Mummy Art Doll Sculpture 29

Available at my Etsy Shop.

Handmade, OOAK art doll.
6.75  inches tall. Mixed media.
Copyright © 2009, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

Mummy Art Doll Sculpture 29

Mummy Art Doll Sculpture 29

Collection exclusive de L.A.K.I. sur Design from Paris !

La toute première collection de art dolls de Miss PlusH PlusH se nomme les L.A.K.I, pour « Little Animal Kissing (the) Icebergs ». Ce nom évoque l’Islande, son volcan bien sûr, mais aussi son univers elfique et la beauté de sa nature.

Chaque L.A.K.I porte un prénom issu d’un mot islandais, qui résume sa personnalité. Les premiers L.AK.I étaient déjà très inspirés par les défis écologiques, thème cher à la créatrice. Avec la série « insectes et forêt », elle évoque avec poésie et humour l’univers de cette classe animale particulière qui régule la forêt, son éco-système favori.

Rencontrez donc sans tarder Haust, Gladur, Black Fiorildi et Hunang !

Haust (« automne ») : est le grand manager de la forêt. Il dirige et coordonne les différentes équipes d’insectes (suceurs de sève, pollinisateurs, défoliateurs…). C’est un L.A.K.I-clé et il recherche un stagiaire pour l’automne 2010. Pour postuler envoyez votre CV à haust@laki.com

Gladur (« magie ») : est le magicien de Lakiland, le pays des L.A.K.I. Il aime voler sur le dos de son corbeau ou d’un papillon (selon son poids du moment). Comme il adore les spaghettis à la carbonara, il doit souvent se contenter d’un vol en balais.

Black Fiorildi (« papillon noir ») : est L.A.K.I éleveur de papillons. Il utilise ses protégés pour évaluer la santé de la planète. Leur disparition accélérée ces dernières décennies lui cause beaucoup de stress. Heureusement, il s’est mis au yoga.

Hunang (« miel ») : est un L.A.K.I apiculteur. Depuis qu’il élève des abeilles, un ours brun s’est pris d’amitié pour lui et ils vivent ensemble dans la forêt de Lakiland. Les oursons au miel de Hunang sont des bonbons très célèbres auprès des chats, qui en ont toujours un paquet sous la patte, au cas où ils seraient coincés dans une gorge.

De 90 à 180 € en vente exclusivement ici

L’univers de Rose Minuscule est un monde à part.

C’est un secret furtivement dévoilé,

Une madeleine de Proust inespérée,

C’est comme ré-entrouvrir les portes du jardin secret et délicat de l’enfance

C’est de la poésie, de l’imaginaire, de l’innocence,

C’est un souffle timide et magique,

Des trésors de lutins composés de choses légères et précieuses qui virevoltent et se frôlent sans fin…

…de la magie à l’état pur…

Mobile à partir de 59.90 € en vente sur www.designfromparis.com

Aubrianna in Fall Fashion

The challenge this week at Mixed Media Monday was Fashion. I decided to create a doll sporting “Fall Fashion” with pumpkins and acorns adorning her skirt. I added a few of the pumpkins that I made last week, along with other fall items such as the pine cones, pheasant feather and leaves.

Enjoy- Christen

Strange-Born Art Doll 004
Conjoined twins sharing one face.

Available at my Etsy Shop.

Handmade, OOAK art doll. 10.75 inches tall.
Mixed media including fabric and Paperclay.
Copyright © 2009, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

Conjoined Twins Art Doll

Conjoined Twins Art Doll

Mummy Ornie Art Doll  7

Available at my ETSY Store.

Handmade, OOAK art doll. 10 inches tall.
Mixed media including fabric and Paperclay.
Copyright © 2009, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

Mummy Ornie Art Doll 8

Mummy Ornie Art Doll 8

OnLine Voting Has Begun!

