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.
0 Comments
It's been a long, harsh winter with many challenges and obstacles to creating art. But...at long last, there's been a break in the clouds, buds on the trees and a fresh sense of hope in the air. A new spirit was born this month: Esperanza aka Old Bones or She Who Greets You Behind the Veil. Her gentle face has been gazing at me all winter long, waiting for a body. A clear image of her hair manifested in the deep of winter--it had to stick straight out from her head--lots of virgin wool was called for. After finishing her hair, though, there she sat waiting patiently, day after day, month after month. After much despair and accompanying the spring sunshine, I finally heard her call and she flew into being. As in songwriting, on a lucky day, her birth was fast and furious as, relatively speaking, she didn't take weeks to finish but only about a week and a half.
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.
Doll-making is an ancient creative form that touches the souls of women. Through the delicious act of creation, you will reawaken to yourself and experience a deep transformation. You will feel her in your body. She is your direct connection to spirit; she will guide you, speak to you, be your inner strength. She is your loving, spiritual guide whose wisdom you can rely on and trust. She is your higher self. She will unwaveringly be on the journey with you. She is your touchstone of identity. From Laura Power on Pinterest: What is a Spirit Doll? Spirit dolls are representations of something one wants or needs. First used by ancient peoples, dolls were fashioned out of simple materials like wood, hides, stone and leaves. They represented deities, spirits, or simply something of necessity. Ceremonies with dancing and feasting would be performed on special dates in honor of each doll. Kachina dolls of the Southwest Hopi Indian tribe are examples of spirit dolls. From Marlena Fields, PCC: Spirit Dolls are messengers you make with your own two hands… and they speak to you of just exactly what you need to hear to thrive in new, more confident ways...as we move through difficult situations like:
Everything we experience is a teacher. It is important that we have a way to come back to our center, to be in touch with our inner guidance, to connect with who we are. As we recognize our inner strength, we can more easily move through the process. We can draw on our inner core and recognize our own resilience. Then, we can go out and do what we need to do with greater confidence, grace and ease. What I’ve seen is that every woman has options. Once you pause long enough to reflect on your inner knowing, you can find your own answer in your heart. You have the ability to reconnect with yourself in a way that will help you unlock what has been keeping you stuck. You will look at what no longer fits or serves you and begin to make choices from a place of personal power and self responsibility. Your spirit doll will support you to make decisions that are the right ones for you. Your spirit doll holds your essence. You will discover the magnitude of your full, true self. Your answers will come from a place of inner wisdom. This is a healing experience of self acceptance.
The Goddess Circle refers to the doll-making sessions with artist Brigit Snyder and myself, Lili McGovern. After meeting once a week for a couple of months, we decided to give our sessions a name to encompass what we were doing, what we represent and attract other similar artists. Because we create Goddess and Spirit Dolls, I thought it appropriate to include the name Goddess. Brigit was drawn to the words Sisterhood & circles to represent the history of women gathering in circles to share and find the rejuvenating power of support and compassion. As we brainstormed, the name 'The Goddess Circle' emerged and we both agreed this name contained everything that we were experiencing as we transformed a humble branch found in nature with bits of fabric, yarn and beads to create a Spirit Doll filled with healing energy and the mysterious power to change our lives. There is no judgement in the circle, allowing each woman to be herself, express her creativity and help nurture others. We'd love to invite other similar-minded artists into the circle who live nearby. Please contact me if you're interested in joining. Visit the Goddess Circle Gallery to see the results of dolls that had their genesis within this sacred feminine circle. “A circle of women may be the most powerful force known to humanity. If you have one, embrace it. If you need one, seek it. If you find one, for the love of all that is good and holy, Dive in. Hold on. Love it up. Get naked. Let them see you. Let them hold you. Let your reluctant tears fall. Let yourself rise fierce and love great. You will be changed. The very fabric of your Being will be altered by this. If you allow it. Please, Allow it.” Author Unknown Tell us a bit about yourself. Hmmm, where to start? With my mom. To say she was a unique individual doesn't begin to describe her. She lived in a world composed of magical creatures, mystifying experiences, and unexplainable happenings. Everyday life contained exciting possibilities and wonder. Her creative soul expressed itself throughout her life balancing her love of music as a classically-trained singer with her love of creating as a talented artist. She loved to cook, she threw pottery, she quilted and embroidered intricate designs on tablecloths, napkins and silk. She carved apple faces, created collages from pine cones and moss, and made creatures and lovely Christmas ornaments form egg cartons. For the last season of her life, she returned to her love of