Musings from the Chair

Every so often, I get this panic feeling. OMG! What if I can't pull this off? What if I am in over my flippin' head?!  But then I think, this is too important. I can't screw up. So I won't screw up.  Now--if you know me, that does not mean that any number of things won't go wrong. I do have a gift for things going haywire. But, I am nothing if not confident even in the face of the impossible. Or at least tremendously difficult.

That's how I became a doll maker.


Ivy, the third doll I made from Patti Culea's book.
She was in the library display



I work at a library. My co-worker and I were checking in materials and she had a book in her hand going on about how cool it would be to have a bunch of these dolls. I looked at the book, Patti Culea's first book in fact Creative Cloth Doll Making. I looked at the patterns, read some of the instructions and said: "I can do that."

She meanwhile was looking through another book that had pictures of fairies and a fairy wedding.  She wanted cloth fairy dolls dressed up for a wedding. I wasn't sure about that part.  But she created fairy paper dolls with the wedding clothes and I made a couple of dolls using the patterns in the book and we put together a library display.

So, it didn't take me long to realize this dollmaking stuff was more complicated than it looked. No matter how many times I read the description I couldn't figure out how the finger turning worked. So those first dolls were all about the very basics. Just so you know how VERY clueless I was. I traced the patterns painstakingly using tracing paper for fabric. 

But for some reason, the less I knew about what I was doing, the more I was determined to figure it out. I liked the complexity of the challenge, I love working with fabric and the idea of fabric as art. But a lot of the directions just seemed alien. And the supplies. I didn't understand Shiva paint sticks until I watched Patti's first video. That came out last year.


Early doll head. Looks like a Dr Seuss character.
Or something. This head came off and was
replaced with something better last year.
She's in my collection of head fails.



Fortunately for me, some 2 years, a job change, a Renaissance Faire for the library, and several attempts at dolls later, Jayne called the library looking for a meeting room space for a group called "Tulsa Dolling Dames." I am required to ask every group what their group is, what the purpose of the meeting is and if it is open to the public before I can book the room. And she told me about this group of women who make art dolls from cloth and they were having a teacher from Canada teach a workshop- Adele Sciortino and she guessed people could observe, but she didn't think anyone would be interested. And I said, well, I would be. 



And I was. There was an actually group of women in Tulsa who made the dolls I was trying to learn how to make!

Hot diggity!



Doll head I made with Barbara.
Eyes are still too high, but improving.
It will take another couple of years and class with
Diane Little for me to start making good faces.
But I keep Barbara's first lesson handy for reference.



Those ladies took me in. They've given me fabric, trim, stuff, but of more value-- friendship, time, talent, knowledge and infinite kindness. They didn't put down my poor early dolls, they just gently redirected me with patience. They showed me how to use freezer paper (OMG what a difference! Time saved!). Jean taught me how to make fingers and turn them! Barbara made me come to her house and spent an afternoon showing me step by step how to make faces. (I think she got fed up with my eyes being too high on the face and the lack of color in the face),



Doll ornament I just made.
Much better with face, huh?



I watched them work and learned everything they would teach me. Ten years later, I'm STILL learning anything and everything they will teach me and still benefiting from their abundant generocity.



So here I am, organizing a doll conference in Tulsa.  I've known for a couple of years that I wanted to find a way to give back to the doll making community that taught me how not just to be a doll maker, but an artist. There are no conferences close to Tulsa (Austin, TX and Albuquerque, NM are the closest). And I knew I had enough knowledge and experience at organizing events on a small scale I could do this. After all -- how hard could it be? 

All I can say is THANK GOD for Diane Little. She is my doll making and conference Mentor.

We have three great teachers. A good hotel. Things are coming together. Keep checking back. Web site is in progress and registration will open January 15, 2013.  I'll keep posting so you know what's going on. And more than you ever wanted to know probably.

Laurie

Jessica Hamilton

And our third teacher will be Jessica Hamilton!  I discovered Jessica Hamilton's wonderful Doll Project thanks to Tulsa Dolling Dames member Shauna Henry.  What struck me first was that she calls herself a "creative engineer."  That is awesome!

