Smooth Sailing!

“hark, now hear the sailors cry,
smell the sea, and feel the sky
let your soul & spirit fly, into the mystic...”
Van Morrison

 

 It feels like the world has gone absolutely mad and I just want smooth water. My little fingers are crossed because think I found a summer get-away in my hometown. The inspection is tomorrow.

 There are visions of summers along the St. Lawrence River. Summer days in my studio in New York. That sounds so nice to me.

The property has a garage with a large loft, that looks like a perfect space for a studio. Hoping for good news on the inspection. But as Ricky Scaggs sings, “I can't control the wind but I can adjust the sail.”

 So we wait

And these little ceramic girls have sails they never need to adjust.

Boat Sculpture

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” 

 H. Jackson Brown Jr., PS I love You.
   

The subject of boats seem to raise their head every now and then in my art. My dad worked on and restored boats and it turns out I had ancestors who were Admirals in the Royal Navy way back in the day. So boats mean a lot to me symbolically. And I think the quote above speaks why a lot of us connect to them.

 Going to keep the colors very soft. Watercolor is my favorite paint medium. By far. Making my own masts from bits of wood.

 You can even see my finger prints in this face detail. How I love seeing the presence of the human hand in a work of art.

So today throw off the bowlines and sail.

Free standing sculptures

A friend of mine recently said could you make a few figures that are freestanding. So I did. I didn't want to fuss with skinny legs and bases so I thought about ways of doing it.

 And I remembered as a child I dreamed of owning a horse. I would hold old tv tray legs around me and gallop through the yard and I was on a horse. Or a broom, or branch, or anything really.

And rather than making them like real horses I look into my kooky mind for hybrid beasts.

This one is called Lies and Lies and it's based on genealogy research I have done. I've really gotten into family trees and DNA tests this summer (Ancestry and FamilyTree). My paternal grandfather was always a mystery and thank you to my brother for the yDNA now I know my grandfather's name. Why do families lie? I mean I know why because people get pregnant when they're not married or mess with married people. But the mystery is solved and my last name was actually my grandfather's middle name. Funny. So watch for a lot of work based on family history research. Another new passion: just what I needed.

and more dolls

 So I thought I'd post two more new dolls. Butterflies and birds everywhere. Spring is in the air.

I am still recovering from my surgery in January. Very happy to be walking. In my heart I am floating on air, or being carried by butterflies. Or birds.

Sea Babies

I've been painting away over the weekend and finally got time to post some new sea babies. I shot these after work today. One of my students said "where's all those dolls you posted on Facebook?" So here they are.

 This is by far my favorite. Calling her Cheyenne.

 

These are Scarlett and Cowrie. 

 

And this is Jetty. I think I am going to braid Scarlett and Cowrie's hair too. I am not sure if most people will care for their hair. I brush it with a fork. Hope you enjoy them.

Spring!

Spring is in the air. Last week I planted rose bushes and I have flowers on the brain. And on the doll. Each little flower was hand made and then attached. Butterflies and flowers and birds and bees all buzzing around my studio.

She's still wet green clay. Slowly drying. 

New Heads

When I screw up I always try to find the sunny side. A few weeks ago I was making a head and it just looked goofy, so in disgust I  flattened it and something funny happened; I liked it. (it was this head)

Then I made a second head and I smashed it flat too (it was this one)

And then I gave her a flower in her hair. Then I called in my husband as I often do and said "opinion?" He liked them too. I tend to be tight with my art but with these I am quite loose.

 And they're really fun to make. I get to smash  them and make them weird.

Don't worry, I even made a salt and pepper set. I am still making my crazy dolls. But these I am going to explore some more. New things just in time for New Year.

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to show a new piece and wish a very Merry Christmas. I have been scouring old sketchbooks from 20 years ago (can you even imagine?) Me neither. Exploring and making old ideas new again.

So far I am calling this Barnacles. She's part octopus and part mermaid. I've got two more similar to her just about done. Merry Christmas!! And a very happy, healthy, creative new year.

Everything Old is New Again

The house Martin's are out of the kiln and ready to fly the coop. House forms and birds will always be a part of my visual language. Playing with a lot of color lately.

These measure between 7 and 8.5 inches tall.

