I believe that working...creating...with your hands
is a direct link to your soul.
is a direct link to your soul.
It is in this sewing-
mending or stitching together -
that reaches into yourself
to pull out the beauty of your creation.
mending or stitching together -
that reaches into yourself
to pull out the beauty of your creation.
Leslie O'Leary
Most
people ask me why Asian?
It
was a natural gravitation to the Asian form of design and approach of creating
art as I became clearer on my personal style.
As
I grew in my understanding of the ancient Chinese culture for the children, I
realized that their protective symbolism spoke to me in a soulful manner. Like
fabric, there are many layers to understanding the Chinese symbolism and
legends.
Creating with my hands through my
soul using textiles to share these stories filled with the symbolism and legends.
These pieces call upon good fortune, to outwit evil forces, to help produce
achievement and to strive
for happiness and longevity.
My dolls are sewn in silk crepe lined with cotton
batiste. All are articulated in the head and arms with my smaller dolls being
fully jointed. The heads are all hand sculpted in stone clay with a silk
overlay.
The Story Hats and doll costuming are created using
silk, much of it is brocade that I purchased while visiting in China
Designing
dolls, hats, and textiles has been my art for 30 years. with my darling husband Sean and our crazy puppy Sparti.
