Thursday, August 4, 2011

Mermaid Muses Aboard El Tiburon

The Girls
I have been collecting mermaids for decades. Their whimsy not only delights me, but inspires my creative endeavors. So of course they had to come sailing with me! I'll introduce you. The gal on the right, is a llardo that I purchased in Spain. Wrapped in towels, in 1985 she crossed the Atlantic with me on Kahuna, my 371 Swan sloop. Been sailing with me ever since. The sexy mermaid in the middle is part of my vintage aquarium collection. The little mermaid behind her, I found in Martha's Vineyard while visiting my girlfriend Susan Branch. It was Susan who encouraged me to share some of my girly-girl treasures I carry with me aboard El Tiburon. Sue is the Queen of Style, check out her blog on www.susanbranch.com. The biggest prize of all my antique collections is the green vase flanked by two lovely mermaids with a seahorse in the center.  The last mermaid on the left, is a porcelain replica of the famous bronze mermaid statue that sits on a rock overlooking the harbor in the capital of Denmark.  She represents the mermaid from the Hans Christian tale.
This piece of pottery I bought in 1981 from the artist, Paula Teplitz, in San Luis Obispo.  The small dish reminds me of Scott O'Dells award winning children's book, "Island of the Blue Dolphins". It is a story of a 10 year-old girl stranded on San Nicholas Island in the Channel Islands lying off the Santa Barbara coast in the 19th century.  A truly lovely story for any age. This group of California islands are largely responsible for my love of sailing, and in particular anchoring in quiet remote spots.
While the 'head' is not a public room I would normally choose to publish a picture of on a blog....I wanted to show the mermaid print I got in Hanapepe on the island of Kauai a few years back. The notion of mermaids doing the hula makes me smile. Hanapepe is one great place to walk around and appreciate local artists work as well as enjoy lunch at an outside cafe.
These fragile mermaids are only one example of the girly stash I have stowed aboard El Tiburon, that both delight and drive my husband crazy.  All I can say is, Love Me, Love my STUFF! And thank goodness for bubble wrap and museum clay which allows me to bring along my favorite treasure trove, my mermaid muses, while we cruise about in El Tib. 
A few of my favorite things
Museum putty does a great job of anchoring down treasures, getting the shells to stay in place while heeling is a different story.
A carved mermaid graces a doorway

2 comments:

  1. That's my girl! xoxo Too cute! And so it begins. . . watch out world!

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  2. LOVELY, 20 YEARS AGO I DID SOME MERMAID STENCILLING ON OUR BATHROOM, NOW IT HAS TO BE RE-DECORATED FOR SELLING THE HOUSE TO ENABLE US TO GO SAILING BIG TIME.
    IF I CAN STILL FIND THE OLD STENCIL MAYBE I KNOW OF A GOOD HOME/OR BOAT TO SEND THIS MERMAID STENCIL TO!!!
    LOVE KIM (nOELANI)

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