Daruma

(click on images to enlarge)

I have been very interested with the idea of thought that goes with the Daruma doll. The Daruma doll is a hollow and round Japanese wish doll that has no arms and legs. The most common color is red, but you can also find them in yellow, green, and white. The Daruma has a face with a moustache and beard, but its eyes are a solid white. Some dolls have written characters on the cheeks describing the kind of wish or desire the owner has in mind, such as protection of loved ones. The surname of the owner may be written on the chin.
You can find Daruma dolls at Japanese Buddhist temples where they can be purchased. You usually own one daruma at a time.

When making a wish you use black ink to fill in a single circular eye. If the wish comes true, the second eye is then filled in. Until the wish comes true, the daruma is displayed in a high place in the person's home.

If the daruma doll was purchased within a temple, the owner can take it back to the temple to burn it. Dolls purchased at a temple are often marked for identification by the temple. Most temples will not burn dolls that do not bear the temple's identifying mark. Burning usually happens at the end of the year. The burning is a purification ritual to let kami know that the wisher did not give up on the wish, but is another path to make it come true.
The daruma doll maintains balance and will remain centered. Even when it is tilted either side it will regain the balance. (Kind of like a Weeble that wobbles, but does not fall down) The implication of this is spiritual and symbolic.

I have been very interested in creating a sculpture based on the Daruma. The images from my sketchbook above reflect what has been going on in my mind as I approach making this come to life in my Pickled style of sculpting.

It has been a really long time since I have posted here (for those of wondering, I am o.k.)........ It is amazing that I am still having to catch up on work and all things that are social in my life right now since I got back from Japan over a month ago. From having to work on Coors Convention art to trying to figure out a date for our wedding. Needless to say, I have been very overwhelmed.

I have been listing a lot of my collectible stuff on eBay lately. Now that I am engaged to be married, I really need to grow up and get rid of the toys and comic books that I have collected over the past 20+ years. (I think I might have a couple future college educations sitting in storage and my closet.) It is time for me to clean up, but I have not lost the urge and the desire to collect. I have set a rule for myself that I will not buy anything larger than 5 inches in size. And yes, I have already started obsessing over and collecting something that matches that criteria. I will speak about that more in a future post here on the blog, maybe even show some pics of all that I have accumulated so far.

Jack