Wynken Blynken And Nod Meet Gnome Girl

More than a year ago, I started painting a huge spool knitter. I began with a sweet little Gnome Girl.

I had no doubt that

Little Gnome Girl

belonged on the

gigantic spool knitter,

but once I finished

painting her,

I was totally

stumped.

I was convinced

that she

was supposed to

be in a garden,

but  just couldn’t

bring myself to draw

a garden on the spool knitter.

So, the little Gnome Girl

sat on the top shelf of

a bookcase in my studio,

looking rather sad and

unfinished for more than

18 months.

I showed her to a friend,

who fell in love

with the little Gnome Girl.

I suddenly realized

that she needed

to have a Fairy Door.

So  I painted

a Fairy Door, and

then,

I thought….

oh!

Gnome Girl

really needs a

special friend!

Don’t we all?

And, so,

I painted

a laughing

Star Baby

and some

stars.

The friend

that I had shown

the little Gnome Girl

to had a question for me:

Would you make me a

spool knitter that has

Wynken, Blynken and Nod on it?

We both thought that they would be perfect for the little Gnome Girl spool knitter, and so:

Wynken,

Blynken

and Nod

now sail

their

wooden shoe

boat across the

starry, magical

night.

And,  inside the

spool knitter,

the moon smiles

at schools of little

fishies, who

are actually

stars,

caught in

the nets

cast out

by

Wynken,

Blynken

and

Nod.

I took this photo before I varnished the spool knitter, because the varnish flashes too much.

I can never get the true luster to show up in photographs, but it’s amazing….. it just glows.

This is one of those pieces that has taken years to complete, but it is totally worth the wait.

I had thought that this would be my spool knitter, but I was wrong.It has turned into a commission, so it won’t be living on my bookcase in the studio anymore.

It took the inspiration of my friend remembering a favorite childhood poem to ignite my imagination, so that I could finish painting the spool knitter. I love how a conversation can sometimes trigger a huge outpouring of creativity. It’s pure magic!

That magic took me in a most unexpected direction with this spool knitter and I love it.  I am completely delighted with it, and hope that it will bring joy to my friend for years!