Saul Magazine

 

SAUL MAGAZINE

I am proud to announce a project that I have dreamed about for a very long time. 

It has kept me busy for the past few months, Saul Magazine. It all started in my publication design class at Palm Beach State College, Lake Worth, because I had a belief in the skills of my students. My pupils were asked to interview people or answer a list of Q&A questions provided, create layouts and artwork to inform and the rest, as they say, is history.

You can order hard copies online, or simply read it.
Either way, I hope you enjoy the first  issue of Saul.

  If you would like to buy a hard copy you can do so at my Blurb storefront. Follow the links above.

Holiday Time

Goodness me, it's been too long. I've fallen in love with Instagram (@Vixterina) and have neglected my good old trusted blog. Just in from a long Monday at work and seeing all sorts of marketing for the holidays I thought to myself I should do a holiday sale.

Churning it over in my brain. But not on my little cups, the big stuff. The expensive stuff. Just for a day or two. See who is watching. Did I mention only the expensive stuff? Feels sort of naughty and fun just thinking about it.

Upcoming Shows

I am in my studio cranking out work. 3 Shows coming up. I've got two of my happiness cups about to be sent to The Missouri Western State University Clay Guild in St. Joseph, MO. They are sponsoring the National Ceramic Exhibition titled Twin Cups.

And I am also building a teapot for a show at Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery in Pittsburgh, PA, and a show at Piedmont Craftsmen in Winston-Salem, NC. My crooked little fingers are busy. And happy. Sometimes I think I thrive on deadlines. Will post images when I get them together.

Bee Keeper in Art Doll Quarterly

Happy to say that my Doll B Keeper is included in the latest issue of Art Doll Quarterly magazine.

 This doll is up at Piedmont Craftsmen Gallery in Winston-Salem, NC if you want to see her.

It's always a really nice surprise to come home from work and pick up a favorite magazine and see my work. From dragging tail to chipper. My husband leaves magazines on the couch for me so I can drop and veg. (thank you Jody) And thank you to Jana Holstein for publishing my dolls.

1984

I have just ordered a new copy of George Orwell's 1984. Seems so timely. This doll is inspired by the Million Women's March. Wearing her pink cap and her big pink box is inscribed with quotes from Orwell's book. Seemed appropriate. This pussy is a tiger.

Scooter Sculpture

Latest check, the world is still a mess. I wish we could scoot out of here. So this lovely gal reflects my feelings. Driving me crazy. Can't watch the news.
Trying to focus on happy but somehow she looks sad. Or is it pensive? (oh don't say Pence) LOL.

 Can't think of a name for her? For now she's Scooter Girl. Goofy just like me.

More cups

I've got more cups. Happiness cups because the world is on fire. Happiness: Boom.

Going to post some pieces soon of my Women's March inspired pieces. Wearing their pink pussy hats.

Happiness Cups

Most of us can probably remember hearing our elders complain about how the world has gone to hell. It sort of seems like it has. So rather than belly aching about it, I have made happiness cups.

These cups can make you happy. Fill it with candy. Happy. Fill it with flowers. Happy. Fill it with vodka. Very happy.

Wishing you all a happy new year. Watch my Etsy shop for a lot of happiness cups. Hold good thoughts and believe it can get better.

New Bits

Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. I've had an awful upper respiratory infection and have been knocked out for a week. I've actually had it for over a month but it knocked me on my butt this week. I've got my antibiotics so I am hopeful it takes care of everything. So I've been doing a bit of painting and reworking old figures when I am able.

 I think I have finished these two.  A person sent me a message and referred to the "lavender bird girl" so I am calling this one Lavender Raven.

 And keeping with the bird theme this is Chicken Man even though it's a girl. Do any of you remember Chicken Man? The adventures of the white winged warrior- The most fantastic crime-fighter the world has ever known! Or am I the only weirdo out there?  I can remember hearing it on the radio when I was very little. It's a bird, it's a plane... no it's Chicken Man! He's everywhere! He's everywhere! Bock bock bock bock!!! (Please, excuse me. I blame it on the NyQuil).

Being the explorer that I am I just had to Google it and of course I found it on YouTube. So won't you join me in my cough syrup antibiotic madness? It's really so silly but it brings back really fond childhood memories. Had almost forgotten about it. Enjoy both chicken men.

New Little Faces

Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house...kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness. ~ Mother Teresa 

 I told my students today that if you have passion for what you do you will find success as an artist. If you live your truth and are happy you can't go wrong. Here I am at 50. Nothing pulls me from making art. It's my comfort in the sea of madness that engulfs our world.

These little faces calm me. Fresh faced and freckles provide a sense of innocence that I still believe in. The past few weeks  have shown me that I need nice people around. Cut ties with the negative.

Kind people who think make my heart sing. Find a way to let your heart sing.

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.

Summer Break

Well I have been quite neglecting of my blog. Facebook has been shown the love. So I thought I post images of two dolls that are very summer timey.

They are both covered in hand made flowers and raspberries.

One is soft and ghostly and the other intense. I am really liking the soft ones lately. Perhaps it's getting older and pondering mortality, or the fading of ones being. (how depressing is that? ha ha) But I mean it in the best possible way.

On a lighter note: We are off to London and I will be running the Vitality British 10k. After my broken heel bone  6 months ago I am hoping for a good outcome. It's a wonderful route all throughout central London. Trafalgar, Victoria, Westminster, Send good vibes. And I am going to be sketching A LOT. This is my charge my batteries time.

Seeing Pink on Monday

It's Monday night and I am dragging tail. In an attempt to "snap out of it I went for a walk. Then I went into my studio and stood there blinking. You know, some nights you just can't muster the energy. But just as it was getting dark I tried snapping a picture of a new figure. I didn't sculpt but at least I did something.

Her name is tentatively Summer because she feels like summer. A day at the beach, light. Well, except for her Club a Go-Go eye make up. And how about that pink backdrop? Summer.

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.

Painting Butterflies

I am on spring break and that means studio time. This morning I was painting this girl covered with monarch butterflies.

I built her the night the cast was taken off my leg. What a good feeling walking again. Slowly getting better. Below is when she was green. (unfired and just built).

I am still enjoying illustrating the dolls. I don't get to paint that much and it's just so nice to sculpt and paint.

Sea Legs

As some of you may know for the past 6 weeks I have been hobbling on crutches with a cast on my leg. Use crutches and you might realize how weak your arms really are (I did). Clip clopping and being immobile was horrible. Normally I never sit still. Of course like any artist I had to make a few pieces based on my experience. Notice these girls have no legs or feet and some have no arms. And they don't mind holding still.

 This is Clip Clop. Her legs are like the bottom of my crutches.

 This is Crab Cakes. 

And this little lady is Squid. And lately I've got an ocean thing going on.