Jessica shares many techniques and patterns for free through her monthly newsletter.  It's well worth signing up for by email!  As someone who is enjoying Steampunk art in dollmaking, her google pattern is FABULOUS.  I wish I had it while making my Steampunk Maggie. 

Jessica's art is very unique and eclectic, with ball jointed dolls, polymer clay, apoxi sculpt pieces. Also, she has a gift for those all important doll accessory items: wigs and shoes.

Also, be sure to check out her Flickr: dollproject's Photostream for a look at her art dolls, costumes for dolls, and online tutorials she teaches.  I think my favorite is a piece she calls "Math Love Detail" made from polymer clay and ultra suede. Also, check out  "Water Under the Bridge" a beautiful piece from polymer clay and apoxi sculpt.

Jessica will also be teaching two classes - a two day class and a one day class.

I am so excited to have her join us!  Hope to see you as well!

Laurie

Linda Misa

I am very excited to announce that Linda Misa will be a teacher at the first MAD - Magical Art Dolls conference in Tulsa, October 11-13, 2013.  Have you saved the date?

Linda is a textile artist and doll maker who lives in Bunbury, Australia. You can visit her blog, Tact-ilse at and sign up for a free online class and see her many lovely pieces. I am particularly fond of her cloth and clay dolls "love you" and "she dreamed."  They have such lovely facial expressions!

She is also currently teaching a couple of online classes at Doll Street Dreamers including a needle felting class and image collage class. There is also a free pin doll pattern by Linda: "Love, Faith & Peace."

For us, Linda will be teaching two classes -- a two day and one day class.  I don't want to tell you too much, because everything is in the planning stage and well, things happen. In fact, with me, things always happen.

I got to skype with Linda on Sunday and let me just say, she is a lovely person. I can't believe we are so lucky to have her coming! Special thanks and shout out to Stephanie Novatski  who told me Linda was planning to come to the US next year and I should email her.

Meanwhile, check out Linda's blog.  :-)

Laurie

Barbara Schoenoff

I am very pleased to announce that Barbara Schoenoff will be one of our teachers for the first MAD - Magical Art Dolls conference!

When considering teachers for a conference about magical dolls, Barbara was the first teacher to come to my mind. She's tied with Diane Little for my personal favorite teacher.  I love her dolls. I love the whimsy of them (Her pattern line is appropriately titled "Whimsy."), the way they come together even for students with little experience. I have made more of Barbara's dolls than any other pattern maker. I get so much challenge and joy out of putting one together. Putting together one of her patterns reminds me of what I love most as a doll maker -- working with cloth. I branch out into mix media and experiment with other mediums, but every so often I just need to come back to cloth.

One of the highlights of Barbara as teacher is her fabulous costumes. Here her expertise and experience in costume design just shines through. From the magnificence of her Marie Antoinette:

 

or the poise of Temple Dancer:

Temple Dancer is an online class taught at www.joggles.com

Barbara's dolls never fail to delight.  She teaches techniques on armature, sculpting, face and body as well. She was the first teacher to help me as a new doll maker really understand the mechanics of face sculpting.



One of Barbara's dolls in progress during her last visit to Tulsa, October 2011.



I very much look forward to the piece she will be teaching at MAD.

For a look at some of Barbara's wonderful dolls, you can check out her patterns at:

Joggles

http://www.joggles.com/store/catalog/index.php?cPath=75_402

or

Dollmaker's Journey

http://dollmakersjourney.com/schoenoff.html

And if you are looking to try out one of Barbara's delightful patterns, may I recommend "Blooms" featured at Dollmaker's Journey.

Please "like" us on Facebook at MAD - Magical Art Doll Conference.

I hope to see you in 2013!

Laurie

Save the Date!

Coming - October 11-13, 2013 at the Tulsa Wyndham Hotel in Tulsa, OK.

Save the date for a new, wonderful, whimsical Art Doll conference in Tulsa!  Our theme will be Magical Mythology. 

Stay tuned for more information!  :-)

Laurie