Inspired by Sailor’s Valentines, which were often “valued for their beauty and unusual qualities”, and brought home to loved ones after long voyages, and the fact that many of our retail customers have shops along the coastlines of the United States, it only seemed fitting that I create an innerSpirit rattle that honored both the rich history of these residents and our customers.
I had planned on debuting the “Mermaid” at Buyers Market of American Craft, but upon arriving in Philadelphia, the artistic perfectionist in me decided to wait so that I could perfect the design a little bit more. But by the second day, people starting asking about them thanks to Robin’s wonderful promotional abilities.
I have to admit that I always love a good challenge when it comes to designing new rattles, but there are so many factors to take into consideration, like:
- Will the finished piece be something our retailers will want to carry?
- Will our fans enjoy the rattle and will it serve their purpose?
- Will producing the design in volume be a problem?
- Will the rattle fit into the production of pieces we’re already creating?
- Will the rattle be able to be produced in the same price range?
- Will the rattle be able to fit into our standard rattle boxes?
When I first create the prototype, I like to work with oil-based clay because it doesn’t dry out, is more flexible, and more detail can be achieved.
Once I am finished with the piece, I create a plaster working mold; which can be a bit tricky because the original is usually “lost” in the process.
After the mold has dried and been cleaned of any obvious undercuts, its then cast in clay. Once complete, the mold is checked again for imperfections before being turned into a rubber case mold.
The challenge with the mermaid rattles had less to do with size or shape and more to do with the tiny details in their faces. I had to cast the face in porcelain, which shrinks quite a bit, in order to keep the details.
If you’re interested in ordering the Mermaid innerSpirit rattle for your shop, contact us about wholesale orders. If, on the other hand, you’re a fan interesting in purchasing one for yourself, check our retailers page for a retailer near you.
