Current work in progress.

Underground Books

I have been fortunate enough for the last almost two years to have some of my work for sale at Underground Books in Sacramento. Yesterday the business owner and my friend Georgia West (Mother Rose) sent some pictures of some customers who have bought some of my items. I'm always proud and thrilled when someone chooses something I've made. Thank you Georgia for giving my art and designs a home at Underground Books. This is a great place to buy books, CDs and other items that are important and essential to our community. It is also a wonderful venue to see art by local artists and a place for community gatherings and book signings. Support our businesses. Underground is located in the Oak Park Community, 2814 Thirty-fith St., Sacramento. CA.

CELEBRATIONS!! GREAT NEWS!! JOYFUL BLESSINGS!!

I wanted to share with everyone some good news for three local Sacramento artists. First, our amazing sculpture artist and more Kanika Marshall was one of 26 artists who entered the Solar Panel art exhibit sponsored by SMUD. A few months ago, artists were offered the chance to pick up free discarded solar panels from SMUD. The artists could use the panels as the material and the basis of an art project of their choice and enter their works in an exhibit  at the SMUD customer service building. Kanika won a first place prize of $300 for her entry "Energy Meridians".
                                                              



The exhibit runs until July 31st at the SMUD Customer Service Center, 6301 S Street. Sacramento CA. If you have a chance, stop by and view Kanika's work and the other participating artists. Also, wish her a belated happy birthday. The win and her birthday were on the same day.









The next celebration is for quilt and textile artist Jan Hollins who entered her beautiful quilt "Miss Ida" in the California State Fair. The judging was this past Wednesday and notifications went out today and she was accepted. A lot of you can remember "Miss Ida" as part of the Sisters Quilting Collective Quilt Show in February.

The third celebration is for me! I am so happy and pleased to announce that my two dolls "Michael and Verlene" were also accepted in the California State Fair. This was one of ten things on my list of goals that I wanted to accomplish this year. I can mark one item off. The State Fair runs from July 11th through the 27th and the award ceremony for fiber artists and crafters is Saturday, July 12th. If you are attending the fair this year I hope you take the time to visit "Miss Ida" and "Michael and Verlene".

I'm so proud to be able to represent. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't accomplish a dream large or small. The only obstacles in our way are the ones we give permission to be there. I always think of my mother's words "It's 100% NO
if we never try and 50% YES when we do. What have you got to lose?" Believe in yourself.

Art Doll 101 - Sky Dancers, Wall Dolls

I've been a doll maker for a number of years and the dolls I choose to make are usually inspired by real people, entertainment, books and stories, fiction and fantasy, places I've visited and art by other artists. Someone asked me one day about my 'art dolls'. I had never really thought of my dolls as 'art' and was curious to know what an 'art doll' really was. 






The consistent definition covers two main points: An art doll is a piece of art and is meant to be displayed and viewed as art and not intended to be a toy but as an item that is collected by adults rather than for children. The dolls can be realistic or abstract, fantasy or science fiction, human, humanoid or alien it's all up to the creative mind of the doll maker. The materials used for art dolls are limitless and can range from traditional materials like porcelain, ceramics, wood and cloth to industrial materials and found and recycled objects.

My first doll class this year will be an easy art doll workshop. The class will be a quick three hours and we will create a basic doll with lots of possibilities for decorating it to make it your own OOAK (One Of A Kind) design. Being a doll maker means that if you can imagine it you can create it. My doll making journey has made me challenge myself to make things that are out of my experience.  
 

This new inspiration comes  from images I found on the Internet of Cirque du Soleil's beautiful acrobatic sky dancers. I got a chance to see one of their shows many, many years ago and I was so fascinated by the way the dancers flew above the stage on long strips of silk. As soft and graceful as this performance appears, you know that these women are strong and in perfect physical condition. 

This is a great beginning project for first time doll makers. The sky dancers are a decorative wall doll that can be hung from a chandelier, mobile, headboard or the wall. 

The first Inner Diva, Alter Ego Doll Workshop (IDAE) of the season will be 5:30pm to 8:30pm, April 17th at:




Capsity
2572  21st Street
Sacramento  CA  95818
Just off Broadway and east of the Tower Restaurant..

For more information about the workshop, materials list and to register online with PayPal go to the Inner Diva Alter Ego (IDAE) blogsite at: http://innerdivaalteregodolls.blogspot.com/

This first class is limited to eight students, 18 years and older but other classes will be added as needed.

