Finally I can post about this piece! This is a piece that I did for the upcoming show to raise money to save the forest outside of Tokyo, Japan that inspired Miyasaki to make the animated film, "My Neighbor Totoro." The theme is "what is your Totoro?" and there are some fantastic artists who contributed artwork for the show, some 200 of them from all over the globe. I am honored to be a part of such a worthy cause- helping to save a forest from urban sprawl as well as being able to express my appreciation for the film. Who doesn't love Totoro?! :) It took me awhile to come up with a design I liked, and then it took me a few weeks to get him all assembled and sewn together and stuffed. I wanted to create a creature that was the guardian and nurturer of all the life in the forest, whether plant, animal, or insect. As a kid growing up in Canada, I was lucky to have forests and lakes and mountains close by, and every time I hiked, or sat down and cooled my feet off in the river, I was (and still am) amazed at the beauty and sheer size of the trees and mountains. I believe that nature is something that feeds our souls and inspires us, and that is the main reason I wanted to help contribute to this show. I will post more show details as they become available.