ALL DOLLED UP: Beaded Art Doll Competition
http://www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup2009contest.htm

Voting ends 1/15/2010

www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm

Available for purchase at my Website:  www.shainerin.com

Mummy Ornie Art Doll  6
Handmade, OOAK art doll. 10 inches tall.
Mixed media including fabric and Paperclay.
Copyright © 2009, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

Mummy Ornie Art Doll 6

Available for purchase at my Website:  www.shainerin.com

Ornie Art Doll
Handmade, OOAK art doll. 7.75 inches tall.
Mixed media.
Copyright © 2009, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

Demon Ornie Art Doll

Available for purchase at my Website:  www.shainerin.com

Handmade, OOAK art doll. 9 inches tall.
Mixed media including fiber and Paperclay.
Copyright © 2009, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

Ghostling Ornie Art Doll 4

Available for purchase at my Website:  www.shainerin.com

Power Figure Art Doll
Handmade, OOAK art doll. 12 inches tall.
Mixed media including fabric and Paperclay.
Copyright © 2009, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

Power Figure Doll Sculpture

Power Figure Art Doll

ALL DOLLED UP: Beaded Art Doll Competition
6 Semi-Finalists Announced
OnLine Voting begins around 11/07/09
www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm

Synopsis:
Creating a Beaded Art Doll requires an extraordinary mix of multi-media talents by the successful artist.   It involves the design of a 3-dimensional doll form.   It requires an imaginative application and manipulation of beads resulting in a tactile, visual and emotional representation of the artist’s goals.    This year, these goals are focused on the theme: EARTHEN MOTHER.

The Fourth Bi-Annual 2009 All Dolled Up: Beaded Art Doll Competition — sponsored by Land of Odds, Be Dazzled Beads, The Open Window Gallery and The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts in Nashville, TN — sought out beaded art doll artists nationwide.     This competition primarily focuses on the design skills of the doll artists; it’s not merely a beauty pageant. 

Each entrant created a beaded art doll, and then wrote a story about it, beginning with this sentence:

“The mirror reflects more than my hands can feel.
Lines, edges, shadings, a weariness under the eyes, an awkward stance.
Yet, not reflected is a certain vibrancy –
a compassion and wisdom and wonder so many people rely on.
Only you, my beaded art doll,
capture the fullness of me as I age in place .
You embody changes I want to make, so I aptly name you…”

Six semi-finalists were chosen by a panel of experts from The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts from 12 wonderful entries.   Images and stories will be displayed online around November 7th on the Land of Odds website (www.landofodds.com ).   Visitors will be asked to vote and evaluate each doll, to help select the Winner and Runner-up.   The winner receives a $1,000 shopping spree on the website; the Runner-up receives a $400 shopping spree).

 These semi-finalists are,

Kathy Ford
Deep Gap, North Carolina
“Jolyma”

“As a child you spoke to me from mud as I sat at the far end of the garden patting earthen cakes between my palms.   And how luminous that mud like the color of your skin could be.   Chocolate, gold and olive green the fertile soil in which you breathe.  Life survives and thrives in your rich ground….

…In this guise she embodies life as celebration.  My life as celebration.”

Vera Fox-Bond
LaVergne, Tennessee
“Ta Dah”

“I shall tell my story through TA DAH or TA for short.  TA had been to the beauty shop for a new perm and the latest gossip.  Her curls turned out to be a bit much and she stepped on bubble gum on her way to the car.  What a day!   Upon arriving home, TA looked in the bathroom mirror at her new do and the mirror changed her life and mine forever….

…Don’t discard the older things of this world as they contain their own kind of beauty, wisdom and peacefulness….”

Cathy Helmers
Dayton, Ohio
“Aikatrine”

“You embody changes I want to make, so I aptly name you Aikaterine, meaning each of the two….

Life-giver, life-taker.
powerful, fragile
serene, chaotic
forgiving, harsh
Compassionate, rageful

…But Aikatrine has no time for self-reflection.
She is busy with self-regeneration.”

Ralonda Patterson
Decatur, Texas
“Willow”

You were not always as you appear this day.  You were fearful and lonely.   You turned to learning for a safe haven, a place for you to be acknowledged in a positive light.  Then sprang the hunger to be taught, a desire that was placed within the seed from which you sprang.   Your roots began to thrive in the fertile soil that had been plowed by your ancestors’ faith.   They grew deeper and had tapped into the eternal spring of the Spirit and from it came an understanding….

Now with such poise, you stand in the garden while showers of blessing rain down.  You are forgiven and redeemed, a most beloved creation of the Heavenly Father.   He gives you rest from your enemies and an eternity in the most beautiful garden of all.”

