Forging Ahead

This Winter I have been having a bit of fun. I taught Tim how to cast chalkware, from some of my old molds. He always sits beside me as I map out my business plan for the year (or as of late, 6 months ahead.). This Fall as we checked out area shows and met new friends...we took notes. (Thank you Mindy for encouraging and inspiring~ I can't wait til September!). I alluded to the plan I am working on now, back in September, and now it's going forward! A few weeks ago, we started acting on them...first by teaching Tim the casting and lately by me sculpting again. You thought it was just going to be the paper clay dolls, didn't you? Ahhh no... you see, Tim and I are teaming up. I'm sculpting and making the molds ( thank you Dad for showing me the world beyond just pouring Ceramics for the shop!). Chalkware is just one of the media that we will offer at shows.....we will also be pouring beeswax. Of course, I have a little different presentation idea that I hope will continue to reflect my work...The Goode Wife Way~

Inspire And Be Inspired

In my last writing, I spoke of beginnings. Who knew that Ira's words and mine would touch so many! I believe that being a creative person means that you will always have beginnings.....being so visual, we are constantly inspired.  Sometimes, inspiration comes for me in the silliest places. I can look outside or at a picture and see something in the negative space...a shape that inspires my next piece. Sometimes my inspiration is a result of my escape. 

My inspire for Sophia did come from my escape.... Downton Abbey and the BBC's Victoria & Albert. The sets, the clothing, the characters! Oh the eye candy! How could it not reflect in my work? The difficult part for me, is that I sew simply, I am truly self taught in my approach and simple patterning. I know the look I want in my head and the challenge is to pull it off without a lot of patterning or sewing skills. What works in primitive patterns, just doesn't cut it here! I am still a beginner in this arena...and I realize that I can embrace and grow, or be safe. Sophia, went through a couple fashion changes to get where she is. So many, that we missed last night's upload for TDIPT . I wanted a simple elegance, and after a couple changes, we got there. I looked at her this morning and thought... I did that?

I also pushed myself in a new Mouser direction. I've wanted something more realistic and free standing for awhile...there is something about the delicate fingers and toes on mice that I adore. It took a lot of changes for me in fabric and patterning along with inspires from  artists before me. Miss Maddie is my first ....my beginning, but she is a Wee Folk that I can grow with and explore.  I ended up mounting her on a base, until I grow a bit more with making her more sturdy. She also looked so nice on the black stand! I am in love with the concept and have changes already for new ones..... now that I know what I'm doing! 

Art is a personal journey, but we also need to remember that it is a voice and reflection of so many things... it is who we are and what catches our eye. It is others that inspire us and it is inspiring others. It is personal challenges and growing....and it doesn't stop.

Thank You, Ira

You have to love it... absolutely be in love with what you are doing...or it shows. Oh yes, your beginnings are just that...the place where you start. With time and work though, you push through those beginnings and your style shines through. There are no shortcuts... I had one woman that wanted me to teach her how to do Primitives, tell me two weeks after starting, that she awoke that morning and decided that she wanted to be a Folk Artist... not down the road, mind you, but starting at that moment. Well... its good to have ambition too. It is fuel for the passion in your heart... but you also need the right fuel.  Is it about the quick satisfaction that a sale will bring? What about following the success of another with what they do?....or is it about mastering your media or technique in a way that is the voice of your heart? Like any thing you do, you  put yourself into it fully in order to learn how to do it well. You just can't wake one morning and feel... I'm going to be a hairdresser, right now. I'll do a couple of haircuts on my friends and now I can have my own salon. You need to put your own sweat equity into it. Learn and master the basics...then take it and make it yours. You also need to learn what is the best way to get your work out there.


Time puts it's stamp on your work...and over time you will grow and your style will emerge.


For me personally, I am thankful for parents that nurtured my creativity when I was very young, giving me the opportunity to learn how to use different media and explore within it.  As each year ends, I take a look at the body of my work that I have produced and see if I have grown in it. I still have plenty of exploring and learning with much of it, and I am blessed that I am still doing a lot of work. My ambitions have not waned, but still nudge me awake in the mornings. I have much to do and learn still. With some things, I will be the beginner,but now, I'm good with it.

Balancing Life

It's February already. January can seem to drag on, but not this year. Perhaps it is our strange weather. For the past couple days, we would awake to the yard  coated in white as if someone sprinkled confectioner's sugar on it. As the day grew old, it would melt away revealing a great brownness that has taken over for Winter this year. As this first day of February dawned, it felt more like April first. The sun shined down upon the pups as they spent as much time as they could, baking under it. You could smell the earth. When the rain showers came, it only smelled better.


 My world is still a bit tilted (as my friend Robin would say...and it's perfect, Robin)....but it will right itself.  I have great Faith, and you see, Faith has gotten me everything. 


Above are a couple of my favorite ornaments that will be with Stephanie at the Monahan Papers Booth. As I was packing them for their journey, I began thinking beyond the Market Square Show. I've missed my needle; along with clay. I will take a few days now to clean the Kitchen Table Studio, organize and start some Spring Cleaning...You can bet, however, that I will be setting some "balance" time, from all that is tilted and dusty to create. Those voices in my head, just never stop...and I love it.