Imagination brings mouse ballerinas to life

Published 9:00 am Saturday, November 26, 2005

Kathe Fraga debuts a new series at her Winslow gallery.

In Kathe Fraga’s ballet, rotund mice in tiny tutus perform arabesques, while others teeter on the tips of their toes.

Of the thimble that one rodent wears as a hat, “it’s like something a mouse would find,” Fraga said. “I do try to get into their mindset and how they’d behave. They’re innocent, childlike and playful.”

Fraga’s “ballerina mice” will be on exhibit at Gallery Fraga which she and her husband Jeff own on Winslow Way, from Dec. 1 through the holiday season.

The mice are made with a papier-mâché core covered with clay and then painted and adorned with tiny clay tutus and real tulle. Everything from the finial on a lamp to scraps of crochet or an earring may end up in her work.

The ballerinas followed naturally from the cute white Westies with which Fraga is associated, figures also made of papier-mâché with painted shredded fabric to simulate fur.

Fraga started her professional career as an advertising writer. The detour into art started when her son Sean, now 18, was in second grade. For a school auction, they made papier-mâché lions, tigers and bears together.

The animals caught the eye of several people, and she was asked, “What else can you do with papier-mâché ?”

Her first commission was a Wheaten dog, and after moving to the island seven years ago, she continued to make dog sculptures.

“I was doing writing, but had always loved doing art as a girl, so it was an easy transition,” Fraga said.

A few years ago, she made a series of whimsical “party dogs” with martini glasses in hand and donning party hats.

An offhand comment of “why don’t you try mice” led to her current series.

Fraga says she makes up the poses herself, but having two daughters who took dance helps.

The mice “are all learning. They’re not professional dancers,” Fraga said.

One rodent’s tail stubbornly kept falling off, until Fraga realized the figure really just wanted to sit in a chair holding a bunch of Christmas presents.

Now, “he’s just so comfortable, content and happy,” she said.

“When I make them, I decide on a pose and they start telling me what their personality is,” Fraga said.

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Mouse ballet

Kathe Fraga’s papier-mâché ballerina mice and westies will be on exhibit at Gallery Fraga on Winslow Way from Dec. 1 through the holidays. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call 842-1150 for more information.