Apollo, Lord of Light
Apollo, Lord of Light
For sale: $300
Click here to purchase on Artfire.com
Apollo, like most gods, has many aspects and many ways that he manifests. For this particular doll he was very clear he wanted to show of his… um… flashier side. This is Apollo the Lord of Light, also known as Phoebus. This Apollo is all about what is brilliant and glorious in the world and in himself. He is the perfect specimen of manhood in every way. He sees all, knows more than you realize and has the fire and passion to inflame himself and the whole planet if he so chooses. Sound like fun? He was a *blast* to make 
Apollo is based on a Robert Tonner Matt O’Neil doll, but obviously Matt was never this yellow. The yellow base came through the help of my business partner Jamie’s skills with a spray can.
Of course that was never going to be enough for Apollo. Many hours of paint work later, he had a heck of set of abs, glowing skin the shaded from fiery red at his feet to white hot at his face.
His hair was a matter of great debate between doll and artist. Initially I was going to do a standard reroot and change out his hair with long strands of hair in three or four color tones to give him a shad, sunny look. Then he started bitching at me about wanting something *more* and the next thing I knew I had a parade float on my hands.
Parade Float was his nick-name for the longest time actually because his hair was so insane once I got all the ribbons and beads attached. About half the ribbons are wired and all of the beads are strung on gold wire all of which accounts for the large halo of shimmer and color around his face.
Like just about all retail dolls, Matt is not anatomically correct. This did not sit well with Apollo. So yes, I crafted him genitalia and wove him beaded public hair. This god is well endowed.
Next came his robe. Some people have asked why cover up all that glory? Well Apollo’s answer was that by hiding it, you allow it to be revealed when the time is right. Of course, the stark white of the silk chiton just helps to highlight all the glowing color of Apollo’s skin.
At his shoulder is an ornate golden broach with five garnet stones forming the shape of a star. Hanging from the broach are strands of gold chain shot through with Swarovski crystals in the colors of the sun’s corona.
Last, but never least is Apollo’s base. It is an assemblage of gears painted in sun colors and coated in glitter so that it can reflect Apollo’s light with ease.
This Apollo is one glorious aspect of a multidimensional god who brought us light, the art of prophecy, colonization, medicine, archery, poetry, dance, intellectual inquiry and the knowledge of how to care for the herds and flocks that feed humanity. He will light your days and nights and shine radiantly on any altar dedicated to Him.
Apollo is currently on display at The Sacred Well in the Lake Merritt district of Oakland, CA.
Photos by C. Pennington 2010