Dot Lewallen
Westerville, Ohio
“Rachel’s Dream”

I close my eyes and am transported to a dream world.  My fingers tingle with a sound permeating the forest as my ears hear the sharp crackling of the pine leaves I step upon.   My nose is being teased with a plethora of smells dancing and embracing with a promise of more if I would follow deeper into the woods….Mother Earth takes time to heal one small flower…

Then I am awake lying in my own bed….I touch the place where the dream woman had kissed me, and can still feel the moisture from her breath.  I know this woman.  I’ve seen her before….The woman was Rachel Carson the author of Silent Sprint, and I had followed her into her dream….

We should all take the mirror we see ourselves in, wipe away the fog, and view our beautiful World with a childlike thrill….”

Joan M. Cromley
Sedro Woolley, Washington
“Yamka Wuti Kachina (Flowering Woman Spirit)”

“As I sit here and prepare you for your future, you represent not just me, but also my mother, my daughter, all the women of the past, present and future….As the sacred Bead Keeper for the women of our village, my job is to perform the ceremonies and rituals in creating our precious beaded treasures. …

Just as my mother made my kachina for my puberty rite, so I am making you for my daughter.  When she comes of age and goes through the Beadway Blessing, you will remind her of all the things she has within her, and all the things she can call on as a woman….”

About Beaded Art Dolls

A Beaded Art Doll is a physical representation in three dimensions, using human figural and expressive characteristics, through the creative use and manipulation of beads. Beads are a unique art medium, allowing multidimensional surface treatment, and phenomenal opportunities for interplay among colors, light, shadow, texture and pattern.   Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this Competition should be immediately recognizable as a “Doll” as defined above.

That said, Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this competition may be realistic, surrealistic, whimsical or imaginary. They may be humanistic, animalistic, caricatures, cartoons, impressions or abstractions. The doll may take many forms, including a figure, purse, box, vessel, puppet, marionette, or pop-up figure.

Beaded Art Dolls should be between 8” and 36” in size. The surface area of the doll must be at least 80% composed of beads.

The doll’s internal form and structure may result from many techniques, materials and strategies. The bead stitches themselves might be used to create the skeletal structure. Various forms of cloth dolls might be stitched or embellished with beads. The underlying structure might be made of polymer clay, wood, ceramic, porcelain, Styrofoam, wire, corn husk, basket weaving, yarns, cardboard, paper, cotton, or some combination of materials. It might be a found form or object.

The Artist is given wide leeway in techniques for how the doll is to be beaded, and may use one particular technique or several. Techniques, for example, may include bead weaving stitches, bead embellishment, bead appliqué, bead knitting, bead crochet, bead embroidery, lampworking. For the 80% of the surface area that must be beaded, these would NOT include the application of rhinestones, sequins, nailheads or studs. The beads may be of any size, shape, color and material.

The Artist may include a doll stand or display support with the Art Doll, though this is not a requirement. This stand or support may be an off-the-shelf piece, or created from scratch by the Artist. It may be a base, a created setting, a decorative box, or frame. The stand or display support need not be beaded.

The Artist may interpret and apply the theme any way she or he chooses. The Beaded Art Doll might be thought of as a plaything; or as a visual representation of a person, feeling, spirit or thing; or as a tool for teaching; or as a method for stimulating emotional development or healing.

As an object of art, the goal of the Doll should be to make a statement, evoking an emotional, cultural or social response, either by the Artist her/himself or by others.

The Doll must be an original work, and may be the work of one Artist or a Collaboration.

Dolls have been a part of human existence for many thousands of years. Whether part of a ritual or part of child’s play, dolls function as symbols for meaning. Sometimes these meanings are broad social and cultural references; other times, these meanings focus on an individual’s relationship with oneself.

ALL DOLLED UP: BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION is more than a beauty pageant. It is a design competition. The Competition will take into account the Artist’s intentions and how well these are incorporated into the design.

ALL DOLLED UP: Beaded Art Doll Competition
www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm

I’m working on some new things. It’s so fun to get back to work. I’ve been dying to get back into the studio, but had to wait a few days for this cold/flu thing to run it’s course.

So today, I got back in the saddle, and put together a couple of things.

I’ve been obsessing about mixed media and my Konstruct Series again.

I’ve been gathering all kinds of “stuff” that inspires me. I have no idea what to do with half of it, but I’m looking forward to seeing where it takes me, and trying to keep open to new possibilities. I find myself turning over in my hands all manner of Flotsam and imagining new uses for it. …some things I’ve been thinking about don’t even have any glass in them! Imagine that!

They’ll be up on my Artfire site soon.

