Online Classes offered....!

http://www.aforartistic.com/Pandora.html

My class in creating a MaryHoonie is beginning soon.  http://www.aforartistic.com/maryhoonie.html
It is made up of two lessons and is a great way to prepare for another class coming in June called "Pandora and the Seven Sins."
Of all my pieces, Pandora is one of my very favorites. 
I love the size….and the complexity and inter-action of the piece.  It's just fun!  And always makes me smile.
Choose your "Sin" for the day by reaching into Pandora's belly!  :)
This piece was published in a wonderful article in the Spring 2009 issue of Art Doll Quarterly.
"Pandora" sits on a turntable base so that the piece can be turned to show all the Sins, when they are out of Pandora's belly. ( and "Hope" which always is there, safe within ) The lessons include directions in sculpting, painting, costuming, creating a base, collage work, and the art of the final touches. The materials will include apoxie sculpt, paverpol, polymer clay, and many of the products that I have come to  trust and use, over the years.  It is divided into two parts:  First, Creating Pandora and then creating the individual Sins.

I have used a gourd to create Pandora, however, if gourds are difficult to come by, you could use two plastic bowls for the form.  One for the lower part of her body and one for the upper part of her body.  Then you could create her torso out of aluminum foil.    I'm not sure if the hinging would work with the plastic bowls, but that isn't really necessary.   I have found, with foil and apoxie sculpt, one can do anything!  :)  And if you decide to use this alternative, just contact me with questions and I can add directions in the forum or through email.

Hope you can join the fun!    http://www.aforartistic.com/Pandora.html   












         

Announcement!

A good friend and a talented and wise woman, Roanna Rosewood has just released a wonderful and powerful new book "Cut, Stapled, & Mended" and in doing so, is  giving away hundreds of dollars worth of valuable gifts, just in time for Mother’s Day. 
My online "Leaf pod baby class" is one of the free gifts.

“I love the rational left brain of Roanna Rosewood. And the massive power of her women’s wisdom which got to her, as it always does, through her body during birth. Cut, Stapled and Mended is engaging, honest, and courageous."
- Christiane Northrup, M.D., ob/gyn physician and author of the New York Times bestsellers: Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom  and The Wisdom of Menopause

This one-day opportunity disappears at midnight.   http://www.cutstapledandmended.com/   
Check it out! 

Transformation Found!

To any of you who have been following my blog, you know that I have spoken and posted photos of the Monarch butterfly bush on our road, often.  It never ceases to fascinate me and when the grandkids come, it is a must visit spot. However, as I have shared....over the past couple of years, I just couldn't find the cocoons.  I found the caterpillars and I saw the butterflies....but it was a mystery as to where the chrysalises were.  They certainly were no where that I could see and I searched high and low all over the bush.

So today I was talking to the gardener and sharing my dilemma and he smiled and said "come with me"....up the driveway we walked and under the porch edge we looked....about 50 feet away....and there they were!  Hanging like precious jewels!  Some opened and some awaiting the full transformation. That's a long long way for a caterpillar to travel, but I guess we all would do anything for the promise of transformation.

This well eaten bush is where it begins.  The butterfly drops the eggs, the eggs hatch and the tiny caterpillar eats the leaves and grows and grows.....and then drops from the bush down to the road and slowly, oh so slowly, inches up the driveway, through the plants, up the wall and attaches itself to the overhang of the porch. 

There the jewel hangs...while within...magic is happening.  From a grounded caterpillar to a the flitting, flying, soaring miracle of a butterfly.  Then the butterfly somehow knows to return to the bush and lay her eggs....and the cycle continues.  Wow!  The cycle of life...just down the road....on a little bush in paradise.

I have two new online classes up and ready for signing up.  The first one is in creating a Faerie Throne.  They are so fun and easy to make.  As you can see by the photos, I just couldn't stop.  Only $20!  Find out more here: http://www.aforartistic.com/Faerie-Throne.html

If you haven't taken an online class before, this is a great one to begin with.  I love teaching online, and I myself take lots of classes this way.  It's so convenient and can work into my own timing and schedule.  And no travel costs!

The second class ( which actually comes up first, at the end of this month ) is on creating two different rabbits with the use of a gourd, apoxie sculpt, buttons and a touch of pussy willow.  For more information, click here: http://www.aforartistic.com/whimsical-wabbit.html

I'd love to see you in class.  If you do sign up, let me know that you heard about it on my blog.  I'd love to create with you!

Feathers make the bird....

We've been tearing out our kitchen and so no time in the studio....except today when I stole a few minutes and added some color and some feathers....In my mind, when I began, she was going to be all white....but my mind never rules.... :)

Costuming....feathers and netting...

Antique black netting with tiny iridescent sequins.....a subtle crackle glaze and touches of gold paint....

Magenta  feathers....hmmmm....what next for this little bird....

Just the beginning....my daughter and granddaughter arrive tomorrow so I won't get to work on it much......

She begins to appear.....

A new piece in process...

Cleaning out my studio and finding the bird heads has inspired a new piece.  Not quite sure what she will end up looking like, but she will be part bird/part human.

I don't usually work this way...with the armature first and I rarely use apoxie sculpt for the body, but I just have to step outside of my box and stretch myself.  Otherwise creating loses that wonderful edge that risk brings and that edge, I think, creates good/great pieces

So the body was built on wire with apoxie sculpt, which I really enjoyed.  I could get the legs and body really smooth.  The head was sculpted with Prosculpt.

Her arms and torso will also be painted white and my thought now is that they will be covered with black antique netting that I have, with tiny sequins on it.  So the white will show through.

She will be a black & white bird, with magenta highlights.....maybe.....

More to come......  :)

A Bone Faery to heal bones.....

Here is a little bone fae, created with mink bones, and donated to Robin's Relief Fund auction.  These have sold for $450 at the Chalk Farm Gallery, so you can pick up this little guy for a lot less and help a wonderful woman heal.  You can see the auction on ebay by clicking here:

Read about Robin's story here: http://robinsullins.com/

     You can read more on the creating of these faeries here and here: