My Tribe

I spent the past week with my local sculpting tribe. As I was drafting my post about the work I created in the Kate church class I was thinking about how much "more" I have become since I took my first sculpting class.

It was a fluke! I had just joined a doll 'list' through yahoo groups and the very first week I saw a post about a doll class. I read through it and saw that it was in my town so I did an internet search for the Artist... Wendy Froud. as you can imagine I signed up immediately.

Not only did I fall in love with the art form, I feel in love with the people. Artists are a special breed, they push the limits, try new things and engage. Just being in the room at that first class was powerful. My first doll was not pretty. I had the least amount of knowledge in that class but I knew I had found something special.

The class introduced me to several local artists and I was invited to be part of a local sculpting group. Nothing formal, just a group of artists interested in the art of the doll. We get together once a month. Sometimes we work on projects, sometimes we just talk.

These women have become my friends, my artistic tribe. I admire them, enjoy their company and get to share their lives and art. Some of them are very well know in the Doll Art world, some are accomplished artists in other mediums, all of them are amazing. It has been an honor and privileged to be part of this group.

My art has brought me so much. I realized this week that every class I go to brings new people into my life. Some for a small time, some for life. My artist tribe has changed me. I have learned to push forward with my art, bend the rules and leap over boundaries. I've been exposed to new styles, new techniques, new materials and so much more. I've grown as an artist and as a person because of my tribe.

I am more because of my tribe. More confident, more engaged - not only with the art world, but with my family, and overall I am more present in my world.

Thank you to all of the people who have been part of my art world, those who read my blog, those whose classes I have taken and those amazing women that I call friend!

Quick Update

Lately my life has been crazy. I seem to say that a lot but this time it was truly out of control. In March I had to make an emergency trip to Virginia because my dad was very ill and not expected to survive, fortunately he did and is now home and recovering nicely! He is the most amazing man I know and I am so thankful that he is on the mend. I'll be heading back to Virginia later this summer for a fun visit :0)

Being off work, unexpectedly, for over a week left me way behind. It took me a week to catch up. We just started our busy time (which goes through September) so I haven't stopped since I got back.

And then this....

I leave on Tuesday for Ft. Lauderdale, FL to take part in the Once Upon a Steampunk Time class being taught by Deb Wood and hosted by Adele Sciortino! I have wanted to take classes with both of these amazing, talented ladies for a long time and next week I will be!

I will try to post while I am there. I am super excited to be a part of this class.

Hopefully once I return I'll have more heads to share!

Thanks for stopping by...

D

Happy Belated New Year!

Happy New Year!

I hope you and your family enjoyed a safe holiday season. I had a wonderful time. My middle son and his family were visiting and I had a 3 year old in the house for Christmas for the first time in about 16 years!! Getting back to my regularly scheduled life has been difficult.

Having a small child in the house, seeing the magic of the season through her young eyes, has been a gift. Sometimes it is easy to forget the joy and wonder of things. I like all of the holiday trappings, the decorations, the music, the food...oh man the food! This year was just a little extra special with my son and his family sharing the days with us. It was great for my youngest son as well as he got to hang out with one of his siblings this year.

Now that January is here and the children have gone home things are slowly getting back to normal. I've set aside time each month to write for my blog so you'll see a bit more of me this year. I am looking forward to a productive 2017 with my art. Details on upcoming plans and projects coming soon.

Thanks for stopping by...

Debbie

Almost a New Year

Wow 2016 went by fast. So much happened, but I had too many obligations and not enough time to write and play. I hope that 2017 will be different. I plan to make 2017 different.


I've cut back on outside obligations though I did go back to school. I realized that while I enjoyed some of the things I had joined in on, I was not working on what inspires me - namely figurative sculpture.


So, with that thought on my mind, I chose to bow out of the major craft fair I have been doing for the past few years. It is (in my opinion) one of the best in the area but I found that while I enjoyed the booth and the people, the things I was making were not what I wanted to work on. I found that I was making small items to fill my booth rather than working on my art. So, though I am sure I will miss it come October, I did not commit myself for the upcoming year. I am taking a break from craft fairs and working on sculpting.


I did finish another sculpture and submitted her for Art Doll Quarterly's County Fair challenge. The sculpture's name is: Grandma Molly's Blue Ribbon Blueberry Pie. Here is a sneak peek. I checked the rules and I am able to share her on my personal blog.

Please excuse the poor picture quality and wrinkled background!!


She was inspired by my grandmother and I think of her as the fisherman's wife (Fish Tales: Check him out here). I haven't heard back yet as to whether or not they want to use her but I sure had a great time making her and sending her off for consideration. I've made it a goal this coming year to enter their challenges and I am already storyboarding my ideas for their next challenge - "I am Woman" which is due in March of 2017.


2017 will bring more posts to this blog. I am setting aside a couple of hours per month to write for my blog. This is something that I enjoy and want to do. I have several tutorials that are just about done and I finally want to share them. I have other projects that I am working on that need to be here :0) I have the results of my first serious batch of wine that I made all by myself - start to finish - and it is drinkable. That story needs to be shared and I still have some amazing vacation pictures to show you.


Right now, I am sitting at work on my lunch hour. I was trying to focus on my current college course - Business Law - but my brain just isn't there right now. My middle son and his family arrived here today, the holidays are in full swing and last night I finally got my house decorated. I am ready to take a break and just enjoy my family and the holidays.

I Have a What?

It has been quite the week for me.

I was rushed to the hospital Tuesday evening for severe abdominal pain and ended up having surgery on Thursday morning for a paraduodenal hernia which I have apparently had since birth. Finding out that only 1% of the population of the world will ever have this type of hernia did not make me feel special! I was fortunate that the surgery was able to be done laparoscopically so my recovery won't be quite as horrible.

I am recovering slowly. I am very tired but the pain is, thankfully, being managed with Tylenol. I'll be home for at least a week. I am hoping to get back to work by the 23rd so I'll be making sure I follow all of the Dr.'s orders!

Check back later today to see who is the lucky winner of the Fairy Door from my Grow Your Blog party give-away. I'm a little slow on the draw here but I'll definitely be posting a winner this evening!! If you haven't left a comment yet there is still time to get in on the drawing :0) All you need to do is visit my Grow Your Blog Party post and leave me a comment.

Have a wonderful day...