Hello Dearest Readers,

I would say that 99% of my work...my art...comes to me in a flash that settles into my body. It is a feeling that I am reaching to capture and bring it into this world of ours.

Summer - this new workshop- is no different and yet it is!

The Seasons started with Spring...and as no pun intended The Seasons Workshops springboarded from my one of kind series of The Four Seasons (below)... read more here.

Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall

As a strict "rule" I never cross mingle my one of a kinds with my teaching dolls...until now. These one of a kind pieces above were a great turning point in my life. They were created as I walked with my Dad on his last of life's journey. They were critically important to me to express and to learn what the Seasons of life meant to me personally. I believe that our workshops dolls will carry the essence of these one of kinds.

I realize now that Spring has happened online and coming in person to Piecemakers in 2024..and Summer is ready to bloom online...that I am once again on a path of expanding myself...my art...my understanding of at least my life...a firmer footing.

It is also very important to me to bring this understanding to my students. I needed to carefully think to whom and how I wish to present my workshops. I believe it is the years of devotion to my art, that it is most important to me to pass this knowledge to those who are interested in receiving it.

Summer: Bloom

As I stated above most of my work comes to me in a flash...I must reach out and capture it before it floats away to another artist.

I do this by quickly sketching the sparkling essence and pull it tangibly onto paper. She is now ready to come to life for my students.

Initial Sketch

Completed Summer

Fabric Choices

Once, I have my subject on paper, it is time to choose the fabrics. For me, this is done not only by sight but also by feel.

There is something called Synesthesia.

Synesthesia is when your brain routes sensory information through multiple unrelated senses, causing you to experience more than one sense simultaneously.

Yes, I actually feel the color and how that will translate into the piece. For my one of kinds, which are more complex, I may need to alter the fabric to create the visual of the feeling.

Summer Palette

click on photo to see video!!

Even in my Asian inspired pieces, the skin tone is not a true white. I also show how to dye the fabric to soften the tone of the skin.

before after

When designing, I always start with the head. And then move onto the body.

Once sewn, armatured, and stuffed, we can paint the eyes and (in this case) insert them into the needlesculpted face.

The first layer of painting is created....to be followed with a second layer after the kimono is complete!

The Kimono et al...

As you well know, I love the Asian esthetic....from Korean, Chinese, and Japanese...encompassing the Tibetan esthetic. I find each of these distinct cultures beautiful and soulful. Most everything has a deep symbology to it.

As an artist, I choose to be inspired by not replicate or reproduce to the exact. So I use the word "kimono" just so we have a reference to the idea.

We all love fabric and color!! To bring this into a Lesson, we discuss their fabric choices and how to bring the best of their own fabric forward. How can we realign the fabric to create something that is unique and memorable? What can we learn?

To adding to the Kimono...each step is also about learning to being present in what we are creating.

To complete the foundation of the kimono...

We then learn how to create even deeper into ourselves and are now able to Bloom in our expression!

I love hand-dyeing and am always experimenting with new ways to dye...

At the end, we will have a beautiful and thoughtful ensemble for our own Summers...

Last to create is her Raindrop Hat and her Zori shoes...

Finale!!

This art piece will be three months in the learning and the making, discovering along the way the Language of Flowers and what knowledge they can give us to take into our own lives.

click on photo to Summer Workshop description

and close up photos!!

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Tuesday, October 17, 2023