Two new doll sculptures

I am working on these girls. Not sure if the white one is done. I sort of like her stark. Icy cool.

Two New Figures: Florida CraftArt

Next week is spring break! (can you hear me yodeling with joy?) We're bringing a body of work up to Florida CraftArt in St. Petersburg so keep your eyes open for these kids. The single figure is the lovely Jasmine and the double figure is titled "It's What You Believe".  Notice her skirt is removable.

Their bathing suits are permanent clay. And they arrive with a stand and they hang on the wall.  Hope you like.

March Calendar Page

It's that time of the month again. Please feel free to use this calendar page for personal use. The warm light might have you dreaming of spring.

New Sculptures and New Ideas

Here are a few of my newest sculptures. I have starting trying a lighter hand with color. And adding hair, sewing more too. And a lot more angels. Ethereal. Light. Reason? After experiencing horrible shortness of breath that I thought  was allergies.

Went to the doctor and it turned out to be sky high cholesterol, pre-diabetes along with allergies. Suffice it to say I had angels watching over me. Thank God I went to a new doctor. So brace yourself for a whole lot of winged ladies. Guardian angels are filling my studio.

Happy New Year

I told myself I was done with this calendar page business in 2015 and then I used my laptop and realized that I really missed it. Horribly. And with the new year will come new pieces. Lately there have been a few set backs, glazes shivering off the work. But I've got a new load ready to fire and setbacks won't keep me down. Here's the lovely Londiva as January's pin up. Happy New Year!

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.

Bark Exhibition

Here is the college press release for the Bark exhibition. It opens September 16th. Delivering the work tomorrow.

A New Favorite Thing

While at NIADA I bought this piece by Reina Mia Brill. Her work really speaks to me. I think that this is what I feel like on the inside. And today on the first day back to school after summer vacation.... probably what I look like on the outside! Reina is really a cool person, and I am a huge fan. Did I mention she has a shop?

New Studio Coming Together

We're back from vacation. What you may not know is we moved into a new house 2 weeks prior to traveling so I barely unpacked and whoosh we were gone. The past few days I have been getting my studio together and I am ready to work. Here are some pics. My Toby jars seem happy.

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.

New Hobby Horse Sculptures

I have barely had time to be in the studio, barely. Why? Because we're redoing out kitchen. I've been told on average people do it twice in their lives, do you know why? BECAUSE IT SUCKS!
Despite the kitchen drama, here are my latest babies. Hobby Horse riding. I am exploring softer colors, and not as intense. What do you think?

Spot the Iguana

The school year has begun and it's Friday, a day off so I did my favorite thing. Got up out of bed, straight into the studio, a cup of coffee and out my window I see this lime green shape move through the areca palms. We have an iguana visitor in my yard. Can you spot him? About 1 foot long he's only in the top 2 photos near the orange berries.

A Wee Little Doggy

I just had to show this new little piece for the show in Philadelphia, PA at the Clay Studio. The work has to be no larger than 4 inches high and I had to make a wee little tiny replica of the Doggy and his ball. It's really funny seeing the "mini me" version of the dog with the larger figure. And the larger version is only about 11 inches high but it just goes to show you one mans big is another persons small. Then as I was pecking at my work I thought let me take a photo of my work table. So you'll see the little dog again lying next to lumps of clay.

Quite often people ask me what my favorite tool is. Honestly, it's the magenta colored knife next to the dog. I've literally torn my studio apart in desperation looking for it. There are two, but the second one is playing hide and seek. Second favorite, the buff colored knife located to the left. Primarily that's all I really use for tools. And on the table: Wobbly legs are held with skewers, dry clay gets a spritz, and growling belly gets almonds.

Of course there are boards covered in canvas which I wash down with a garden hose every time a kiln is loaded. Cans and buckets of water for dirty little hands (since I don't have a sink in the studio). I thought about moving the clicker for the tv but hey, it's reality. It aint pretty but it's the view of my table.

Rock Out!

It's been a busy few weeks and I'd like to introduce you to the Royal Rocker. He is currently making his debut at Valentina's Treasures on Palm Beach Island. Valentina's is located on Peruvian just off Worth Ave. so if you're on the island check him out. There are 3 more rocking rockers in the kiln. And the good news, The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, PA sold out on all of my salt and pepper shakers. Yours truly is staring down winter break from school (thank you sweet Jesus!! and I say that with love to my students). So get ready for a whole lot of new art to come down the pipe.

NIADA: National Institute of American Doll Artists

More good new, I have been notified that my work has been accepted into the NIADA (National Institute of American Doll Artists). I have a few things to put together and the final decision is made next year at their annual conference. If you aren't familiar the NIADA is a prestigious organization for the Doll Art. I have to say I never really considered my work dolls, but a lot of people call them dolls so I thought why not join.

If you're not familiar with the organization visit their website and check out some of the art. It's the best of the best. Beautiful works of art and I am truly honored to have my toe in the door with them.

Here's a definition I found on Wikipedia:
 A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. 

I have to confess I like the latter point: used in magic and religious rituals. Mine are meant to magically transfer people into a happier state of mind and are made with good intentions and blessings.



 

Article in Contact Magazine

The article in Contact Magazine is hot off the presses. If you are interested in reading a bit about my art visit this link: http://www.palmbeachstate.edu/x12736.xml You can download a high res pdf/e-version of the entire magazine. CRM did a lovely job with the layout. Thanks to Mark Udry and Kari McCormick and the rest of the team.

The Rain in Spain

There actually is no rain in southern Spain, which is why it is so lovely and brown. We started out there but with 40 degrees (that is about 104 to my fellow Americans) and no a/c we high tailed it out of there. While we were there we mainly hid out from the sun. Here is where I spent a lot of my time, the balcony. I did a lot of painting. And reading. I read Eat, Love Pray by Elizabeth Gilbert. A very sweet book about traveling and finding oneself.
We are in England where it is much cooler (in more ways than one). Yesterday I spent the entire day in central London painting the architecture. Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, and of course Big Ben. Who knows what adventures today will bring.

Vixie Chix

After a whole lot of pondering we finally have a product name for my clay figures: Vixie Chix. The people most near and dear refer to me as Vix, Vixter, or Vixie (my mom calls me Vixie). So, combine that with my female figures and voila! Before I did anything else I did an internet search to see if the domain names were available and luckily they were.

If you are not familiar with the process of building a website, you need a domain name. That is you internet address such as VictoriaRoseMartin.com. So I went to GoDaddy.com and checked for availability. Another good rule of thumb when you are buying a domain name, consider buying a variation as well. I bought VixieChix and VixieChicks. That way if someone isn't sure of the spelling if they try either or they still find my site.

The new site is in development. My goal is to design a site that is totally off the wall.(would you expect anything else from me??) My goal is to create a lot of animations and tell stories about the Vixie Chix. Sort of a wacko story book online.

The sculpture that accompanies this entry is called Swim for Shore. It is a tea pot and will be part of the Mad Hatter Tea Pot Show at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach. Have a fun day!