The Harpy

The Harpy On-Line Workshop

with Doll Artist Judy Skeel

The Harpy is a hybrid creature from Greek Mythology. This doll is half cloth woman, half Apoxie Sculpt vulture and free standing to measure 8 to 12 inches in height. Artists throughout time have envisioned harpies in a wild variety of styles from mostly human to mostly bird, sometimes with bat wings and sometimes angelic - so style and design are encouraged in this detailed workshop. Judy has created two different Harpies and will help students choose their own concept of a Harpy to adapt their doll accordingly. Fortunately there are not too many people alive who have seen a real Harpy to say one?s creation is wrong, so this can be very free creating!

Learn to:

A Little Harpy Insight:
In Greek mythology a Harpy is a hybrid creature, half woman and half vulture; very fierce, vile and loathsome, dwelling in filth and stench, contaminating everything within reach. The Greek ?harpyia? means snatcher. Harpies are hungry, filthy creatures who snatch food, objects and even people who are tormented and never seen again. They take pleasure in punishment, torture and death. Greek mythology cast them as messengers of divine vengeance, the gods dispatching them to punish the evil by snatching away or fouling their food. Starting off as stormy Tornado Goddesses, they were originally beautiful, but over time became screechy, scratchy, vicious and downright disgusting in every way. Harpies can fly at the speed of sound, and one of their favorite tricks is to defecate upon the unworthy from a great height. See? Loads of room for variations!

Student Requirements and Skill Level: Intermediate and advanced students will enjoy this fun and informative workshop. Dollmakers must be adept at sewing by machine and by hand. Sculpting experience is not required.

Here are some student interpretations from the previous class:

Cheryl Zehner	Emily Eckle

Linda Peffley	Veronica Phillion (in progress)