And they're for table top or shelf display.

 This one sold, and is living in north Florida. 

Merry Christmas early.

Born to be Wild

Here's a new double figure called Born to be Wild. Sometimes my work can lean to a slightly darker vein. This one is just silly sweet. While I think I am sort of wild I am so not. I am totally Boring. These guys sort of play on that. I guess wildness is sort of like beauty:  in the eye of the beholder.

 And I have fond memories of being a child and ogling Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit illustrations. So I drew my own Peter Rabbit type character.

The head on the right is so like a couple of my nephews. Funny how that happens. Hope you enjoy them.

New Saatchi Art Shop

Recently I started a shop on the Saatchi online gallery. Take a visit.

There's a lot of talented people over there. We'll see where it takes me, and my dolls.

Different Doll

Totally different for me but so much fun to make. I do love painting and you know how I love my girls. Vibrant happy colors. Thought we deserve to be happy on a Monday.

Artists of Art Salons Exhibition: Lake Worth, Florida

I delivered two babies to a show today at the Armory Art Center Annex in Lake Worth today.

 Lady Luck

 Queen Bee

Lady Luck and Queen Bee will be on display starting next Friday for the month of October. Find a gallery of all artists participating on Elle Schorr's website. I will be at the opening (if you know me I tend to be rather shy but I'll drag myself out.)
Annex Reception: Friday, October 23, 2015, Lake Worth Armory Annex 6 – 8 pm.
Armory Annex Gallery, 1121 Lucerne Avenue, Lake Worth 33460
Annex hours: Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 11 am – 6 pm and Friday, 11 am – 8 pm

Two for Tuesday

Here's 2 more girls for the last day of summer. I shot these this morning before my day at the Cleveland Clinic.

 The figure Unknown has a sacred heart and ouija board. My mom was catholic and you know I have a spooky side. Isn't all spiritualism and religion really hope in the unknown?

 And the other figure called The Taveler has a fox and dream catcher. My dad was part native and nature really inspires me.  We're all connected. Hope you enjoy them.

Now you see them, Now you don't

I posted these 4 pieces on Facebook and 2 sold. Yay! And one in my Etsy shop.

Double yay. Can I even tell you how much I am digging illustrating my dolls?

Seriously. I mean I love sculpting but I am Donkey Mad

for drawing and painting on my figures. (Donkey Mad? ... I think I like that. Sounds like a title for a new piece). The piece just above is titled Rose Mary's Bee Bee. Because it's got a baby carriage, roses, and bees on it. Perfect huh?

And of course I had to make an old school one. The stripes will never leave me. And I have 3 figures with clay hair going into a bisque tomorrow.

A New Big Tattoo Girl

This girl is a big whopper measuring approximately 25 inches tall. I am calling her False War on Drugs. The imagery tells the story.

 The skull represents the people who die from prescription and other drugs.The deer is stuck in headlights, paralyzed by his addiction. Normally deer are pretty alert, they flip their white tail and run at the sign of danger. Not this baby.

 The flowers are poppies and fawn lilies. We know poppies can be used to make drugs and fawn lilies, well they have a deer name.

And of course it reads False War on Drugs. I am really having fun drawing, realizing how much I miss it.

Making Old New Again

This doll had been hanging on the wall for a few months. Naked. Just couldn't find the right outfit. Now she's tattooed and done. The text reads Never Ever Give Up. Having so much fun illustrating my girls.

New Tattoo Dolls

My summer project has indeed me down some different artistic paths. I've been drawing on my ceramic dolls.

This is Queen Bee. Complete with bumble bee and crown.

And this is Lady Luck. When I was a child I used to draw tattoos on my baby dolls, funny how it's gone full circle. All free handed and pointalist and really just whatever pops into my head.  I think I am going to explore this for awhile. Do you like?

Holiday Doll Updates

I submitted my blog post for CreateMixedMedia yesterday where I updated the status on my Holiday Dolls.  Watch for that in the next week or two.

Somehow I haven't gotten any paint on the white bedding.

I have been using paint pens, micron pens and thread to decorate the dolls.

 Here you can see I have made a few different bodies.

So far I think I like these the best. But trust me the others will not go to waste. Enjoying the challenge, you should try something different too.