No Clowning Around This Time!

So... right after my last big project — creating 30 custom Knock Down Dolls — I had to go right into a marathon of Art Doll making! With only 17 days until a gallery submission deadline, there was no clowning around for this girl. I had to accomplish what had previously taken me more than 3 times that to do! So... I neglected housecleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, the beach (that one hurt a little!), and I worked night and day, sleeping a lot less than usual... for more than two weeks! But I did it. I created 9 dolls from start to finish in that amount of time. It was a whirlwind of art making, but at the same time it was an incredible journey...

I'm not a big fan of being on an extremely tight deadline. I'm definitely more from the camp that "art takes as long as it takes." Because... well... it does!

However... needing to create quickly helped to keep me from overthinking things. Bonus! I'm definitely an overthinker... pondering the many, many facets for each stage of dollmaking. But I didn't have that luxury this time, and it kind of turned out to be a blessing. I committed to my decisions more quickly... and without much regret. Double bonus!

At times I felt like I was possessed... or that I had sold my soul to the devil. But that was okay, because My Devil Is Da Bomb! Not only do I love making these dolls, but I enjoy coming up with whimsically clever names for them as well. From a design standpoint, don't ask my why my devil has glitter star pasties and a feather boa skirt. That's just my very odd brain hard at work!

Have you ever made a Snow Angel? Yeah... me too! I couldn't very well have a devil without an angel.... so I thought I'd make her white as snow. For good contrast. With a recycled blouse as her gown, some vintage jewelry to keep her afro in check, a repurposed bow, and pearls from my stash... she really is angelic.

For a long time I didn't like my Tooth Fairy. She was a toughie. But I gave her a tulle shawl to match her tutu, a vintage jewel for her halter top and a couple of adorable blue bows for her hair buns... and I fell in love. I actually won't stop — on any of my dolls — until I fall in love. This just took a bit more falling until the love part.

Having grown up near the boardwalks — and knowing that the gallery show would be for two summer months — I had to include some circus-carnival-inspired pieces. Welcome To The Big Top was one of my favorite ideas and I really enjoyed making her a circus tent style dress! Oh, and that hair! Totally over the top.... just how I like it.

And sticking with the circus theme, Dottie The Clown might just be my favorite doll from this group. This tender heart touched my heart the most. So much emotion from that face!

And from the whimsical — and more delicious — memories of my boardwalk days... came Candy Apple. I actually used to eat those things until I felt like I was going to break my teeth one day. So I switched to caramel. That art doll will be next!

And of course, no boardwalk, carnival or circus visit would be complete without an Oops! I Dropped My Ice Cream moment! I can say that I have dropped my ice cream before. And yes... I scooped up the part not touching the ground and resumed eating — without so much as skipping a beat!

So that's a sneak peek at some of the dolls I created for this series. And I am so excited to share with you that Torche' Galerie in Belmar, NJ has accepted all 9 of my dolls for their summer show! I am thrilled beyond words!! You can see the dolls in person at the exhibit opening on Saturday, July 12th, from 7-10. I'll let you know all the details as we get closer!

Well, Knock Me Over! A Happy Camper Story...

For the last few months, I've been working on a set of 30 custom Knock-Down Dolls. The request came from an event planner that I had worked with 2 years ago, on another set of dolls. These clients had requested a full arcade-style setup with Knock-Downs that went with their party theme. This latest job was centered around two girls who were having a Double Bat Mitzvah. They were camp buddies and so they wanted two dolls that looked like the guests of honor, and the rest would be "Happy Campers".

The design process begins on the computer, and I work with my client to create the right kind of art for their particular theme. It was tons of fun designing the happy campers and making Knock-Down Doll art of the girls in their party dresses.

Once the client approves, I send it out to Spoonflower to create custom fabric from my illustrations.

For the Happy Campers, I got to create blonde, brunette and redheaded girls in their camp uniforms. I even made backs for the dolls, that looked like each girl from behind!

Making faux fur sandwiches — pinning each doll inside out with very thick 2-1/2" long fur fabric — is a challenge. But one of the highlights of this job was that I got to match the fur to the hair color of the Happy Campers!

Once the dolls are sewn and stuffed, I add wooden bases — silkscreened with my logo — to the bottom of each one. Because these Knock-Down Dolls are a throwback to the old boardwalk days, I love using vintage hardware to finish them with.

Once they were all together, the smiles on their faces said it all. Yup... we have some Happy Campers!

The Party Girls were pretty adorable as well. Their dresses were designed from original photos of their party outfits. Lots and lots and lots of rhinestones...

...which I mimicked on the back for their names and Bat Mitzvah date! Mazel Tov!

All-in-all, this had to be one of the most fun jobs I've worked on in a very long time. And my client is a breeze to work with. Our co-collaboration resulted in some pretty cute Knock-Down Dolls. All the little details really make them "out standing". There's only one thing left to do... knock 'em down!

Dolls on Exhibit... a Torche' Galerie Opening Nite! Saturday, April 12th...

I am beyond excited to announce that seven of my new Folk Art Dolls have been chosen for exhibition at Torche' Galerie in Belmar, NJ. In fact... I'm over the moon!

The exhibit is to mark the gallery's First Anniversary and a whole host of talented artists in all genres were selected for this very special occasion.

Torche' Galerie Anniversary Exhibition

Opening Reception 

Saturday, April 12, 2014

7pm - 10pm

500 Main Street, Belmar, NJ 07719

So come join me at the opening reception and view the work of more than 50 contemporary artists! And if you can't make it, the show is up until May 10th. Check it out... you won't be disappointed.

Ain't She A Doll...