seashells and worked diligently crafting Sea Angel ornaments. She poured her all into whatever she did, teaching me that spirit of excellence by example. She raised my brother and I the best she could with what she had to work (and play) with. Homemade bread and ice tea are two things I'll always associate with her love. Much of my life has been spent following in her creative footsteps both as singer and an artist and trying to pass down the unconditional love and support I received from her to my son. When she passed away in 2012, I spiraled down the dark path of grief, grappling for any hand-hold in a new and unfamiliar terrain of daily life without my best friend and protector. I questioned everything, especially my priorities. I began to examine outdated beliefs that were no longer serving me. I learned how to be okay with mistakes, messes and crying, which happened frequently and inconveniently. I didn't feel the music anymore and I began the search for a creative outlet that would give me a voice as a different human being than who I used to be. That's when I discovered Spirit Dolls. My dear friend, Brigit Snyder, whom I'd met through the Buddhist organization, SGI-USA, shared with me her journey of discovering and then creating Spirit Dolls. We bartered-- her dolls for some work I did for her and her stunning dolls surrounded me with love, protection and healing. I fell in love with them. I didn't know I wanted or needed these little healing spirits but their presence soothed my soul and brought me much comfort. Shortly after that, I felt the urge to craft my own, which has contributed to my growth as an artist and a human. I love the process of creating a spirit doll especially since the foundation is always a branch or stick from nature. Then I love sculpting a face in polymer clay, watching how the features change and become someone, adding a little more flavor with color and impressions. Then I start playing dress up, fiddling with all the right materials to best bring about the transformation from clay into a Spirit. I can get quite lost in the experiencing, digging into my own private universe and sharing the songs of my heart. letting my hands guide me one step at a time, building layer upon layer of fabric and fibers until I feel the doll is complete. Then I let the doll sit for a day or a week to insure that they are ready for the world. Sometimes, I start with another artists' face which stimulates a whole new side of my creativity and is equally satisfying. The most important part of my healing process comes through the release and letting go of that new spirit. After creating a doll, I marvel at this new little creature and pray that they can fulfill their mission of hope and healing with someone else who connects with them, too. It's a wonderful cycle of experience and expression. What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it? That's a good question....I've always worked with my hands. My husband calls me a technician. I'm a classically-trained pianist and a self-taught guitarist. I love tinkering and fixing things. I also enjoy graphic design and working on the computer, cooking & gardening. I'm one of those shoppers who has to feel the fabric between my fingers and pick things up. But the very first thing I remember making with my hands are rice balls with my mom. Did I mention she was a fabulous cook? She taught herself Cantonese cooking after marrying my dad, who's Cantonese, and she also ended up teaching Cantonese cooking classes to help support our family while my dad worked his way through his Phd in rocket science aka Physics. Where were we? Oh, so we'd take the sticky rice leftover from dinner and compress the rice into little balls, rolling them around in soy sauce and then oil. Then we'd gobble 'em up although they were supposed to be for the next day's lunch! I loved making rice balls with my mom and little brother. I haven't thought of that memory for a long time. Everything my mom did had a flavor of magic added to it. That was her secret ingredient and I try to make it mine, too. What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from? Just about everything inspires me because all of life fascinates me. All of nature, every story, people and places both real and imagined. My mother's imagination kept us distracted through some pretty hard times and I pull from that place she showed us that's totally safe and wholly of my own making, where there's a secret garden full of fairies, witches, goddesses and nymphs. It's a wonderful creative space to work from. Also, I chant twice a day and I get amazing ideas while chanting especially if I'm stuck with a creative challenge. I'm usually able to move forward at least one step when I'm done. Other artists' works fascinate me and I enjoy trying to figure out their techniques, adding them into my repertoire. Lastly, my family is a never-ending source of inspiration and support. Both my hubby and son will usually give me their opinion when asked, "This or this?" Sometimes, I even find out the name of a doll from my husband who is extremely intuitive. What are your favorite materials? Everything natural, most things beautiful and all shiny objects. I love molding a face from a hunk of clay and using all the right tools necessary to get the desired effect. Beads and jewels and leaves and feathers and branches and yarns all bring out something different inside me and all are necessary for me to feel a sense of completion in creating a doll. I love transforming things that already have a purpose like buttons, doilies, luxurious fabrics and ordinary cheesecloth into something completely different and giving things a new purpose.
|
Archives
April 2016
Categories
All
|