one more down

Ahhh, the joy of finishing another project.  I love when something actually turns out right. I'm quite pleased with the newest member.  She's ready in time for the Big & little show.  I'm going to look at the gallery space on Friday.  Next on the table in the jewelry piece for the show.  I got it started today, but ran out of steam.  Well, next weekend is another day.

publish or perish

The new issue of Art Doll Quarterly came in the mail yesterday.  They did a really nice job with photographing my doll - "grounded."  They shot her nicely, and did a full page of close-ups.  It was nice to see.  You need a 'feel good' kind of day periodically.

Here's one of the pictures Marie shot. She lost her head feather on the way home.  I'll have to fix her.  One more thing on my messy studio desk.

been away

Well, it's been too long since I last posted, and with no better excuse than just plain being busy.  Gotta get rid of this day job thing.  But then I suppose I'd also have to get rid of eating and other unimportant bills.

Fabulously enough I have gotten some time for art the past couple of weeks, including a good start (and almost a finish) on my figurative sculpture for the BIG & little show here in San Diego.

And, even more fabulously, Marie Segal came by on Friday with her magic camera and took some great photos.  She's still working on them, but here's one of a necklace I posted a couple of months ago that shows just how much better she is at this than I am.

Thanks, Marie!

Thanks, too, to Cassy for her vote of confidence.

reclaiming more

Another "doll" is standing on my work table.  I was so happy with this one, and had enough related ideas that I had to go find more of the antique loom bobbins from which it was made.  Once again, he did not turn out in the least as I had originally planned; but rather became himself as he wanted to be.

Jewelry, of course, does not do that.  It does not have the same personality waiting to express itself.  But the figures have a mind of their own - which is perhaps why I am gravitating more towards them these days.

A trip to the Road to California quilt show last weekend inspired me to go through my stash of fabrics looking for the next design.  A trip to the alpaca farm on Monday afternoon added fuel to the fire.  My car trunk is stuffed with wonderfully soft young alpaca fibers, and plenty of roving.Time to get the sketchbook out.

bottles of hope, revisited

I received an email from Lisa Pavelka the other day, congratulating me on being a finalist in the Staedtler BOH challenge.  So, look below to the prior post that pictured the bottles - my charming, hopeful little old men - to see them.  

I spent some time with Elise Winters yesterday, as well as Seth Savarick, talking about polymer clay, its history and the explosion of the field.  It was renewing to see Elise's work and get my creative juices flowing again.

Have to start thinking about some new things to do.  Yet again, so many ideas, too little time.

a mind of their own

Dawn Schiller (oddfae.com) once told me her dolls frequently defy her and decide for themselves who they want to be. I'm beginning to see what she means. I keep having the same experience myself. So, while I am pleased with my latest addition to the family, the final is not the end with which I began. But, it chose its own way as we went along.

wet feet

I find it interesting the different mind sets of different media. In metal work, I wouldn't think of using glue to hold pieces together - it's just not done. Cold connections are a great and varied solution for those who don't solder, and I've also recently tried some silver fusing. In clay, we try to keep the joins clay to clay, as glue can be tricky and unreliable, but we do use it. In mixed media pieces, however, it is sometimes unavoidable. I know Keith LoBue doesn't use glue in his pieces; prefering a variety of soldered and cold connected solutions, and he goes to great and wonderful lengths to create those connections for pieces. He also uses some caulking when desperate.
But I do sometimes resort to glue. Then there is the inevitable waiting for the glue to dry. It's so rare that I get large uninterrupted period in which to work. It;s frustrating to spend them watching glue dry.
I discovered some very old dried out two part epoxy yesterday, which meant having to use a slower glue. I've been trying to do my gluing for this piece at night, so I can work in the mornings. Bit by bit, it's coming along.