The combination of his elements, from the metallic fabrics, beading, and mask delighted me and the details on his bag became the finishing touch to the Medicine Man. Not long after making him available on Etsy, he flew into the gentle hands of a wonderful and energetic massage therapist, Melissa. I think she detected the powerful juju in that Medicine Bag! I hope you can feel some of that healing juju, too.
I'm sitting in the local Starbucks sipping an extra-hot soy sugar-free mocha and savoring the pillow of whip cream. It's decadence reminds me of a wonderful new spirit who recently manifested, "The Medicine Man". One of the most luscious elements of this healer is his medicine bag. I hadn't planned on a bag (though what's a Medicine Man without a Medicine Bag?) so as it manifested I simply enjoyed the ride. The beading part of embellishing a doll can sometimes be the most difficult part for me because there is such a wonderful selection of beads, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces I've collected over the past few decades to choose from. I started beading in AK inspired by an elaborately beaded bracelet I couldn't resist gifting myself with. The beading bug hit me again here in Bellingham, WA in my knitting phase where I spied a knitted, beaded bracelet at the checkout stand. They happened to be offering a class and, of course, as with all my artistic endeavors (clay, watercolors, acrylics, knitting, songwriting) I dove in. So began a knitting frenzy resulting in many sparkling bracelets to gift to my friends and loved ones. It turned out to be a wonderful skill for embellishing Spirit Dolls. Every once in a while, something calls for a tiny knitted beaded belt on a doll, like Gypsy Lee. The beads need not match or be in the same color family. In fact, the more variety the better the outcome. My default mode is to have everything match both with my beading and costumes so my fight comes in allowing a flow rather than over-thinking which beads I choose. Oftentimes, I fall back and pick out an earring with an interesting configuration to hang off of a belt or wrap around a body because all the work's been done. More and more, however, I've been taking apart those earrings and bracelets and using only parts of them. This is what happened with this Medicine bag. I started with a found crocheted, beaded bracelet. I hung the whole of it off of his hand but it just didn't feel right. So I stripped down the beads from the many strands of string and started from scratch, painting the bag white, drenching it in tiny sparkling glitter and then re-beading some of the threads. Since I couldn't find a needle that fit, I switched over to beading wire which easily hung off of the bag. Bigger, showier beads were called for at the bottom and his raiment contained a rainbow of colors so I chose whichever ones ended up between my fingers. Turquoise to represent the earth, pearls to represent the sea, white for purity and many others made out of ivory, coral and glass which held meaning to me. Anther aspect of the Medicine Man beside his belt that means a lot to me is his golden mask--the gold leaf is over 40 years old, given to me by mom who used it to gild her pottery. The mask/cab itself is one of the first 5 I made out of terracotta clay--a medium I later set aside for polymer clay because polymer can be re-worked over and over. I used to think this face/mask was a crude attempt and not one of my greater accomplishments because it had so many flaws but now I realize that those flaws contain so much character and expression.
The combination of his elements, from the metallic fabrics, beading, and mask delighted me and the details on his bag became the finishing touch to the Medicine Man. Not long after making him available on Etsy, he flew into the gentle hands of a wonderful and energetic massage therapist, Melissa. I think she detected the powerful juju in that Medicine Bag! I hope you can feel some of that healing juju, too.
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October 2015 Featured Fellow Artist Robin Alice, of Robin Alice Creations on Etsy.com, is a natural empath, artist, and dancer who displays her creativity in countless ways. A dance major in college, she darted and twirled her way onstage for many soul-satisfying years. In her mid-20's, though, an unexpected challenge arose with the onset of mental illness, later compounded by breast cancer in 2010. A daily battle to survive has become the impetus for her detailed, gorgeous bead creations, necklaces, totem bags, earrings and dolls. Her love of movement and freedom poured into each piece, some taking hundreds of hours, some taking years. Her reputation, as both an accomplished bead and Goddess Doll artist, has spread with her growing body of art and is enjoyed by collectors around the world. Explorations into Primitive dolls, Spirit Dolls, and Goddess Dolls all manifest her love of nature, movement and her strong connection to the creative power of life itself. She continues to serve as a mentor and source of inspiration in my life and art and I am honored to share a little of her spirit with you. What follows is a love letter which offers a fascinating glimpse into her unique universe from Robin to you. "If we look at the world with a love of life, the world will reveal its beauty to us." The Gathering "I have always felt out of step, literally stumbling through my life. I've never fit in and because of that I've found solace in places many dare not tread. My grandma, mom, sister and myself all have special gifts we were born with. The true aspect manifests for me in how we utilize these gifts and express these treasures."
Children are great and true friends to this world, they bring grace, tranquility and the joy of discovery. Because you see, it is all within us, not lounging on the outside but waiting deep within our atoms in our own internal universe." "I began to dance at age four. I couldn't live without it. I could express treasures and discoveries I never dreamed. I think one small story will help explain my nature and tenacity to create through dance my will to live and the foundation for my life and creativity. At age five in a dance recital, I found myself in the front line, my glorious coral tutu swirling in time with all the dancers. Then...I fell. As I hit the floor, it felt as if a sledge hammer knocked the wind out of me. Everything happened in a split second while at the same time in a slow motion cocoon. As I looked out in the audience, everyone was laughing uproariously.
