Shrine guardians are very stern and wise creatures, perched on a pedestal and made of stone, they will come to life when one approaches their shrine. They have a tremendously deep voice with some saying it vibrates their bodies. Those wanting to pass through their shrine will have to prove they are worthy, some bring an offering of pottery, food or money while others may complete a selfless deed.
Shrine guardians adorn a red bib called a yodarekake which is presented to them by their worshippers, a sign of respect and devotion.
While Kalatha has the most shrines of any region, Shrine guardians are found throughout Wunderkammer guarding their shrines. Ishi is guardian to the Illusion Shrine in Kalatha.
I wanted to branch out and create something a little different using some techniques and materials I had never used before. I had always wanted to incorporate a crackling effect into my work but never had a reason. After some research, the idea of a Divine Shrine Guardian Kitsune was such a fitting doll for this technique, the idea being the stone guardian would come to life.
Ishi has a resin face and paws that were cast from an original sculpture hand crafted by me. His body is made from Mongolian faux fur which was designed and sewn by me, he has a wire armature inside making him fully poseable, his face was painted in acrylic paints and a crackle effect applied. His yodarekake is made from a cotton material which was hand sewn by me
Ishi is approximately 30x15cm head to tail.
Ishi will be up for grabs in my Etsy shop this Friday between 9-10am AEST. Alternatively you can check me out on my social media pages below. Also check out my Society6 and Redbubble shop for prints and more.