I just Joined the Mad Tea Party

I am so excited to be participating in the Mad Tea Party being hosted by Vanessa over at A Fanciful Twist.

I've been planning things all year and I can't wait to share them with you! Check back soon for a sneak peak. It's going to be so much fun.

Don't be late... ;0)

Sculpting Retreat

I am finally working in the studio again, after graduation, kid visits, new job (which I LOVE), and one thing after another I am finally playing with clay.

This weekend I am heading to Portola to my sculpting groups annual retreat. It is something that I really enjoy, a weekend in lovely northern California with my friends, playing with clay, being silly and just enjoying life. At the retreat I'll be sharing the polymer eye cane with my group. I have used ideas and techniques from both Lisa Renner and Lisa Pavelka to create a realistic looking clay eye for my sculptures which I do not have to paint! I used this new (to me) eye technique in the sculpture below and I have since refined it quite a bit. Once I get it photographed I'll share here as well.

Work in Progress

 

This weekend I will also be starting to work on items for my booth in the McQueen High School annual Arts and Craft fair this October. My pumpkins will be there again. I'll be making snowballs this year and I have lots of ideas that I will be starting to create. I've been writing things down as I go so that I would remember what I wanted to do.

I anticipate that I'll have lots of fun things to share soon.

Thanks for being here!

Debbie

Petaluma Doll Show Update

 

Greetings, I am a little awe struck. Last week I received the official postcard advertisement for the Petaluma Doll show. My name is not on the postcard as I am included in the "additional juried artists" but when I submitted my work I had no idea the scope of artists that would be invited.

I have taken several classes from both Wendy and Toby Froud and their skill, love of teaching and overall love of the doll as an artistic medium is really what got me hooked on sculpting. I knew they were invited artists. Christine Shively and Linda Yaxley are  friends of mine and their work is stunning, I knew they would be there as well. I have taken classes from Kate Church and will be taking another one from her in September, she is another artist that I enjoy and have worked with personally and I knew she would be there.

With all that said, I had no idea how many other artists that I admire were included in this show! Lisa Renner, EJ Taylor, Elinor Peace Baily and Marilyn Radzat (to name just a few) are all artists whose work inspires me. I can not even begin to express how excited I am about just going to this show. The fact that my work is going to be included in the show just makes my whole year!

Getting into the show has been a highlight of my sculpting career. I feel validated and I am inspired to continue to work and grow my art. Stay tuned for some new works in progress!

Thanks for stopping by,

Debbie

It's Official - One of my Dolls Made it!

I am over the moon happy today. My figurative sculpture "Fish Tales" was selected to be in the 2016 Petaluma Doll Show ~ Journeys through Light and Dark: Dolls as Tellers of Stories.

I can not even begin to express how excited I am. He is a work of love and was inspired by my grandfather who shared with me his love for the ocean and fishing.

Here he is:

Fish Tales

 

 

Now that my submissions for the show are complete, I will be able to jump back into the Polymer Clay Adventure Retreat and the 2016 Polymer Clay Challenge! I have so many ideas for new work, I can't wait to get my hands on some clay!

 

Debbie

 





The Minstrel

Here is one of my submissions for the Petaluma Doll show. He is called Minstrel.

I find out on the 16th if either of my dolls are selected to be in the show. I'll keep you posted.

So Much to Share!

Hi everyone,

I've been super busy preparing my submissions for the Petaluma doll show. Monday is the deadline so after that you'll see more of me - yay!

I've had so much going on I thought I would stop in and share some good news.

I turned 50 this month - woo hoo! Made it!

I got a new job and start on Monday - woo hoo again! I am so excited. It comes with a raise and I can't wait to start that new adventure :0) This is one of the reasons I have been extra super busy. I am trying to get everything that I have on my plate in my current position done.

I have 2 dolls almost finished and ready to be submitted for the Petaluma Doll Show jury process. I'm doing the final touches on Saturday then taking pictures and uploading on Sunday.

I'll keep you posted!

I'll have progress pictures on the blog soon.

Sculpture Updates

This weekend I finally got to work on a few of my sculptures. I am deciding which to enter into the Petaluma Doll Show. Here are the 3 I am working on:

My "World Traveler" or "Realm Traveler" (haven't decided on his title yet). This guy has been not only around the world but through different realms. The stories he has to share are amazing!

World Traveler

You may remember him from when I returned from the Wendy and Toby Froud workshop in Portland. I came back inspired and ready to create. I sculpted him, gave him a body, hands and feet and then life got in the way. He has been sitting patiently on a shelf waiting for me to finish him. Today I started on his clothes. I see him in earth tones with lots of natural fabrics and fibers.

I've been hording a scrap of "Wild Thing" hair that I got from Toby Froud during a puppet making workshop several years ago. The hair is actually a scrap of the hair that they used to make the Wild Things in the "Where the Wild Things Are" movie. This guy will have some of that precious hair on his head. Just a wee bit though because I only have a small scrap and since I am a huge fan of that book I have to keep that lock of hair :0)

World Traveler Clothes 

One of the great things about doll making is the ability to experiment with different fabrics and distressing techniques. The pants started out as a tan leather skirt and the tiny pieces were thin white suede. Neither worked with my vision so I pulled out my paints and started playing. We'll see how well that worked once they dry.

Next up is my Fairy.

Trying out Hair

Style Please!

Trying on a Tiara

She is struggling with this outfit so I had to put her aside. The tiara is just a holder until I decide what color scheme she wants. Then I'll create her crown/tiara/hat/headpiece. It may be made of crystals or possibly flowers, or something else altogether. It really depends on what she wants to wear and right now she is being stubborn! Her hair is wild but once I get her costumed I'll style it to suite her headpiece. And don't even get me started on wings! I can't make them until the outfit is done... stubborn fairy!

Finally, my Fisherman

 The Fisherman

This guy is a happy fisherman. As you can see above I filled out his head. I may need to add a bit more before I put hair on him, He'll be wearing jeans and a sweater (my guy sacrificed a lovely worn-out pair of Levis for the cause). I see him sitting on a dock with a fishing pole and a bucket of tiny fish, he'll, of course, be telling you a tale about the big one that got away, which is why the piece is going to be called "Fish Tales" I'm really excited about him but I have to wait until tomorrow to go to Goodwill and get him a sweater. Then he should come together quickly - I hope!

So that is where I am. I have to finish these by the end of April in order to submit them to be juried for the show. Once I have them done I'll be getting back to the Polymer Clay Challenge. I miss it but I can't concentrate on new work when I have these three and a deadline!