We are all given such opportunities as gifts--what makes the difference is if we can recognize these moments as such and incorporate them into our daily lives." "Dolls are as old as time itself. The gathering of leaves, sticks and tanned hides made wonderful dolls for little girls & boys, thousands of years ago. Many dolls were used in rituals and ceremonies. The Goddess doll originates not only from voodoo dolls, but from the Ancients and their use of dolls in ceremonies. "I love the timeless, tender feel of the dolls I make. I channel a lot of my spirit into these dolls, resulting in very powerful and protective energies. I intuitively let the work flow through me, rather than me guiding the doll. My hands are only the instrument. The creation of my work with dolls has enabled me to heal and assist in healing others. It's my way of saying, "I love You" to the world." "To start, I gather some fabric, fibers, buttons, beads, threads and just surrender to the doll. Much of the time as I shift fabric, wrap yarn and embellish I don't know where I'm going. In dance terminology, this is a "trance dance" between the doll and myself. I took a dance class from a master once and I will never forget how the nature of the ingredients that exist in all life comes through, and flows through and, oftentimes, knocks hard on our door to get our attention. Everyone is a great creator. One does not have to be a dancer, poet, painter etc. in order to be a creative person." "All beings thrive in this creative force. Many religions have a name for it. I practice Nichiren Buddhism and it is referred to as 'the Mystic Law of Cause-and-Effect' or "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo". I think of it as the Divine Force." "Each person has their own way of divining this life force called creativity. It manifests in how you live your life. Each moment is a creative force that connects us to each other and everything else in the universe and can manifest in both wonder and great suffering. The name we call this force is our own and cannot be taken away by another soul." I encourage all who may read this little diary to take a walk and breath in the wonderful fresh air. Pay attention to your footsteps with each movement. Notice the sounds and the sights of the gatherings of little creatures and how they, too, dance to their own little rhythms. Be aware of the breath of the wind, the heat from the sun and maybe, just maybe, you will hear the whisper of all the guardians who walk with you and every person, who dances side-by-side with us and all of creation." Love, Robin Alice Thank you so much, Robin Alice! As always, I'm fascinated by your generous and warm-hearted spirit, abundant wisdom and awe-inspiring, diverse body art!
You can find more of Robin Alice's dolls and jewels at her Etsy store, Robin Alice Creations. Follow her art and inspiration on Pinterest. Become a fan on facebook and drink in more of her process on her wonderful blog. September 2015 Featured Fellow Artist “Everything as it moves now and then, here and there, makes stops. A bird as it flies stops in one place to make its nest and in another place to rest from its flight. A man when he goes forth stops when he wills. So the god has stopped. The sun, which is so bright and beautiful is one place where he has stopped. The moon, the stars, the wind he has been with. The trees, the animals, are all where he has stopped, and the Indian thinks of these places and sends his prayers to reach where the god has stopped and to win health and blessing.” - I first encountered Story Kaiora through her adorable Goddess Dolls on Etsy.com in her shop "Spirit Fusions". She features nature goddess dolls, as well as, miniature sculpting feats of fairy gardens, magic doors and wiccan charms , all radiating her beautiful spirit of mystery and wonder. Her unusual name has a lovely history detailed on her blog, representing both the freedom and magic in her life and art. What follows is a short article she submitted for her featured post. I hope you enjoy getting to know Story as much as I did! "My art features nature prominently, including everything from the four elements to wildlife to plants and rocks. But more than just trying to depict natural things, I strive to infuse my work with stories. I like to give my dolls a slightly open mouth – like they are about to speak, about to bring forth their own story. I also make spirit dolls that convey a relationship to nature through charms (like crystals or tree branches or feathers) that I place around them." "My love of stories probably fuels my interest in sculpting faces more than doll bodies. Faces are so full of emotion, mystery, and dreams. I also love the challenge it takes to sculpt an interesting face. I am by no means a master at this, I’ve only just begun and I can see an amateur quality in my work. But the learning curve has been fulfilling in itself. I look back on photos of my very first attempts and chuckle a little, but I’m enjoying the journey of trying new techniques and adding new details." "Fun fact: I am writing this with a tiny baby bunny tucked in a sling beneath my breasts. This does, believe it or not, relate to my art! I make dolls and other art pieces that I refer to as “spirit-sent”, meaning inspired by my spirituality. My spirituality has some elements of shamanism, but follows no religion and is an ever-evolving work in progress based on what I observe in nature and the universe. My main belief is that the world and all existence are made up of stories. I’ve since taken on “Story” as my chosen name. " "Another reason I love dolls is because I believe I am full of multiple spirits. I like to make dolls that represent these individual spirits. They are different aspects of my personality. My main self, Story, is matched by another personality named Kai, who is a bit more outgoing and loud. I have a herd of child-parts who are fun-loving and carefree: Bobby, Kassie, and Woo top that list. I have parts named Tipi and Pomona who are very spiritual; a part named Shannon who loves to sing, and a part named Robert who is a caretaker and a great father figure. My parts work together like a family and are all present in my daily life".
