Saturday, January 31, 2009
dresses and bowls
Here are some tiny gourd bowls I've been doing lately... plus Lucinda in her new dress. :)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
one world, one heart give away
NOTE: THE GIVEAWAY ENDED ON MIDNIGHT FEB 11TH... NO MORE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED
I am happy to be joining in on this One World/One Heart give-away. I will be giving away a small gourd bowl decorated with millifiore canes. It can be used as an offering bowl, or a dream bowl to hold slips of paper with your affirmations/wishes/dreams on it... or anything you can think of! I hope you will enter my give away by leaving a comment on this post only. The drawing ends at midnight EST, on February 11th... The winner will be announced on February 12th, 2009.
winter every day
this time of life
with no warmth of another
is cold
and it should be winter
but the winters never seem
cold enough to distract me
from the chill that lies within
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
bowls and tranny's
Seems that since I've joined the "Creative Everyday" challenge, that I have not been so creative! I had a bad bout of asthma for a couple of days, and that has gotten me down, and led to a lot of sleeping. There's not much one can do when you can't breathe! Now I'm feeling a lot better, and trying to get back on the horse.
I did make a couple of little items... not that I know what I will do with them. Worked with some very small gourds, and made bowls out of them. One is covered with teeny gold beads and sparkles (Beadazzles), so it is a "pot of gold". I think I will put it with my Prosperity Doll, and fill it with little scrolls of paper, saying such things as "love, family, friendship" etc. The things, other than money, that make one prosper.
I also made a gourd bowl that is partially covered with millifiore canes. It looks so pretty, almost like beadwork. It's small... made from what they call Jewelry gourds. It will be a bowl for another art doll. I'd like to do some work that is similar to R.C. Gorman's older paintings of big women. Many of them have a bowl, in the woman's hands, or somewhere beside her.
As I write this, it occurs to me that I haven't been totally uncreative, after all.
Oh, I also used a gourd for armature of a strange looking big nosed man that I thought would be some type of fantasy figure. Turns out, after painting the face some, that he looks like one ugly transvestite! He may be somebody's fantasy, but not mine!
It snowed a bit today, but still not the big snow that I've been wanting. Now it's raining, so it's turning into a bunch of mush. Where are the blizzards like we used to have? So far, nothing even close to that.
When I get my friend's camera, I'll take pictures of the little gourd bowls. The big nosed tranny may stay unrevealed, though!
I did make a couple of little items... not that I know what I will do with them. Worked with some very small gourds, and made bowls out of them. One is covered with teeny gold beads and sparkles (Beadazzles), so it is a "pot of gold". I think I will put it with my Prosperity Doll, and fill it with little scrolls of paper, saying such things as "love, family, friendship" etc. The things, other than money, that make one prosper.
I also made a gourd bowl that is partially covered with millifiore canes. It looks so pretty, almost like beadwork. It's small... made from what they call Jewelry gourds. It will be a bowl for another art doll. I'd like to do some work that is similar to R.C. Gorman's older paintings of big women. Many of them have a bowl, in the woman's hands, or somewhere beside her.
As I write this, it occurs to me that I haven't been totally uncreative, after all.
Oh, I also used a gourd for armature of a strange looking big nosed man that I thought would be some type of fantasy figure. Turns out, after painting the face some, that he looks like one ugly transvestite! He may be somebody's fantasy, but not mine!
It snowed a bit today, but still not the big snow that I've been wanting. Now it's raining, so it's turning into a bunch of mush. Where are the blizzards like we used to have? So far, nothing even close to that.
When I get my friend's camera, I'll take pictures of the little gourd bowls. The big nosed tranny may stay unrevealed, though!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
cold sunday morning
Good early morning to you.
It's cold outside, just 18°F/-8°C. Cozy in the apartment; luckily there is a good amount of heat coming up. The radiators hiss.
I woke up a couple of hours ago, feeling a little sick in my stomach, and after getting some water, I naturally sat down here for a while. So here I am. I did a bit of internet surfing, checked for new messages at the groups and forums I belong to, and then watched a bit of morning news on television.