Un univers très personnel et pourtant universel

Entrer dans l’univers de Miss PlusH PlusH, c’est entamer un voyage au pays de l’imaginaire, de la nature et d’une poésie douce-étrange. Petits et grands vont adorer les créations artisanales et les objets graphiques à résonnance éco-ludique de la miss.
Emilie Grau, qui se cache sous la capuche à cornes de Miss PlusH PlusH, réalise elle-même les objets artisanaux et collabore avec de petites entreprises nationales pour les objets réalisés à partir de ses illustrations.
Née en France au début des 80′, à l’ère du tout plastique, Emilie fait partie de cette génération de jeunes créateurs pour qui agir pour demain est essentiel. Décidée à mettre sa créativité au service de la planète, elle a choisit, en créant la marque Miss PlusH PlusH, un projet d’entreprise durable et responsable, pour lequel elle a récemment remporté le Prix régional Envie d’Agir- Défi Jeunes 2009.

Ainsi, Miss PlusH PlusH prouve-t-elle qu’”écologie” peut aussi rimer avec “joli” : un réel parti pris résolument éco-ludique pour des créations poét(h)iques.

This is my latest Creation. I finished her today as I have been taking brief breaks from Custom orders this week. I have a attention span of a flea these days. So, I’ll start a project, or be mid project and I will need to stop and start something else. This Creation is actually a Goblin I already had. You can see her under Goblin Girl and Dragonfly. My husband George has been hounding me for weeks now to change her hair color and add some accents to her to jazz her up. I don’t think he expected what I was about to do. It took me almost 20 hours just to detail her face, body and hands, create new horns and give her new toe socks and a mane. But she is so worth it. I just love her. In fact I had almost convince myself that she was mine last night when I set her on my night table with her long rainbow legs dangling off the edge. I bought some soya silk from Knotty By Nature which I also love to work with. It make her mane so soft. I used some many colors. I didn’t hold back on the Angelina Fiber either. I used Watermelon, Hologram, Black Onyx, Ruby Red, Peacock Blue and Mother Of Pearl. I am hoping to eventually have all 48 colors. I don’t create to my full potential until I have a “full box of crayons” as they say.

I have put her up for adoption on Etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31222004

I’m off to work on custom ordered Dragonfly followed by another custom Rainbow Goblin due to be finished in two weeks. I’ll still find time for Muffet and Spider. Looks like they will be my only Halloween creations this season. Then moving on to Mermaids and Sea Monsters.

I hadn’t made a youtube video in a long time. I decided to give it a shot. When I was creating my Mexican folk art dolls inspired by the etching titled La Calavera de la Catrina by José Guadalupe Posada, I took photos along the way. The video shows how I created the basic form using a recycled table leg, dollar store skeleton and scraps of fabric, lace and other embellishments. It doesn’t show how I clothed or embellished my art dolls. The slide show is meant to encourage more than give step by step instructions. Not ever artist will have the vision, inspiration or the same bits and pieces to embellish their doll.

Go ahead and make your own beautiful doll.

OH!  By the way, the song is called “Rise On”.  It is sung by Anna Coogan and north19.  You can find more of Anna Coogan’s music at www.annacoogan.com.

 
I made a pair of La Catrina dolls a few months back to submit to magazines.  I submitted photos to one magazine.  They were rejected.  It was OK because two of my charms were featured in the next edition of that magazine.  I was going to submit them to Art Doll Quarterly for their recycled doll challenge, but decided I didn’t want to send them off.  I know it’s hard to get a good idea of what a sculptural piece looks like in a couple photos.  I just don’t like the idea of my seasonal art pieces, especially sculptures,  sitting on a shelf unseen for months then possibly rejected.  I finally decided to blog about them instead.

They are made from recycled/re-purposed materials.  The base (hips to floor) is an old wooden table leg.  The fabric and lace are scraps some of which had a previous life in another garment or home decor item.  Most of the materials have been reused or reclaimed.  I did use skeleton torsos and lower arms from a skeleton garland I picked up at the dollar store.

La Catrinas are Mexican female skeleton folk art figures.   They are now a popular decoration for Halloween and Day of the Dead celebration.  Mine are handmade, but I’ve seen quite a few commercially available.   I believe the tradition started with an etching by the artist José Guadalupe Posada. You can find more information by looking at the La Calavera Catrina page on Wikipedia.

