Story Dolls- The Vest

The Asian cultures are diverse and multi layered. From the Japanese I love their sense of graceful simplicity... the beauty is in the simple line.

embroidery from Japan

From the Chinese culture I love their sense of the lore and legends that are imparted into their daily lives. In their clothing it is through their exquite and quite detailed embroidery. In the Southern region of China I have been focusing my studies on the Miao Minority People. As you will notice their embroidery has more geometrical designs that what you normally think of Chinese...

traditional Chinese embroidery

Miao embroidery

I am quite excited about creating these three Story Dolls- they will each have a story depicting the carefully chosen lore of one Chinese symbol...Goldfish, Lotus, and Tiger. The story will partly unfold through the vest and mostly through each specially designed hat (see blog 4-24 for more info on Chinese Children's Hats)...

Vest drawn out and embroidered

Fabric printed in Chinese and English of the lore

Vest top layers cut out and
ready to be sewn to interior printed linings

Completed Vest
with fronts opening as
a book to tell a story..

Next week- the completed dolls
Keep your fingers crossed for me! Time is of the essence!...

Doll Heads: Peas in a Pod

This week has been so crazy busy! Classes, dying fabric, getting patterns & kits ready...starting dolls...and yes, writing my beloved blog...

To me, dollmaking is such a satisfying experience- when I slow down and take the time it becomes meditative or to quote one of my students- zen-like.
I am getting ready for the NIADA conference and making my gallery pieces for the show and sale. It all starts with the head...I love sculpting these faces. I love the feel of the clay and the expressions that seem to already be there- as I work the clay the features just seem to appear...I am in my own world- focused and in the moment.

When creating these heads- repetition can set in- which can run both ways- good and bad- meditative and the same. As I sculpt I remember that each one of these is a individual- from the same pod but an individual pea!

Heads sculpted using DAS stone clay
Three go to NIADA & two stay here for a commission

“The eyes are the mirror of the soul”
Yiddish Proverb

Heads covered with chirimen silk and only the eyes painted

Close up of eyes

Yes, indeed, the eyes are the focus of dolls. They reflect back to the viewer their story. I love painting the eyes it is when the doll becomes its own being. Now I just have to listen and be guided by my intuition to bring out their story in their posture, clothing and final faces shading and coloring.

Today and tomorrow morning, I will finish up with attaching the heads to the torso and then adding arms and legs. Hopefully, tomorrow afternoon start on the costuming!!

Already formulated in my head, I have my ideas for what these dolls are to become...Story Dolls

..more to come next week!

Dragonflies

DRAGONFLY LORE

Dragonflies, or damselflies, were connected to Freya the Norse goddess of love, fertility and warfare. Freya was famous for her beauty and her knowledge as a magician. It was she who taught Odin the shamanic practices known as seidr which were still practiced during Christian times. The paired bodies of mating dragonflies form the shape of a heart, perhaps being the source for that modern symbol of love. In ancient lore, the dragonfly represents transformation, adaptation and insight.

Being that my husband, Mark, and I both own our own business- there sometimes is crossover into each other's world...as you know mine is all about visual, open concepts... and his (environmental science) is mostly about analytical thinking, scientific testing- very linear...but you know what they say about opposites!

Mark reading results from the meter

This past Sunday, I joined him as his "scribe" to monitor some meters that sit over an old landfill. This landfill is a good example of when something is done right and re-vegetated; it can return to a natural state. As we walked in on this very hot day, I noticed all the grasses and various insects flying around...with particular interest in the white butterflies that reminded me so much of the butterfly fish under the sea, as they dart rapidly in pairs from flower to flower or as in the ocean for coral to coral.

There were many types of grasses and wild flowers.

As I started to narrow my scope (while still scribing- you know us artists can multitask!) I started to notice all the dragonflies...so many different colors. They are such interesting little creatures. Zooming here and there. I don't know much about dragonflies but noticed that each one seemed to have it's own territory and each would repeatly land on the same one or two little branches.

Dragonfly perched on a branch
overlooking the brick recycling yard.

So all in all there is beauty every where you look...even on top of an old landfill!

The Dragonfly is the power of light.
The dragonfly inhabits two realms: air and water.

Meow-Meow Neko

Just finished creating Meow-Meow Neko! I just love her- Her style of dress is new and old together known as kimono hime (hime meaning princess)- one of my favorite looks!

I came up with a new technique for her eyes...very fun and expressive too...
I will be teaching Meow-Meow at the GALA 2010 conference in Ohio next year! Registration just opened!

Here is the class description:

Understanding what makes a doll exceptional with these special techniques is the emphasis on this class. Join Leslie, in learning with detailed instructions on how to create a beautiful and durable doll. Our focus will be on making your own eyes for your doll which will be added into the dolls' head, needle sculpting a head. As a bonus, Leslie will discuss the body construction for a doll that can sit can sit or be hung and color balance with fabrics for the costume will also be explored. Included on the handouts will be information on the Asian Good Luck Cat for which this doll was designed, so you can determine your choice of good luck color for your doll.

~Vintage Kimono fabric for her obi
&
~Great eyelet that I found for her underskirt

~Her kimono was made from chirimin fabric
I purchased from Japan
&
~Close up of her hair ornament using
hand-dyed lace and vintage flowers