Preparing for a show

We are calling our show Art Dolls3.  The opening reception is Dec 7th at the Irma Freeman Center for Imagination in Pittsburgh.  There is a lot to do to get ready.  In addition to making dolls we are also working on marketing the show, displaying the dolls and planning the opening reception.

We hired Roy Englebrecht  to photograph our dolls.  He did a spectacular job!  Thank you Roy.  Here's a sample of the photos.

Joyce Compton's William

Chris Fondi's Chess Pieces

Emily Eckel"s Archimedes

We will be using the photos to make postcards, posters, email invitations, blog posts, etc.  

Last Saturday we turned our attention to making displays at the Lilliam Street wood shop.  We primarily made pedestals out of recycled materials such as porch posts and table legs.  The recycled materials were from Construction Junction, Emily's basement and Chris's porch!  (Don't worry she replaced the post thats holding up her porch roof.)  

Chris's pedestals

Some of Emily's pedestals

Emily and Chris at the tools with Joyce behind the camera.  

It was a fun and productive day.  We all took pedestals home for finishing.  

Thoughts on Polymer Clay

I have started re-exploring polymer clay lately. It was one of the first mediums I used when I began making dolls. The same allure the felt holds for me is what grabs me when I work with clay. I am tactile. I like the sensation of feeling. In felting, the lush texture of wool, the fibers entwined in my fingers, calls to me somehow. With clay, it is the feel of it yielding to me as my hands warm and manipulate it, bending it to my will. And the color. So very many hues and shades can be achieved by mixing a few colors together, in wool or in clay.
I often cruise the web, looking for other artists and exploring new techniques. I came across the work of Angelika Arendt on one such foray the other day. She has a fabulous sense of color, shape, and movement. She does things I haven't seen before. One of her clay sculptures is shown above. Enjoy!

defining the doll

 so now its my turn to get in the discussion.

i think a doll is a toy.

first and last.

a toy based on the human figure.

a plaything.

that being said there are subtle variations,

a bit of wiggle room

i would like to add.

the doll is not always a plaything for a child,

(no one gets to take my dolls from 59 year old me!)

 and not always for fun.

the cool thing is that they can be dark

 as well as a source of joy.

they can be ugly, scary, an expression of pain.

and some of my favourite dolls are amalgams of animals and abstract objects with a little human thrown in for interest

in fact, the exploration of all these points and some i have not thought of is the reason i make dolls, and collect dolls, and am thrilled to talk and play with other people with doll passion.

Musings on Art Dolls & Figurative Sculpture

Each member of our doll making collective has agreed to do a post that in one way or another addresses the question of "What is an art doll?"  Art dolls are a form of figurative sculpture, but I don't think the terms "art doll" and "figurative sculpture" are synonymous.  As I've tried to think through the distinction between the terms, I've considered and rejected  concepts such as scale, quality of engagement and impetus to create the figure.  In the end I think the best distinction between art doll and figurative sculpture is that they are grounded in different traditions.

Art dolls have emerged from the centuries old tradition of children engaging with lovingly hand crafted (or industrially manufactured) dolls for purposes of play, companionship and emotional support.   When I think about the art dolls that I make, I have to acknowledge that some of my decision making is driven by the same purposes that children pursue.   Doll making is an exploration that has parallels to children's play.  But as an adult artist, I also connect to the people who made the dolls for the children.  Dolls are simply fun to make and dolls are a gift to others.  There is a satisfaction in that.

Figurative sculpture is also a centuries old tradition.  It is a fine arts tradition.  Figurative sculpture has a more serious history than doll making because the content of these depictions of the human form address all the big questions about life.  It is, perhaps, a higher or more subtle level of exploration for both the artist and the people who engage with these figurative sculptures.   I know that on the occasions when I truly connect with figurative sculpture my thinking and perceptions are somehow changed by the experience.  I feel that at this time, I am more of a consumer of figurative sculpture than a creator of it.

The artist who has challenged my thinking most recently with her figurative sculpture is Lesley Dill.  Her work is accessible to me because her imagery is inclusive of classic doll forms.  I am trying to understand when she decides to include heads and hands.  These seem like important decisions that I would like to understand.  I also like how she creates context that is layered with meaning but it is difficult for me to explore these meanings because I can only access her work through the internet.  

Defining the Doll

The Jane Street Doll Collective has been meeting almost weekly for a good while now.  Often, instead of actually creating, Emily, Chris and I simply discuss art, dolls, the creative process and so on. And, if you are an art doll artist, sooner or later, the question will come up: "What is a doll?" There are as many answers and opinions on that subject as there are dolls and artists themselves. Dolls are many things to me beyond being toys.  Dolls, like any art form, do not have to be pretty or nice nor do they always make you feel good. After all, who hasn't looked at porcelain doll on the shelf in the local antique mart, and just plain got creeped out by those blank, staring faces?!

As works of art, I use them to make a social statements, and to express the human condition, either my own or that of some segment of society. Dolls also provide an outlet for all the imaginary, playful creatures that dance through my head to come to life. They become tools for self transformation and self understanding. My inner child is continually amused and my creative soul is well fed by exploring "the doll".

Clay Day

Joyce, Chris and I spent all day making doll heads from paper clay and tarlatan fabric.  We discussed the Fiber Arts Guild pot luck dinner and upcoming opportunities.  We checked out the latest fashions (always fun) and emotions(not positive) on Project Runway.  We ate tasty food.  We took a field trip to the Utrecht store.  But mainly we made doll heads.

Emily's bird person-expect colorful plumage.

Chris' old woman and Star Gazer.

Joyce frightened Victor with scary noises. 

Our Dolls at the AFIC Conference

Fringe Element Exhibit

Joyce's Cecily in the Just for Fun Exhibit

Chris' Wish Doctors in the Just for Fum Exhibit

Joyce's Wild Hare wins third in Original Design

Emily's Leaf Kicker wins second in the Original Design.

Emily's class project

Joyce's class project