It's Sunday, and a good day to stay inside and make things. I can't seem to conjure up much inspiration for making Valentine stuff, but the boutique is having a sale at the hospital on the 12th of February. Unless I get pierced with cupid's bow, I doubt I'll make anything special.
Last night evie brought over blank greeting cards of good watercolor paper, and we painted a couple of those for Valentines. Maybe we'll do some more of them today. I could make a few heart pendants covered in some bedazzles. They'd be easy enough to knock out.
As you can probably tell, this Valentine stuff doesn't thrill me too much. Not that I'd turn down a box of chocolates if one would come my way. :-) I'd rather concentrate on creations that come from inside; true inspiration and imagination.
It's cold outside, just 18°F/-8°C. Cozy in the apartment; luckily there is a good amount of heat coming up. The radiators hiss.
I woke up a couple of hours ago, feeling a little sick in my stomach, and after getting some water, I naturally sat down here for a while. So here I am. I did a bit of internet surfing, checked for new messages at the groups and forums I belong to, and then watched a bit of morning news on television.
It's Sunday, and a good day to stay inside and make things. I can't seem to conjure up much inspiration for making Valentine stuff, but the boutique is having a sale at the hospital on the 12th of February. Unless I get pierced with cupid's bow, I doubt I'll make anything special.
Last night evie brought over blank greeting cards of good watercolor paper, and we painted a couple of those for Valentines. Maybe we'll do some more of them today. I could make a few heart pendants covered in some bedazzles. They'd be easy enough to knock out.
As you can probably tell, this Valentine stuff doesn't thrill me too much. Not that I'd turn down a box of chocolates if one would come my way. :-) I'd rather concentrate on creations that come from inside; true inspiration and imagination.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
dances with wolves
In the creation of characters, I sometimes first think of a name, or a purpose.
Like "Agri"... this is a name that came to me once, and it turned out to mean "fire", I believe. I'll have to check that. I had been doing a meditation on my guardian angel, and that's the name that came to me. Her purpose (odd that I should give this angel a feminine persona, when Fire is so male) is to keep watch over me, of course.
Her hair is a molton gold, her eyes are firey blue. She is shaped like a flame, a wisp. She is ephemeral. Perhaps too ephemeral to bring to life.
Sometimes parts of a story nag at you. Could be the story behind a character doll, and then there's a particular type of foot that wants to be made now, with big fat toes, belonging to a pleasant troll who has many friends. I have only made one troll, but in my mind there is a whole lineage following that one, and many others, who have gone beyond the bridges, and are living in forest lands. Few of them steal your gold, though they have been known to do that. Sometimes they just take what you don't need. Anyway... I've seen their feet, and their nose and hands. I've seen what's in their pockets and bags. The wait for my hands to bring them to life... to open their eyes.
It is sort of like shamanism... where one finds their power animal and brings it into one's heart... then gives it life by "dancing the animal".
Like "Agri"... this is a name that came to me once, and it turned out to mean "fire", I believe. I'll have to check that. I had been doing a meditation on my guardian angel, and that's the name that came to me. Her purpose (odd that I should give this angel a feminine persona, when Fire is so male) is to keep watch over me, of course.
Her hair is a molton gold, her eyes are firey blue. She is shaped like a flame, a wisp. She is ephemeral. Perhaps too ephemeral to bring to life.
Sometimes parts of a story nag at you. Could be the story behind a character doll, and then there's a particular type of foot that wants to be made now, with big fat toes, belonging to a pleasant troll who has many friends. I have only made one troll, but in my mind there is a whole lineage following that one, and many others, who have gone beyond the bridges, and are living in forest lands. Few of them steal your gold, though they have been known to do that. Sometimes they just take what you don't need. Anyway... I've seen their feet, and their nose and hands. I've seen what's in their pockets and bags. The wait for my hands to bring them to life... to open their eyes.
It is sort of like shamanism... where one finds their power animal and brings it into one's heart... then gives it life by "dancing the animal".
Thursday, January 22, 2009
down day
I can't sleep. Anyone else out there who can't sleep?
I took 3 sedatives... count 'em, 3! The most that could do was put me out for 3 or 4 hours. Not exactly a night's sleep.
