VINTAGE DOLL HEADS ARE INSPIRATION!

The inspiration for the above cards were some photographs that I have of vintage dolls heads.  I photocopied the heads, cut them out and collaged them onto painted and collaged backgrounds. The six top cards used black and white copies that were reduced in size, while for the bottom six I kept the sepia colour and size of the original photographs...

IMPRINTS EXHIBITION

Last Friday I met up with some friends that I did City and Guilds Embroidery Part 2 with. We met at an exhibition entitled Imprints by the South West Textile Group - a group of textile artists that I used to belong to. It is being held at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton until the 2nd of January and is well worth a visit.  Firstly, the museum itself is located in the 12th Century Great Hall of Taunton Castle but is very modern and family friendly inside, with a great cafe!  And secondly, the exhibition is very interesting as the artists have taken an artefact from the museum and used it for inspiration for their pieces of artwork.

The exhibition hall is beautiful and the show really well presented. There are a great variety of works, and even some of the artists' sketchbooks on display.  All sort of techniques had been used including, stitching, felting, quilting, printing, dyeing, weaving and mixed media.  The visitors book is full of lovely comments and some people, as entry is free, have been back several times!  The pieces that influenced the artworks can also be viewed in the museum - there are notices on both to direct you.

Here is some work I particularly liked.  The tiny art dolls are by Lydie Gardner.  She took her inspiration from this Donyatt-Ware Plate in the 'Rebellion' Gallery.  As she says, "The Maids of Taunton depicted on the plate look as though they are having a great time!"  She made three sets of dolls out of wire and fabric.  Great fun!

SCARECROW CARD

It is amazing the effects you can do with the photographs these days, with just one click.  I altered a picture of my scarecrow, to make this card for the 90th birthday of a friend who is still a keen gardener.  He grows his own fruit and vegetables, and whenever he has some to spare, lovely fresh produce comes my way!

SCARECROW WINDOW

Here is my scarecrow as the focal point of our latest window display in the gallery!

SCARECROW CHALLENGE

Yesterday, I challenged myself to make a scarecrow in a day without buying any new bits. You may ask why!  There is method in my madness.  We are doing a gardening, sowing seeds window theme in the gallery so I thought it would make a colourful talking point.

Here is the result.  I recycled old clothes, some prototype stuffed cushions, cardboard tubes, an old straw hat, some cardboard packaging and felt from my stock.  I decorated it with a scarf and a couple of my sunflower brooches.

STUDIO CONTENTS

Have you ever wondered what would become of the contents of your studio when you are no longer here?  A dear friend of mine, Rosalind Gregory, a prolific textile artist, teacher and maker, had terminal cancer and had a chance to think it through.  As nobody in her family wanted her enormous stash of textile and craft materials, she decided that, after she died, she would like it all to be sold and the proceeds go to the N.S.P.C.C.

Dolls and Quilts by Rosalind Gregory

Last weekend, a sale and exhibition of her work took place so her wish could be granted.  I arrived after it had started and the place was buzzing! Lots of the buyers knew Rosalind and talked about her while looking at everything. There was £1 entry fee and things were selling fast. I bought some craft materials, including some of the old fashioned wooden pegs, polystyrene shapes, pipe cleaners, beads, chains, feathers, felt etc. I also procured a tin full of printers letter blocks.  Not only will I find them useful, but they bring back fond memories, as I had borrowed them on occasions. Rosalind was in the same class as me for City and Guilds Creative Embroidery Part 11 and she was always an enormous fund of helpful expertise and information which she would willingly share.

Embroidery and Samples by Rosalind Gregory

Her work was on display, mostly not for sale.  There were the beautiful hand crafted dolls, hats, experimental work, garments, rugs, hangings and wonderful quilts.  She particularly loved recycling and used things, such as, the material from her husband's old work shirts. In one memorable quilt she used the smocked dresses she had made for her daughter when she was a little girl and had kept the full dress shape. It is exquisite and so skilful.  So is so missed by all who knew her.

FUNKY DOLLS

Last Friday I had lunch with three friends that I had studied textiles with many years ago.  They had got together to make some funky dolls using Patti Medaris Culea patterns and brought the results to show me.  Here they are, each one with such personality!  Made me want to do one and reminded me what clever friends I have!

ANGELIC ANGELS

Looking through the Christmas decorations I found some angels that I did a few years ago and had forgotten about!  Coincidentally,  I have just been making a new pin board on angels on Pinterest, a new obsession!  There are such lovely examples of handmade angels out there, and if I had more time this year, I would be inspired to make some different ones.

The faces are a collage of small pieces of paper cut from different models' faces in fashion magazines.  I remember it being a very fiddly job to do and they certainly ended up with unique expressions!

I saw this cute hanging glass angel when I went into the One Craft Gallery.  It is made by fellow maker, Fran Davies of Unicorn Glass.  We have regular customers who collect her tree decorations and come in every year to buy more to add to their collections.

DENIM DOLLS

I love using denim for projects, particularly old worn denim.  Over the years I have bought denim clothes from jumble sales and charity shops.  Also, people who like the idea of recycling, have given me their old jeans and denim jackets.  I have used them for making bags, cushions and textures under artworks, all of which I will feature in the future, but for this blogpost, I want to show you the rag doll I made, inspired by a child's denim dress with an embroidered collar.

Dolly lounging on a sofa with a cushion that features the seams of old jeans.

I wanted my doll to be useful, as well as decorative, so there is an opening at the back of the skirt, so that plastic bags can be stored and it is decorated with useable pockets from old jeans.  She is quite tall - 3ft 3 inches, and her face is hand embroidered.  I have read somewhere that, when making dolls, the creator tends to use their own features and colouring. I instinctively didn't think of making the eyes anything but blue, and I have been told there is a resemblance in the face!  The hair is strips of muslin and the ears have eyelets punched in them with stationery rings hanging from them. During the making she somehow acquired a cleavage, cowboy boots and a personality!  When it came to a name there was an obvious choice - Dolly, after the fabulous Dolly Parton.

Hippy Chick sporting her new wellies.

       

Dolly now has a friend - Hippy Chick, the creation of fellow mixed media artist, Dawn Porter.  Hippy Chick's body is also based on a denim dress filled with plastic bags.  Her face is hand embroidered, her hair is made from sari silk and she is 3ft 5 and a half inches tall.

I love seeing art dolls made by other mixed media and textile artists, especially those that are imaginative and have a message, such as those made by Junker Jane.  I admire those who, unlike me, make dolls of unconventional shapes and features.  I always seem to want mine to be 'doll like'!