Summer is Over

Well, it's been awhile since i last showed up here. So what's new with you? Kidding! 2020 as I say is a dumpster fire of a year. But somehow in between I made some art and wrote a few books and created a lot of illustrations. Like always I find inspiration in nature.

 

This little foxy and her babies doing drive by visit.  The deer and their babies are regularly looking for apples. And I have been bringing my dolls out into the flower beds.

 

We just have to keep doing, keep exploring, keep being yourself. Listen to yourself more often and if you feel overwhelmed, turn off the tv and social media.  Enjoy every day. 

Art Dolls

 I am still working on clay cloth combinations. Who knows, perhaps this is where the universe wants me to be.

 These girls are now on my Etsy store. I call them Forest Fairies (Bird and Fauna) I drew and painted on their little bodies. Soft colors, which is a departure from my electrifying circus colors.

Today I am cleaning my studio. It was such a mess I couldn't focus. Do you get like that too? Seriously... a friend commented to me "OCD much" uh, yes I guess so. Honestly, I couldn't set a cup of coffee on the table. Sorry I haven't written here much, will be better now that I have ditched Facebook.

Don't forget to look for me on Instagram @Vixterina and you will see more posts. You can always say hi!

Getting Where I Need To Be

I have a bad feeling my thumb is going to be naughty for a very long time. Went to the doctor a few weeks back and he said it was a cyst on the knuckle: suggested surgery or as a hold over he could try to drain it and cortisone shot. Don't want surgery. Is my foot better from surgery? No.

 So while my thumb is being naughty I am going to keep it bandaged and keep on sewing and adding clay parts. I have to say I love the doll I have been working on. Here is a head shot. I held her out in the bushes but it was so windy... her hair got wild. She'll soon be listed on my Etsy store.

You've Got to Work It.

You've got to rework it is more like it. Normally my studio wall has pieces displayed that are either fresh made, ready for the gallery, or hate it and it's ready for "hammer time". Hammer time is when I take a hammer and smash the crap out of them. I mean I can't let yucky ones out there into the world. That would be so wrong.
So I have been reworking these. And now I am liking them. And it's taking my mind off this awful election.

New hair. New puppets, new body, feathers, wings. 

If life was only so easy.

Can you imagine how this would change bad hair days? I'd scoop out a new bob or braids. Take some fat off the thighs. Add wings. Perfect.

Just goes to show you, nothing is lost until it is... Or is it?

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.

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.

Making Molds

Mold making is dirty, messy and a necessary evil. Thought I would post images on my newest mold. You might have seen it on my newest double figure. It's the face with closed eyes. I even got the cast face out in one piece after the mold was made.

My molds aren't pretty, but they do the trick. No slip casting. Pressing all the way.

Newest Sculpture: Londiva

I've been sketching like a fiend because I wanted to try something different. Here's what I've been doing. Sewing clothes on nude figures and combining mixed media. Her necklaces are real pearls, her brooch is one of my mom's old pearl earrings and her crown is metal. Thinking I am in love.

Let It Be

If you know me well... or if you've ridden in Missy (my car) you'll know I have 1 cd in the stereo.  It's the entire compilation of the Beatles. Every album they made contained on the disk, and I have played it straight, non stop for the past 4 years. Give or take a month or two. And no, I never get tired of it. We went and saw Let It Be at the Garrick Theatre in London. I screamed like a 12 year old. Well worth the ticket.

Holiday Fun in England

A few more images. At the seaside, a garden in Cambridge, a ceramic cat, and street art in Camden.

The best thing about vacation is wandering with no plan. Make sure you take time to do the same. It's good for the soul.

You're a Real Artist

This month I wrote a guest blog post for CreateMixedMedia.com about what makes a "real artist". With it I included a certificate for you to print and hang on your wall to remind yourself that no matter what that naughty inner voice tells you; you are a real artist. Enjoy. And if you print it and hang it up, send me a picture.

This image should hold up when you print. Any issues send me a message and I'll send you one.

My Sister's a Natural

Last week was wonderful. My sister Virginia came to visit and she'd kindly sit with me in my studio each morning and we'd sip coffee and talk. I asked her if she'd like to play with clay, and people can I tell you... she's a natural. She made three bowls and a bird. I even had the poor girl glazing (did you know I HATE glazing?) Yes... I do. So roped her into it.

I will be presenting a lecture titled Memories in Hand Built Clay at the ART, WOMEN, AND CULTURE SALON at the ARMORY ART CENTER. All about my art and influences, lots of pictures of art from back in the day up to now. If you're in South Florida please come by
1700 Parker Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 2013
6:30 - 8:30 PM - $10. Can't make it? They'll be recording it and the video will be available online. Watch for details.

Welcome November!

For the past couple of weeks I've really been having fun Photoshopping my sculptures into lots of different vacation photos.  Feel free to download this image and use it as your desktop calendar for the month of November. I am going to challenge myself to make a new one for each month. I hope you enjoy it and if you do come on back in December for the next calendar.

To download a nice high res version click here.

Summer Art Doll Quarterly Tutorial

My latest tutorial is available in Art Doll Quarterly magazine. It's in Barnes and Noble and on the Stampington website. Check it out.

New Work for Piedmont Craftsman

I've been recycling old ideas while making my new figures. The big hair, the flowers, the twigs. If you've followed my work you'll remember seeing the motifs in my old bird boxes from a couple of years ago. These two pieces are winging their way to The Piedmont Craftsmen Gallery tomorrow. The bird figure measures approximately 10 inches. The birds I was making a couple of years ago were much smaller (4 inches) and the girl with legs is approximately 17 inches high. If you're near Winston-Salem please pop by and visit my kids.

Mr Bates and Anna: for you Downton Abbey Fans

With a new year starting I needed to post a new piece. Last night Jody and I did the rarest of rare. We sat and watched tv. (Gasp, shock, horror!!) PBS was showing the entire Downton Abbey Season 2 back to back. Me being me and not being able to sit still had my sketchbook in my lap and was drawing the characters. God I love some of Mary's dresses. And suddenly I realized Mr Bates and Anna would be the PERFECT double figure.

Of course Anna wears her Edwardian apron and her ruffled maid's cap and as you can see I took a few liberties with Mr Bates. He has his pants tucked into boots and a vest (or waistcoat to you Brits) and his bowler hat. The figures are not done but I am having a lot of fun working on them.  Maybe I will start on of Mary and Matthew or O'Brian and Thomas. Ewww!! What great actors they (O'Brian and Thomas) are because they're just so hateful. I have to admit that I would have a ball sculpting O'Brian's hair! While Googling I came across this really funny picture of Conan O'Brien with O'Brian's hair which I've included. Hope it makes you smile.

Happy New Year everyone. Health, happiness and wonderful things for 2013.

Busy Bee

Well the weather here in Florida has broken, it's perfection if I must say so myself. We've shut off the a/c and are enjoying the cooler weather. I just finished shooting images of the new work that was pulled out of the kiln today. I love the pictures that I got today. Not sure if it's the lighting outside, maybe it's the colors that I used when I glazed, I don't know but the images are just popping. The lighting is so dramatic. Probably just dumb luck (given my photography skills)

I am calling this piece Count To Nine. It's a double and it stands about 20 inches high. The title once again making reference to siblings in my family.

I am actually really busy, I've got a commission to make a life sized double figure and more galleries are selling out and need more work. Whew.  A good complaint to have. I've actually been really bad this week, repainting my living room instead of working in the studio. I've got some new wall pieces I am going to post on Etsy. Watch for those shortly.

All Things Are Connected

What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beasts also happens to man. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth.
Chief Seattle - Suqwamish & Duwamish