She is here! She has arrived!

I went to check the mail this evening and lo and behold, there was a package from Flora.  I got so excited I almost dropped the box.  Words do not adequately express the beauty and the detail of this piece.  She is exquisite.  She is just so gorgeous.  I have even more admiration for Flora as an artist.   I hope you have gone to check out her blog at Bonehead Studios.  Her work is amazing in pictures but totally, unimaginably beautiful up close and in person!

Here are pictures of my winnings:

 And here is a picture of her new place of honor:

Since I spend quite a bit of time online, she is sitting so I can just look at her in awe!

My prize is on its way!

I got an email from Flora at Bonehead Studios the other day telling me that she put my winning Valentine Bust in the mail.  I am so nervous.  I can hardly stand myself.  I am afraid something will happen to her in the mail.  I have such a problem with getting my mail here at my apartment, so my worry is not unfounded. 

When she arrives, I'll post pictures of her in her new home for all to see.  Of course, I'll let Flora know first that she is safe.  This is just amazing.  I never win anything and now I have won something I really did want.  WOW!

Keep watching.  She will show up soon, I hope.

I WON!!! I WON!!! I get the prize!!!!

I got an email last night from Flora of Bonehead Studios, telling me that I won her Queen of Hearts, Valentine Bust!  I am so excited I can hardly stand myself.  If you only knew how much I have desired to own something done by this wonderful artist.  Flora is phenomenal and her work is too beautiful for words.  I've emailed her and she says she will be mailing it to me this week.  I cannot believe my good fortune.  This just shows you that participating in other people's blogs can be quite pleasant for you.  I have been following Bonehead studios for quite some time and have even spotlighted her blog here before.

Here is a picture of my winnings:

Have you ever seen anything quite so beautiful?  I know I haven't.  I have coveted her little busts for so long and now I actually get to own one.  Oh dear--where to put it?  I best get cleaning to make a place of honor for this little beauty.

I just went back to see what my odds were and I was only one of 326 comments.  Wow!

Here's a wonderful video about Art Dolls

As I have said before, I am currently enamored of the Art Doll and want to learn how to make them.  I found a wonderful video about the NIADA that shows you a little about how this area of art is growing and that there are really quite talented people working in this media.  I thought I'd share it with you.  I hope you enjoy seeing the beautiful dolls and hearing the artist talking about them.  I know I did.

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Making art dolls in the playroom of life

Here's a lovely article that showcases the talent of a group of ladies.  I love finding these articles because art dolls are just now becoming noticed in the artistic communities.  I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did.
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By PATRICIA DUFF
South Whidbey Record Arts & Entertainment, Island Life
Jan 08 2010, 4:17 PM · UPDATED

Dollmaking.
It’s not an art form at the forefront of the gallery set. But, as a form, it stands as one of the oldest and most cross-cultural of the crafts.
Even the cave dwellers made dolls.
Prehistoric study reveals that dolls were made to depict religious figures, as well as being used for playthings. Back then, they were made from such primitive materials as clay, fur or wood.
Up through the last century in most of the world, handmade dolls have taken their place in museums and art galleries in all manner of style and mediums. And, although many of the dolls of the past secured their place in the important annals of folkcraft, some dolls have even reached that fashionable pinnacle of modern high art through artists such as Hans Bellmer, a German artist who in the 1930s and ’40s created surrealistic dolls with interchangeable limbs. Much later came New York City artist Greer Lankton, who became famous in the 1980s for her theatrical window displays of drug-addicted, anorexic and mutant dolls.
Mutant dolls aside, today there is a healthy number of artistic groups creating art dolls, including one on Whidbey Island, which began in February 2009.
The South Whidbey Art Doll Round Robin or “Gals and Dolls,” as they have nicknamed themselves, was started by Eibhleis Mac Ian (pronounced ay-lish).
The small group of four women have been collaborating on unique projects that in one year produced a cast of about eight characters fabricated from various materials and the personalities of their makers. You can see these dollish characters currently on display at the Freeland Library through January.
Mac Ian started making dolls three years ago, collaborating with other artists through the mail.
“I was participating in round robins on an international scale,” Mac Ian said.
“But I wasn’t ever going to get to know these people by getting a box in the mail each month.”
An art doll round robin means each person in the group receives the doll on which she works for one month, using whatever tools and materials inspire the muse.
But, Mac Ian wanted to be present with the people with whom she was creating the dolls, at least sometimes. She put an ad in the local paper.
Ginny Snyder, Kate Boyle and Pam Winstanley responded immediately, and Gals and Dolls was born.
“Each of us made a plain doll at the beginning of the year and passed it along to each member, who added a little something as it came to them,” Mac Ian said.
The pieces are one-of-a-kind sculptures lovingly imbued with personality through clothing, embroidery, jewels, journals of their histories and evocative names such as “The Merrow,” “Rabbito” and “The Marked Woman,” among other qualities.
All the women expressed their enthusiasm for the group, not just because they are creating art, but for the combination of their varied gifts that come together in a clash of fun and art. They even meet in a separate friendship group called “Stitch and Bitch” at which a variety of craft is practiced while, ahem, talking.
“We’re all levels of artist,” Boyle said. “It’s nonjudgmental; we help each other because we all have different skills.”
Snyder agreed that it was predominantly the chance to be “goofy” with a group of like-minded sensibilities that makes the creating part of Gals and Dolls that much richer for her.
“Part of the idea is to find kindred spirits who you can share a playtime with and be creative,” Snyder said. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
Snyder pointed out that the dolls are less collaborative than they are a composite of all the skills and personalities of the group. Any medium can be used on the dolls and, in fact, the next round robin will not include dolls at all. They will create what’s called an “exquisite corpse,” based on a game invented by the surrealist André Breton.
Breton used words but in this case, an image is drawn onto a canvas, a section of which is given to each member of the group who has no idea of the whole and who will add what she will using various multi-media. The piece will be reassembled later to reveal a new image full of surprises.
Also planned for future endeavors is a bird to which each artist will add feathers, or at least her own idea of “feathers,” and later a round robin using sticks and stones.
“In the past it’s been almost spooky the way it comes together,” Snyder said.
Boyle said that she sees what the group is doing as the very essence of folkart in the modern world and that history shows folkartists to be predominantly women and influential to modern artists of both sexes.
“These groups have a place in art all over the world,” Boyle said.
The group will hold a presentation at the meeting room of the Freeland Library at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16 to talk about what they do and how to start an art doll round robin.
“We feel that it would inspire other artists, as well as encourage those who may not think they are artists,” Mac Ian said.
She hopes to inspire other home-grown groups to form on the island and increase the dedication to art of all kinds on the South End.
South Whidbey Record Arts & Entertainment, Island Life Patricia Duff can be reached at pduff@southwhidbeyrecord.com or (360) 221-5300.