Well, it took a little longer than I anticpated... but I finally finished my first official collection of folk art style dolls for 2014. With 10 little babies to create from paper clay, I ended up letting them discover who they wanted to be as I sculpted away. I did have some very specific ideas for personalities in mind before beginning... but the creative thoughts that came during the process made it that much more exciting. They just came to life in my very hands. I'm such a proud momma.

From bunnies in tutus, to moons orbiting earth, to cotton candy personified, to an underwater sea creature, and more... they were such fun to watch unfold before my eyes! I loved getting lost in the process and finding myself again in the tiniest of details. It was fun. It was frustrating at times. It was even a little scary. But mostly... I enjoyed the unpredictability of this journey.

So, let's take a look at some of my new art dolls...

This is Hope. No matter where she goes, she always feels at home. She's kind of a homebody.

Here is Mother Earth, with the orbiting moon as her head. She's got the whole world in her hands. The scarf was a last minute addition, but it does get cold up there at the North Pole!

Leonardo — a.k.a. The King of Cats — is a real sweetheart and a romantic. I actually used my kitties' naturally shed whiskers for this doll. And yes, I've been collecting those whiskers for years for just such a purpose.

Ain't she sweet? This is Miss Cotton Candy in all her pink glory. With an inverted cone as her off-the-shoulder ball gown, she's ready for a night on... the boardwalk.

Crustacea is Queen of the Lobsters. But it wasn't easy. She had to pinch her way to the top, one arthropod at a time! She's all dressed up for the Coral Cotillion, aboard the sunken pirate Ship Destiny. I wonder what great treasures await her.

And this little angel is Aspen. Made from parts of an old teddy bear (yes, that awesome bow belonged to the bear), she won my heart and will become part of my own personal collection. Now to carve out some time for the next round of dolls. Hmmmm.... where shall I go from here?

You can check out my entire collection of folk art style dolls in more detail in my Etsy shop.

Going to The Land of Dolls...

For more than three years now I've been making art for a living. And by art, I mean acrylic paintings, mixed media collage, circus themed assemblage, boardwalk style knock-down dolls, modern vintage-looking rag dolls, paper clay dolls, upcycled jewelry from flea market finds, and a few other things I'm sure!

And while I love every single one of these creative endeavors... I felt I needed more focus. I wanted to fine tune my own personal style. I thought maybe I should concentrate on one type of art. But which one? I love them all! I wanted to showcase the multitude of ideas in my head... but at the same time I wanted to utilize all the skills I've acquired in all the disciplines I love.

I thought for a very, very, very, long time. I reached into my brain... and then into my soul. I weighed and measured each of the creative categories with my head... and with my heart (and maybe a little bit in my gut too)! And came up with... Art Dolls!

I've dabbled with paper clay figures in the past, but they took hours and hours to make. But... they were also some of my favorite creations to date! I do love to make art that expresses emotion... and what better way than something with a face!

I also love that my Art Dolls allow me to utilize all my favorite materials and skills... working with clay, paint, repurposed flea market finds, sewing and fabric creations, adding collage elements, assemblage... heck, even some of my jewelry skills come in handy! It's really a mixed media paradise when you think about it. Hooray!

And so I have made the decision to concentrate my efforts this year on making Art Dolls! I've already started a few and can't seem to keep my hands off of them! I have more ideas than time, but I put some things aside like laundry, cleaning, shopping, fixing the bathtub faucet and even getting a haircut... just to work on these fun creations!

As a creative person who loves several forms of art, I have to say that it was not an easy decision to make... focusing on one discipline. However, once I made the choice, sat down and started to make these little creatures come to life... well, there wasn't one ounce of regret in my own little body. Playing with dolls. Yeah... pretty much a dream come true for me.

So, off I go into the land of dolls. If you don't hear from me for awhile it's because I'm busy creating. But you can keep up with my adventures on my Facebook Page and Twitter. Or sign up for my newsletter and be the first to know about all the good stuff!

I'm looking forward to sharing this new journey with you! Thanks for tagging along with me. You're a real doll!

xoxox

Merry Craftmas Everyone!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with friends, family, fun, and perhaps a little bit of creative play time! Sending much love for the holiday...

Michelle
xoxo

Bling On The Holidays...

I thought I'd share some more images from my recent jaunt into jewelry making before I go ahead and retire my flat and round-nosed pliers for awhile! This found object necklace is chock full of buttons, baubles, sewing notions and even a vintage jingle bell. I chose an off-white monochromatic color scheme because it complimented the silver patina perfectly. If it doesn't go to a good home during my December showcase at the Oceanic Library... I may just keep this one!

This wedding bracelet is a fun and whimsical statement for that bride-to-be! With silver and pearly-white charms, embellishments and more, this themed piece has an extra-special set of charms made with beads that spell out "YES" and "I DO". It would make a perfect gift from your Prince Charm-ing!

These two golden pieces were made for each other... and gathered from flea markets years apart. A gorgeous opal bracelet-turned-choker, with a deconstructed pin, hung with vintage gold chain makes this piece a simple but elegant necklace. I'd wear it with a throwback party dress or even a tee shirt and jeans.

Keys, keys and more vintage skeleton keys! I have a whole bunch of them, but run out of ideas for what to do with them. So when a vintage metal pin matches the steely grey-blue patina of an old key, it's a great opportunity to combine the two for added interest. Pair them with some vintage costume beads and the door is now open!

And this time I did something a little different... creating necklaces out of squished pennies. I love squished pennies! I've made bracelets with them before, adding tons of beads and charms that went the themes of these awesome 51¢ souvenirs... but they take quite a while to create. I wanted to make something for my jewelry show that would be a great gift at a better price point... and these embellished copper keepsakes were just the thing.

So now it's time to retire my jewelry tools, put away my beads, baubles, charms, and head out into new territory! I've done some really hard thinking this year and I'm going in a different creative direction for 2014. Stay tuned...