I did take photographs as I was crafting my La Catrina folk art dolls. I’m still debating whether to make a video or publish the photos on my blog.  I guess I better hurry up and decide, October, Halloween and/or The Day of the Dead are fast approaching.

I did hand sew many parts of this doll.   I think a crafter or artist can create a La Catrina with a minimal amount of materials, tools and a basic skill set.  It’s great fun finding all sorts of doodads to decorate your dolls.

The Drama Queen comes out again.

This photo (of a doll that I made) is stitched to paper (that I made) and could go in a basket of low-priced items to sell on a craft table.

An earlier post about this is stored as a word file, perhaps never to be opened again.

Suffice it to say that MY Drama Queen is Irish and, when activated, is cruising for a fight!

I don’t think anybody in the SoulCollage® world would care that under this doll’s velvet cape was a skirt made from fabric, including a fabric transfer of a collage that later went on to become a SoulCollage card®.  This doll, this card made from a photo of a doll, is not a SoulCollage® card.  Period.

♥    ♥    ♥

It is not my intention to teach readers about SoulCollage®, but rather to simply share what is percolating in my studio, on my pages, and in my creative process.

To learn about this remarkable process, go to SoulCollage.com, where you can find out about Seena Frost, who developed SoulCollage®. Or, dive into the amazing work and teaching of Anne Marie Bennett on her website, KaleidoSoul.  Anne Marie’s passion for this work is evident on her site.  I am lucky enough to be studying with her next month!

Inspired by the Poe(m), Annabel Lee.

This Art doll and several more will be in the following Gallery show:

“After Poe: Works of Mystery and Imagination”
UMF Art Gallery,
238 Maine Street, Farmington, ME
Dates are Oct. 1st – 28th.

UMF Gallery Website
Poe Events at UMF Blog

Ghost Art Doll – Annabel Lee
Handmade, OOAK art doll. 12 inches tall.
Mixed media including fabric and Paperclay.
Copyright © 2009, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

Annabel Lee Ghost Art Doll

Annabel Lee Ghost Art Doll

CuddleNot

This class is a new class that I am teaching for Joggles.com. It is  scheduled to begin on September 23, 2009.

CuddleNots are not your ordinary type of “cuddly” doll, but they do have some “attitude”!

Your doll will start with common bits and pieces from around the house, add in ice-cream scoop arms and legs… and well it just goes up hill from there!

Most CuddleNots finish roughly around 5″ wide by 14″ tall.

Come join me on this creative adventure thinking outside of the box to create a fun and playful doll.

Christen

This is my latest Fiber Creation. My own version of of a Labyrinth Firey from Jim Henson’s 1986 movie “The Labyrinth”

Although not identical, I think this guy is pretty special. Only after I was almost finished with him did my husband suggest I make it possible to attach and detach his head. Damn! Maybe next time. Although this guy took me weeks upon weeks to finish. A lot to live up to I guess. It was awesome to to the detailing and hair. Always my favourite part.  It was hard to photograph this guy since he’s so long and spindly.

Thanks Stephanie at Knotty By Nature for bringing me more Mulberry Wool in so I could finally finish this Goblin! ?:)

Check him out in my store on Etsy!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7067952

What a HOot

This is my entry for Rosie and Linda’s Awfully Big Art Adventure (ABAA) challenge for this month which was to use a bird theme. There are many talented art pieces and you should take a look!

I muddled over this one for a few weeks, then I came across an embroidery piece that my mom had made with an owl on it. So I went retro and dug out my ’60’s hippie-ness for this one. I pulled out all of my embroidery floss in brown, gold and pumpkin colors (which truthfully may have been purchased in the ’60’s), then I went to JoAnnes and picked up some felt squares.

I drafted the pattern in an hour or so, and have been embroidering for a few days, a few nights and here is Oliver. The legs are a florist wire wrapped in brown paper, the feet are reinforced with cardboard, and the body is stuffed with Polyfill.

Oliver was made for my husband. He is a Social Science teacher and an avid reader (hence the old books in the background). He is very owlish on the inside, but very un-owlish on the outside, so I made a jaunty beret for him to wear. Oliver ordinarily wears the John Lennon glasses (which I had originally bought for my DH), but I couldn’t get a great photo with him wearing them, so they are just off to the left in the pic.

Happy day to you, go retro when the muse suggests to, and enjoy! Christen

PS: My husband says this is one of his favorite pieces that I have made, pretty cool to be married to your best friend!