You can see the original article here 

Happy New Year!

So far this year is starting out with a bang.  I got up and showered and dressed to go to work and at 0545 the hospital calls me and cancels me due to decreased census.  Yea!!!!!!  I have a cold and was feeling pretty miserable anyway, so this is just a gift from the gods.

After I take a long nap, I plan to get up and work on my paper mache bunny.  I still haven't finished him and I really want to, so since I have a gift of this day, I think I should do it!  I will post pictures of the completed bunny when I get it finished. 

I went to the library the other day and checked out three wonderful books on art dolls.  I highly recommend them.  The first is The Art Doll Chronicles, the next is 500 Handmade Dolls, and the last is Sculpting in Paperclay.  They are delightful books full of beautiful pictures.  They do inspire me.

I'm still working on my New Year's Goals.  I know what they are, but I want to break them down into doable steps and plot them out during the year.  That is the only way I think I will get myself moving.  So, I'll let you know how that goes, too.

Thanksgiving Day and all is well and waiting to shop tomorrow!

Image by minifig via Flickr

Here is a slide show from the ADO website.  This slide showcase is for Christmas ornaments that are handmade and that incorporate the concept of the art doll.  Enjoy!

Recipe for making paper clay

Image by Swamibu via Flickr

Paper clay is fairly expensive at the hobby store, so I went online to find an alternate source of the stuff used to make many of the beautiful and expressive art dolls I have been viewing.  I also like paper mache, so when I found this video, I knew I would want to share it with you.  I can't wait to try to make this.  Maybe this recipe will be the answer to my "artistic" block!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the video and try this out.  Won't you post me a comment and let me know if this worked for you?

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Art Dolls 101

Our new member in the spotlight this morning is Anna Zueva,a professional doll artist who lives in Perm city, Russia. Anna's dolls are so enchanting and whimsical, with such delightful characters, that I know you'll want to see more then the peek you'll get here. So for more of her art dolls; visit her Etsy shop, her blog, or her amazing website! Welcome to the ADO team Anna!



As I mentioned before, I have become fascinated by the world of Art Dolls.  I am amazed at the myriad forms these dolls take.  The methods, the styles, the subject matter of these works of art never ceases to impress me.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Art Dolls, I really would suggest that you visit Much ADO about Art Dolls  and familiarize yourself with all the artists and their styles.  I am getting to where I can identify the artist just by looking at the dolls, so I know I am getting better in my knowledge of this community.

There is another site you could visit to see the works of various artists as they apply to holidays.  This site, American Holiday Artists, showcases dolls that were designed with different holidays in mind.

I frequently visit art doll blogs, so I encourage you to check out the other sites listed in the blogrolls on these sites.  Over time, I have developed favorites--some of them I have showcased here before.  I wish I had the money help support these wonderful artists, not to mention collecting a wonderful assortment of beautiful art dolls.