"For me, starting a new doll is all about deciding their individual story. Who is this spirit? What aspects of nature are they aligned to? What is their personality? Sometimes I set out to make a specific personality, but other times I free-sculpt and let the emerging face speak to me."
June 2015 Featured Fellow Artist
Griselda Tello, artist and teacher, has been exhibiting her artwork for over 40 years. With a prolific body of work and generous spirit, she serves as a mentor to myself and many other artists. Visiting Pinterest and other artists' doll sites, you'll find her dolls showcased as examples of what a Spirit Doll remains: little healers with a big mission whose beauty and power touch one's heart. Her signature dolls feature beautifully sculpted faces wrapped in many layers of fabrics and art fibers, often with a little moon cradled in its arms. These small cocoons of love perfectly express her dynamic spirit and appreciation of nature. You'll find here a small sampling of her luscious dolls and paintings which continue to inspire artists and collectors all over the world. I don't pretend to know much about ancient traditions, but they resonate with me and I allow spirit to guide me, making dolls makes me feel good, as simple as that...they make me bloom (using the words of Dr. Estes) When people ask me why do I make art dolls...my answer is always the same...because they keep me sane and fill my soul with gratitude and peace! I am moved to seek inspiration in nature, myth, and folklore. My only hope is that people may find through my art a sense of serenity and peace. All my dolls are charged with Reiki energy, Universal Love and light force. Griselda Tello
What do I call them, people ask...they are Totem Fetishes, Numen Spirits or Fantasy Art Dolls, they are my interpretation of Manitou, they are Nature Spirits. That is what I call my little dolls, a little mystery that keeps on giving me joy. Griselda Tello
Here's a generous gift from Griselda for you: a step-by-step tutorial on making a Nurturing Doll from Griselda's FB site! I encourage you to try your hand at one. “Dolls are one of the symbolic treasures of the instinctual nature. For centuries humans have felt that dolls emanate both a holiness and mana – an awesome and compelling prescience which acts upon persons, changing them spiritually. Dolls are believed to be infused with life by their makers. They are used as markers of authority and talismans to remind one of one’s own power.” August 2014 Featured Fellow ArtistLinda Clink from Linsart on Etsy.com features a lovely quote on her blog Linsart Creations in Clay: "A person who works with his hands is a laborer. A person who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman. A person who works with his hands, his brain and his heart is an artist" —Louis Nizer Linda, artist and owner of Linsart, has been working with clay for over 9 years. She is a favorite of many artisans who use her clay faces & creations to make cuffs, pendants, necklaces, and more, as well as, Spirit Dolls, like me. She's sold approximately 2900 faces on Etsy, a testament to her passion and success as an artist and business owner. The breadth and variety of her faces and sculptures is astounding. Her faces feature almost every persuasion, expression, color and genre. She also sculpts animals, like cats, owls, fish & horses. She makes Buddhas, goddesses, and dreamcatchers. All of her creations are rife with details and imagination. I love working with her faces to create a Spirit Doll because usually I connect right away this new little spirit. They have such personality and style all on their own. I just discovered that she recently featured an example of my work, Willow of Immortality and Protection, in one of her blogs, The Many Faces of Linsart. She also has examples from a couple of other artists if you'd like to see how they employ her polymer face creations in their work. She also has a second blog, "Linsart Creations in Clay" which features other artists on Etsy and more of her lovely faces. I look forward to using many more of Linda's faces on future Spirit Dolls! I was delighted to find my work recently featured in the 'Guest Gallery' of Chris Flynn's new E-Book, "How to Create Your Own Spirit Dolls." She illustrates each step of making a spirit doll, including meditations, intentions and exact brand names of the tools that have worked best for her. As a fellow artist, this kind of information is invaluable because usually an artist works alone using tools and materials they know. By introducing new materials and techniques I can push my work even further and be more creative! Using a face that someone else has lovingly created brings an added dimension to a doll because I'm truly meeting this spirit for the first time. When I'm searching for inspiration for a doll, the hunt is fun, there are many talented artists on Etsy but I have no problem choosing a face that resonates with me. They literally jump off the page and end up in my shopping cart seconds later. It can be a challenge, sometimes, to make a doll with someone else's face but it's stimulating to have a wide selection to get those creative juices flowing. Right now, I have a good stash of Chris's faces and cabs/shields to choose from (not that I will stop collecting them!) I've already used many of Chris's wonderful faces and cabs for my dolls and her experience and history with the dolls and making faces shines through her work. She's also very generous with her time and expertise answering questions quickly and thoroughly and she always packs a little extra in with your order. Many times I've used the ribbon or lovely material she uses to package my order with right away when I receive it incorporating it into the doll I'm making. It's always seems to be a bit of synchronicity at work in the universe! If you don't want to make a spirit doll but love one-of-a-kind jewelry, her cabs and faces can be made into necklaces or talismans. You can find Chris at her store myirishgypsy on Etsy.com and if you're at all interested in crafting a Spirit Doll yourself her ebook is invaluable, as well as her blog, Spirit Dolls by Chris! |
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