Archive for dolls
Sakura Blythe owls
The first time I saw the photo above, on Sakura Blythe’s owl-themed Flickrstream, I was literally in awe. The colourway, the composition, the delicacy and the obvious love of owls struck a chord and I just had to get in touch with the photographer to find out what inspired her.
It is perhaps no surprise that Jo is passionate about “photography, karate, owls and dolls (particularly Blythe dolls)”. Her love of owls extends as far back as she can remember: aged 3, and living in New Zealand, a family friend made her a tiny pottery owl, standing only 1.5cm but bursting with all the hallmarks of a vintage classic…
From childhood through to motherhood, Jo has treasured, coveted and collected all things owl-related. The felted owlies you can see in the top photo are part of a project she started about a year ago: “I wanted an owl in the 1/6 scale of my dolls, and this seemed to be the best way to get one,” she explains.
Avalon is photographed here wearing the Cath Kidston brooch Jo was given for her 30th birthday, and a necklace gifted from another friend. I can’t get enough of her mixture of vintage aesthetics, kooky colours and retro chic jewelry, combined with those large-eyed, wondrous Blythe dolls. It’s all so intimate. Speaking of which, take a peek at a selection of Jo’s owls below – a glimpse into a life pin-pointed with fond memories of travel, fashion, family and life-long (feathered) friends.
As you can see, photography is an important part of Jo’s creative life: ”I am particularly interested in extreme depth of field and bokeh effects,” she told me. “Tiny owls work really well with my style of photography and complement the dolls which I often photograph. When I get the chance I love to photograph real owls and other birds of prey. I love their grace, strength and beauty. Unfortunately, I don’t often get the chance to do so, so make do with the owlies.” And thank goodness for that, is all I can say.
You can see more of Jo’s work on Flickr, Tumblr, Twitter and Etsy (where she sometimes lists owl-related crafts and Blythe-sized necklaces and friendship bracelets). Here’s hoping for some of those owlies on Etsy soon – no self-respecting owl devotee could possibly be without one.
