Addendum 1/21/15: She's ready for her new home available on Etsy and aptly named!
She has yet to be named but I'm bursting at the seams to share my first doll of 2015! I love the rich colors, compassionate stance and her wing-like gauze! She'll be up on Etsy soon--I hope... Addendum 1/21/15: She's ready for her new home available on Etsy and aptly named! And I'm proud to present my first attempt at a wearable brooch, Bugaboo! A bit of sunshine for these dark winter days...I had so much fun making him.
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January 2015 Featured Fellow Artist Hi Melanie! Can you tell us a little about Alder & Birch? We are a Mother-Daughter team from B.C. Canada. There is something magical about co-creating our spirit dolls and walking together on this amazing journey. The name of your business is both memorable and evocative is there a story behind that name? Our name was inspired by my Medicine name, which includes Alder. Valerie’s favorite tree is the Birch tree so we combined these two elements to form our name and Alder & Birch was born. You refer to your Medicine name and in our conversations I've learned that you have been studying Shamanism for 5 years now, how did that path materialize in your life? I have always been interested in Earth-Based Spirituality and Natural Medicine. A few very synchronistic events happened in my life about 6 years ago, which led me to Angela Prider from Westcoast Shamanic. I resonated deeply with her work and decided to take her "White Bone Shamanic Arts Apprenticeship". This Shamanic path has been life-changing for me and is now a part of every aspect of my life including the creation of my Spirit dolls. My mom enjoyed learning about and witnessing the spiritual deepening, healing and creativity that came from me walking the shamanic path. It was natural for her to step upon the Shamanic path as well. "The shaman is a self-realized person. What a special relationship you share with your mom! I first encountered your Spirit dolls on Pinterest where they are beloved and featured on many Boards. How did you begin making Spirit Dolls? My Shamanic path has a big art component and once I started creating art from an intentional soul place, in 2009, I couldn't stop. It was very therapeutic for me, a way to express myself and to connect to something greater. In our Shamanic Apprenticeship we studied, Woman Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes and I remember resonating deeply when she talked about dolls. I found a few Spirit dolls on Etsy and I was completely inspired to make a Spirit doll for myself one day. In the summer of 2012, my family and I moved to Squamish B.C. where we would go for walks along the ocean. The beach was filled with driftwood and I remember thinking that I must do something with these beautiful wood spirits. One day after we spent time collecting driftwood at the beach I was in a craft store and saw the most beautiful wool and a type of modeling clay that dries without firing. I knew, in that moment, that I was being guided to create my own Spirit doll, combining driftwood, clay and other natural materials. My mom was coming for a visit the next day so I thought it would be something fun we could do together. We not only had a great time but we were so inspired and ignited with creativity that we haven’t stopped making them since! We both enjoy the whole process from treasure-hunting for materials to being in the flow of creation, admiring each others' creations and finding out whom the Spirit Dolls belong to. How else do you spend your time? We both enjoy creating other sacred spiritual tools like rattles, smudge wands and drums. My mom has been an artist her whole life so she enjoys painting, as well as, gardening, spending time with her grandchildren and walking her Shamanic Path. My 3-year old, Maya, keeps me really busy. I am also a Shamanic Practitioner specializing in Conception, Pregnancy, Birth, Postpartum and Pregnancy Loss. Blessed Bee, Melanie It's been a pleasure getting to know you both. I treasure my Spirit Doll that you created and I encourage others to gift themselves or their loved ones with one of your Spirit Doll creations, one-of-kind pieces of art that please the eye and carry the power to heal heart and soul!
Thank you so much for your time and sharing your creations with the world. Discover more of Alder & Birch Spirit Dolls here and on their Pinterest Board! |
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