done. I looked forward to going to my studio every day. I started this blog to have a place to show them and to tell their story. I tell the stories in my own way, with the poems from a book called Jolin Koma (Christmas is coming) by Johannes ur Kotlum, which was first printed in 1932 and had it’s sixteenth printing in 1994, as one of my guides.
Check out my, Strange Things About Me Meme, on my other blog "To Live A Creative Life"
Labels: My Art
8 Comments:
I have never heard of the Yule Goblins before- what a unique and fascinating holiday myth! And the characters you have created are just delightful.
Peace-
Linda Fleming
once again, a charming delight! yesterday i almost asked you whether it was possible to "bribe" the Jolasveinar with things like milk and/or cookies... i see it is! (oooh, but what happens if Gully-gawk gets soy milk, instead? hmmmm. better make sure i've got something in stock!)
it's no surprise you found this project so satisfying, dear Mo'a, it is a wonderful tradition, and a magical one, at that. and something this fanciful absolutely MUST be shared with others, in order to keep the enchanting energy alive! thank you -- it's truly a joyful treat to be "in" on this!! xox
Linda: Thank you for the compliment. Come by often as there will be a new one each day.
Neva: They have become so modern that I am sure he will like soy milk.
If you have any frying pans that need cleaning, don't wash them tomorrows Jolasveinn with take care of that for you.
This little fellow is fabulous! I have never needle-felted - seems like an impossibility to me. You have created such character here!
Mo'a- I just posted the info about my printer you asked about and the fabric sheets on my blog. Have fun printing on fabric- it is so easy!
Peace-
Linda
Hi Mo'a
I've been working a lot these past couple of days without much chance to be online. Then I come here & see these adorable guys. I love them! I didn't know needle felting could be so detailed
How big are they? I can't wait to see the rest.
rachael
Linda: Thank you....I will be right over.
Rachael: Thank you. They range from 11 inches down to the one for today Stufur, who is only 7 inches.
Oh, I love these guys!!!! It is great to read their stories, and see them portrayed so beautifully. Mo'a, you are just awesome! I heard that Gully Gawk got into trouble yesterday when he tried to dismantle the milkling processor at a farm in Island... :-D
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