March is Women's History Month so please hug your favorite lady and tell her you appreciate her. Also, if you have a chance you can visit two of my large 33" dolls at the Brickhouse Art Gallery until March 17th. They are part of the Sojournor Truth Exhibit honoring African American Artists Charles White and Charles Alston.

 

 

 

 

Fiber artist instructor, Jan Hollins will introduce a class that will challenge your raw edge applique and silhouette art experience. For those enjoying a taste of the exotic, batiks and cottons in shades of yellow, gold, red, orange and black will be used.  The project will be quilted in threads of similar colors, accented with gold or silver metallic thread.  Provide your own working sewing machine and basic sewing supplies.  Some African fabric will be provided at a cost. The class will be held Thursday, April 17^th, at the Capsity Building, 2572 21st Street, Sacramento, CA 9581 (Near Broadway and 21^st) from 5:30p - 8:30p. Class Fee is $45.00. For more information and supply list please contact Jan Hollins, 916 613-7401 or email -- jhquiltsandmore@gmail.com

 

Michael

This is Michael he is the third of four of my new large dolls. He stands about 33" tall and he id Verlene's dance partner.

Grandma Reisa

I've been working on something different for the last few weeks. I've been making 22" dolls for a few years now and I decided that I wanted to make something different to display at a show I did yesterday. I enlarged my basic patterns so that I was able to make dolls that were 30 to 34 inches tall.

Grandma Reisa is the first of my large dolls.

V is for...

Time is short tonight. I'm working hard to get ready for a show next week, hopefully a windless one. Just enough time for one small V. V is for VIERA and VANESSA, two of my favorite dolls. VIERA was adopted last year and I know she is making another home happier. V is for VIERA and VANESSA.

T is for...

T is for THANKS. I am so overjoyed at how many people I've met on this year's A to Z Blog Challenge. I want to THANK everyone for the follows. It's almost doubled in the last three weeks THANKS to some extremely helpful advice about changing some settings. I promise to stay in touch I hope you will too.




                                                                                                                                                                                                              I only have two dolls whose names begin with "T", Tasha and Tia. Good night everyone, see you tomorrow.

S is for...

S is for SOCIAL Media. I have a love hate relationship with SOCIAL Media. For a long time my knowledge of the Internet was pretty basic. I only used it for work related projects. My one and only email account was the closest I got to SOCIAL Media.

When I was taking some business classes a few years ago my classmates teased me because I didn't know what facebook was or the difference between Twitter and Tweety Bird. I had my blog page for a couple of years but didn't post very often and had no followers. Another friend advised me that for business purposes, SOCIAL Media was necessary to stay connected and for exposure. So, I took some time and I figured out faceboook and Twitter and created accounts. I found a lot of relatives I didn't know I had and a lot more information about them than I needed to know which supports the warnings about what kind of information should be shared publicly on the Internet.

I love the interaction with new people. I can post some of my work and get feedback and also new business leads but sometimes I kind of fall into a black hole. If I try to keep up with all of the different types of SOCIAL Media I lose track of time and hours go by. Then I get mad at myself because I really should have used the time to work on some of my projects. If I don't make it, I can sell it.

I now limit myself to only a few options and maybe an hour at a time three days a week and I try not to be tempted by so many of the side tracks that take me off into so many different directions. S is for SOCIAL Media.

S is also for my dolls: SASHA, SABRINA, SONJE, SAMANTHA, STAR, SUNDAY and SUMMER.

M is for...

M...one of my favorite letters. Hmmm... where should I begin. M of course is for MERMAIDS. Before last year I didn't know much about MERMAIDS except for I would hear my two granddaughters talking about. Little girls love MERMAIDS! Last year I entered a call to artists to create Black MERMAIDS for an exhibit at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park in Charleston, South Carolina. I created two MERMAID dolls

and a MERMAID quilt.

I was overjoyed when all three pieces were accepted for the exhibit and I was able to travel to Charleston for all of the opening events.



M is also for MUD CLOTH and MUSEUM. Being a textile artist I have a love of the beautiful geometric patterns and symbolic prints found in MUD CLOTH designs.

Last summer, I attended an exhibit at a MUSEUM in Oakland, California. A few of my fellow textile artists from Sacramento had quilts and fiber art pieces in the exhibit. I'm very proud to be connected to theses talented artists.







M is also for two of my newest dolls, MARGARET and MAKIBA.

M is also for my dolls MIRANDA, MADELINE, MAIXIU, MARIAH, MARTHA SUE, MEG, MILEY and MARTHA. I guess I really do like the letter M. Good night, see you tomorrow.