I wake with dreams rolling around in my head, but only flashes of this and that. Nothing that I can pin down. Sometimes while doing something with my hands (often during handwashing, or making something) I get those dream images that flash just fast enough so that you can see them, but not slow enough so that you can catch them.
The cats see me up, and must think it's time for breakfast, but it's not. They walk into the kitchen and munch on a little left over hard food, knowing that the soft canned food will have to come later.
It's nearly quiet outside, but not totally. There's always a car or two, or a truck or bus passing by at every hour. Already the traffic is starting to build out there. The early birds going to work, I guess. Or the night shifters coming home.
It's cold outside, but the heat in the house is way too warm. I have no say over whether the heat is on or off. Not my call. I need to keep the windows open to get some air.
Yesterday was full of disappointments at every turn. Got news that I wasn't getting an apartment which would've saved me an awful lot of money every month. Then I heard that I shouldn't have expectations of getting the grant for the camera, which I've been waiting for. This is second time I got a "for sure" followed by a "don't get your hopes up too high". Well, of course I get my hopes up high, but for now, I'll have to put it in the "expect nothing" category.
Besides that, I have had a few household accidents, just to put the cherry on top, I guess.
And oh yea, someone returned one of my necklaces to the boutique (after wearing it a month), because she feels that the magnetic clasp may not be secure enough, and she wants a different fixing on it. Gimme a break!
So, all of this is draining any creative energies I thought might be stirring. I just want to go to bed.
I took 3 sedatives... count 'em, 3! The most that could do was put me out for 3 or 4 hours. Not exactly a night's sleep.
I wake with dreams rolling around in my head, but only flashes of this and that. Nothing that I can pin down. Sometimes while doing something with my hands (often during handwashing, or making something) I get those dream images that flash just fast enough so that you can see them, but not slow enough so that you can catch them.
The cats see me up, and must think it's time for breakfast, but it's not. They walk into the kitchen and munch on a little left over hard food, knowing that the soft canned food will have to come later.
It's nearly quiet outside, but not totally. There's always a car or two, or a truck or bus passing by at every hour. Already the traffic is starting to build out there. The early birds going to work, I guess. Or the night shifters coming home.
It's cold outside, but the heat in the house is way too warm. I have no say over whether the heat is on or off. Not my call. I need to keep the windows open to get some air.
Yesterday was full of disappointments at every turn. Got news that I wasn't getting an apartment which would've saved me an awful lot of money every month. Then I heard that I shouldn't have expectations of getting the grant for the camera, which I've been waiting for. This is second time I got a "for sure" followed by a "don't get your hopes up too high". Well, of course I get my hopes up high, but for now, I'll have to put it in the "expect nothing" category.
Besides that, I have had a few household accidents, just to put the cherry on top, I guess.
And oh yea, someone returned one of my necklaces to the boutique (after wearing it a month), because she feels that the magnetic clasp may not be secure enough, and she wants a different fixing on it. Gimme a break!
So, all of this is draining any creative energies I thought might be stirring. I just want to go to bed.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
hail to the chief
I am happy to say that today we have a new president... President Barack Obama. I wish him, and us, the very best to come.
Monday, January 19, 2009
a quiet afternoon
The sky is very white today. It looks like snow, but there's none coming.
It's a quiet day outside. A major holiday.. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. I hardly hear any traffic out there today. Maybe people partied big time over the weekend, and are just chilling out today. I know there was some major football game on tv... guys going to the superbowl... Arizona Cardinals, I believe. I just happened to tune into the end of the game, otherwise I'd have no idea about these things.
Today I am cleaning a bit, then taking a break, then cleaning a bit, and taking a break. My back can't withstand much for long lengths of time, but after resting a while, I'm good to go again.... and again is now. :)
*************************************
Finished the living room, and now it's snowing lightly. Such a pretty sight to see.
For the 3rd year, I am joining Sarajane Helm's miniature mask swap. In previous years the masks were to be all of a similar theme/style (which the artist would choose themselves).. this year, the masks can all be different. That's a lot of different masks! I joined one group, as usual, and will make 10 masks, and get 10 back (including one of my own). So far, one idea has come to mind, and I think I'd like to make some Mardi Gras masks, in the traditional colors of purple, green, and gold. Now that we can make everything different, I'm not sure what type of mask/s will come out of my hands.
