Edwina Sutherland's Creative Journey. My life in textiles and art. Cloth doll art, classes, doll making and creativity are all pondered on these pages.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Works in progress
I have had trouble uploading pictures to my blog, so this post has none! A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. Well, I promise not to go on that long, but want to tell you about what's going on in the studio.
Works in progress. I have taken a few classes this Spring, which has left me with several dolls to finish. I get held up on this quite often. There's the feeling of accomplishment when I take a class. I gaze at the partially complete work and try to picture it finished. Then the next class arrives and I set that one aside. Then there's inspiration striking. I found this neat little shelf and could picture a doll sitting on it. So, I began an armature....delaying the completing of work once again. Also adding one more doll to the number. of pieces to complete.
Discipline is required! One or two need supplies I don't have and I haven't had time to shop for, so those must wait. Today was a perfect day for Paverpol, so that doll got a few layers. I'm developing my own approach to Paverpol. Taking the piece forward in stages, then letting it dry, helps make the whole thing more manageable. I find working through the real goopy stage hard to manage. It's absorbing the techniques once again, then makinjg them your own. That's what is happening here.
It's a rainy weekend, so gardening is out, doll finishing is in! I plan to move three dolls ahead by one stage each. It's a system I use and find effective, as each piece begins to approach completion. I'm not left looking at dolls with no progress on them. So tomorrow, a flat doll gets beads and shoes, the Paverpol piece gets another section done and left to dry and the Marquis gets some pants.
Another reason class dolls don't get finished is that I cannot sell them as original work. It's confusing to the public, for one thing. Some people take a class doll and sell it as their own, which I cannot do. Dolls made from the techniques learned and used later, well those take on my own style and become my work entirely. It's an important distinction.
Does anyone else suffer from unfinished class work? Sometimes it's about the process, not the product. But still, those unfinished dolls will bug me until I get back tot them. One stage at a time...
Wish me luck!
Works in progress. I have taken a few classes this Spring, which has left me with several dolls to finish. I get held up on this quite often. There's the feeling of accomplishment when I take a class. I gaze at the partially complete work and try to picture it finished. Then the next class arrives and I set that one aside. Then there's inspiration striking. I found this neat little shelf and could picture a doll sitting on it. So, I began an armature....delaying the completing of work once again. Also adding one more doll to the number. of pieces to complete.
Discipline is required! One or two need supplies I don't have and I haven't had time to shop for, so those must wait. Today was a perfect day for Paverpol, so that doll got a few layers. I'm developing my own approach to Paverpol. Taking the piece forward in stages, then letting it dry, helps make the whole thing more manageable. I find working through the real goopy stage hard to manage. It's absorbing the techniques once again, then makinjg them your own. That's what is happening here.
It's a rainy weekend, so gardening is out, doll finishing is in! I plan to move three dolls ahead by one stage each. It's a system I use and find effective, as each piece begins to approach completion. I'm not left looking at dolls with no progress on them. So tomorrow, a flat doll gets beads and shoes, the Paverpol piece gets another section done and left to dry and the Marquis gets some pants.
Another reason class dolls don't get finished is that I cannot sell them as original work. It's confusing to the public, for one thing. Some people take a class doll and sell it as their own, which I cannot do. Dolls made from the techniques learned and used later, well those take on my own style and become my work entirely. It's an important distinction.
Does anyone else suffer from unfinished class work? Sometimes it's about the process, not the product. But still, those unfinished dolls will bug me until I get back tot them. One stage at a time...
Wish me luck!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Road trip
I'm blogging on the road this week, from Randolph Centre, Vermont. Don't ask me where that is near, I just followed the GPS until I arrived. I'm here at the Green Mountain Rug School to teach Needle felting. I call the class Fairy Tale Felt Folk, as we'll be making characters from fairy tales and folklore. Should be fun.
I had an interesting journey. At the border, they asked if I had any fruit or veg, including snacks, so, being the honest person I am, I showed them my apple. "What kind is it?" I was asked. I didn't know, since I took the label off when I washed it. Don't we all do that? This however, was an issue. Since the apple could not be identified, I was pulled over so they could look in my trunk. It didn't take long and since I didn't have a stash of fruit, they sent me on my way, minus my lovely organic apple. I was miffed.
Who can figure out the rules and thought process of customs officers? Perhaps they were bored.I also drove through a terrific thunder storm. It was like driving into a wall of water. Traffic slowed to a crawl. Why don't folks drive with their lights on? So much safer.
Safe and sound at Rug School, I am ready for a fun weekend with some fantastic folks!
 |
| Pied Piper |
I had an interesting journey. At the border, they asked if I had any fruit or veg, including snacks, so, being the honest person I am, I showed them my apple. "What kind is it?" I was asked. I didn't know, since I took the label off when I washed it. Don't we all do that? This however, was an issue. Since the apple could not be identified, I was pulled over so they could look in my trunk. It didn't take long and since I didn't have a stash of fruit, they sent me on my way, minus my lovely organic apple. I was miffed.
Who can figure out the rules and thought process of customs officers? Perhaps they were bored.I also drove through a terrific thunder storm. It was like driving into a wall of water. Traffic slowed to a crawl. Why don't folks drive with their lights on? So much safer.
Safe and sound at Rug School, I am ready for a fun weekend with some fantastic folks!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Kate Church workshop
The first day Kate took us step by step through her process. We created small heads, hands and feet. The top picture is the guy I made. I love this little person! It has a bean bag body.
The second day began with 5 minute heads, a practice to cement what we learned the day before. What a way to set the tone for the day! I could have sat doing those all day! But now we were working a little larger, to create our articulated figure.
Here are some pictures from the end of the three days. Mine is the guy in the red shirt and the two in front of it. Everyone produced amazing work. Some of us had worked with polymer before, some had not. I can still count how many heads I have made in polymer on my fingers. I feel I've made a huge leap with this approach. Look for new pictures on my web site soon!
If you ever get the chance to take a workshop with Kate, do so! She is an amazing person, artist and teacher. Thank you Kate!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
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