Here are 2 of the masks I've made for previous swaps. Size is maximum 3"x3". Each one had a similar style (although the face was sculpted to look either male or female, and sometimes androgynous), but colored/finished differently.
It's a quiet day outside. A major holiday.. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. I hardly hear any traffic out there today. Maybe people partied big time over the weekend, and are just chilling out today. I know there was some major football game on tv... guys going to the superbowl... Arizona Cardinals, I believe. I just happened to tune into the end of the game, otherwise I'd have no idea about these things.
Today I am cleaning a bit, then taking a break, then cleaning a bit, and taking a break. My back can't withstand much for long lengths of time, but after resting a while, I'm good to go again.... and again is now. :)
*************************************
Finished the living room, and now it's snowing lightly. Such a pretty sight to see.
For the 3rd year, I am joining Sarajane Helm's miniature mask swap. In previous years the masks were to be all of a similar theme/style (which the artist would choose themselves).. this year, the masks can all be different. That's a lot of different masks! I joined one group, as usual, and will make 10 masks, and get 10 back (including one of my own). So far, one idea has come to mind, and I think I'd like to make some Mardi Gras masks, in the traditional colors of purple, green, and gold. Now that we can make everything different, I'm not sure what type of mask/s will come out of my hands.
Here are 2 of the masks I've made for previous swaps. Size is maximum 3"x3". Each one had a similar style (although the face was sculpted to look either male or female, and sometimes androgynous), but colored/finished differently.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
dream pillows and a lady
Here are a couple of dream pillows I made... they're about 4x5 inches, and stuffed with pine needles, lavender, and agrimony.
Here is poor Lucinda, and unfinished Lady of Abundance, who, unfortunately, was a rushed piece of work. My patience got the better of me, since she was doomed from the start, having been sculpted from several different shades of clay. As I mentioned before, her hands and feet were less than an after-thought. She was a good practice piece, though, and I really like her luxurious hair. :-)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
not waiting for snow
Nearly 2am, and I'm awake, having fallen out too early last night.
Word has it that snow is on the way, and I always seem to be awake on nights when snow is expected. I'm usually waiting for it, but not tonight. Tonight I'm just awake.
I did a figurative sculpture of a woman a few days ago. Unfortunately, I had already decided that she wasn't a particularly good piece by the time I got to the hands and feet, so I just slopped my way through that. Ends up I like her pretty much, except for her deliberately rushed extremities.
It was my patience that got the better of me while I was sculpting her. I didn't have it in me to focus on the fine details necessary, and I had already convinced myself that it wasn't going to turn out well, overall.
The critic is a nasty thing when it comes to creating, and mine has a very loud voice.
What do you do to silence the critic?
Word has it that snow is on the way, and I always seem to be awake on nights when snow is expected. I'm usually waiting for it, but not tonight. Tonight I'm just awake.
I did a figurative sculpture of a woman a few days ago. Unfortunately, I had already decided that she wasn't a particularly good piece by the time I got to the hands and feet, so I just slopped my way through that. Ends up I like her pretty much, except for her deliberately rushed extremities.
It was my patience that got the better of me while I was sculpting her. I didn't have it in me to focus on the fine details necessary, and I had already convinced myself that it wasn't going to turn out well, overall.
The critic is a nasty thing when it comes to creating, and mine has a very loud voice.
What do you do to silence the critic?
Thursday, January 8, 2009
mother earth
The Icon Doll Challenge has now been posted on the WildArtDolls yahoo group site, so I'm able to show it here. I did this a couple of months ago; it's my depiction of "Mother Earth". She is 16" tall. The materials I used are:Yarrow sticks Hawk, Pheasant, and Cardinal feathers,Cave egg (white stone),semi precious,gemstones,buffalo hair,chamois leather,half of a seed pod, and a stone bead.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
prosperity doll
Prosperity doll (click on pic to see larger view)
The prosperity doll has copper bracelets hanging from her arms, which hold USD (cash & coins) and Euro's. The states and countries depicted on the coins reflect my love of travel. I chose the US quarters at random, and the states depicted are: California, Oregon, West Virginia and North Dakota, to symbolize travel through the United States. The Euros have the symbols of Italy and Finland on them, to signify European travel. I would like to get more coins from other countries.
She is holding a book which represents reading/learning/writing/book-keeping.
Under one arm she has a rolled up fortune from a fortune cookie, which say: "You will begin a successful new busniness venture."
She has a Herkimer diamond attached to her 3rd eye (hard to see it in the picture).
She is 9 inches high.
Thanks to Stefania Morgante for giving me the inspiration to create a prosperity doll for the new year.
prosperity : the condition of being successful or thriving ; especially : economic well-being
materials used: gourd, polymer clay, paper clay, coins/dollars (USD & Euro), trimmings, paper, Suze Weinberg's Bedazzles, silver leafing, copper wire, cone-shaped thread spool, face mold, fortune cookie fortune, a double terminated Herkimer diamond
Monday, January 5, 2009
a doll
Whether it is one you play with
or one you covet behind glass or
display upon pedestals ~~ a doll is
the one who knows you
Your light side, your shadows
the places you've traveled
within and without
Your secrets , your hopes.
Sewn with dreams, sculpted with visions,
welded and wired and painted and stuffed
with myriad worlds of your imagination
All the parts of you that need to live
to express
to weep and to howl, to dance with sheer joy
Are there, in a doll
created
***
© Valianti
or one you covet behind glass or
display upon pedestals ~~ a doll is
the one who knows you
Your light side, your shadows
the places you've traveled
within and without
Your secrets , your hopes.
Sewn with dreams, sculpted with visions,
welded and wired and painted and stuffed
with myriad worlds of your imagination
All the parts of you that need to live
to express
to weep and to howl, to dance with sheer joy
Are there, in a doll
created
***
© Valianti
Sunday, January 4, 2009
outside in
Looking out the window on this pale pink morning, I miss the luxury of being able to step outside without stepping into the world. The wide wood terrace in Roveniemi, Finland; the French doors, opening to the backyard, in National City, California. These two come right to mind.
Living six stories up, I am close enough to the street to hear all the traffic, but high enough to overlook many other apartments and houses, and see the sky. The sky is my terrace. It's no Montana, I'll tell you that much!
Today it's a soft light powdery blue, going whiter down by the river. The sun is behind me, so I can't see it, but it's reflecting off the roof structures in a soft yellow white.
I know the air is chilled, but it's going to about 40° today, which is quite mild for this time of year.
I'm working on the prosperity doll. She is losing much of her simplicity, but the idea was to build her up with symbols of prosperity. I'll probably get a pic with my friend's camera later on today. There's more she needs, but I'm trying to find available objects around the house. Maybe an old blouse with a fabric I can use. I'll have to go on a mission for this stuff. There must be some trinkets and stones just waiting to adorn her.
Living six stories up, I am close enough to the street to hear all the traffic, but high enough to overlook many other apartments and houses, and see the sky. The sky is my terrace. It's no Montana, I'll tell you that much!
Today it's a soft light powdery blue, going whiter down by the river. The sun is behind me, so I can't see it, but it's reflecting off the roof structures in a soft yellow white.
I know the air is chilled, but it's going to about 40° today, which is quite mild for this time of year.
I'm working on the prosperity doll. She is losing much of her simplicity, but the idea was to build her up with symbols of prosperity. I'll probably get a pic with my friend's camera later on today. There's more she needs, but I'm trying to find available objects around the house. Maybe an old blouse with a fabric I can use. I'll have to go on a mission for this stuff. There must be some trinkets and stones just waiting to adorn her.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
welcome 2009
It's new year's day (evening now). I just wanted to drop in and write a line or two, since keeping up with this log is among the things I want to be more diligent about this year.
I have that kind of tired that comes at the end of doing something big... a sort of relief that the holidays are over.
My Little Guy cat wants to give me some lovin', since I was gone all day.
Be it ever so humble.
May the year be as you wish.
I have that kind of tired that comes at the end of doing something big... a sort of relief that the holidays are over.
My Little Guy cat wants to give me some lovin', since I was gone all day.
Be it ever so humble.
May the year be as you wish.
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