Art Journal

Halloween

Gypsy Sisters

I have always loved dolls.  Barbie dolls were my most favorite. I think I had every doll plus townhouses and campers too. But the one thing I disliked were were the clothing and shoes. Too difficult to put on and find.  Plus it was soo limiting!  So I made my own...paper towels, tp, basically anything I could find including flowers from our yard and maybe the neighbours too:) for Malibu Barbie and Ken's wedding.  So fast forward, ummmm, thirty something years....  I found maybe 12 plain, muslin , wired 14" dolls at a yard sale and couldn't resist. I wasn't sure what to do with them but trusted that inspiration would come..or they would be a craft for Caroline and friends.  But truly inspiration arrived... thankfully!   I began painting the dolls unusual colors and patterns and then, which is the most fun, found plain white tissue paper and twisted and turned each piece into dresses.  Then came the metallic spray paint and glitter and ribbon and more paint. 

                                                                 Hope you enjoy!

Rooster on the Run

Grace

Irises and Fireflies

Shimmering Shamrock

I made this piece for St. Patrick's Day thinking it might look good as a pin or part of a necklace~ It began to take on a life of its own and now shines in a gilded frame~

Celtic Cross

This is the first in a series of Celtic crosses made in paper mache~

The piece that inspired the idea behind this blog~After suffering a miscarriage a few years ago I felt so distressed that there would never be anything tangible that would reflect or remember this child....I knew I had to create something that would~

This led me to believe that there might me others who desire to honor a specific memory of a beloved person,pet, place or situation that might otherwise be lost to time~

This painting was created with watercolor though the other paintings below are paper mache on canvas. This particular medium creates a 3d effect really allowing the spirit of the subject to shine through~

Bad Rooster Jim~ Years ago, while visiting the Sea Hag, this lovely fellow would lie in wait until he saw the whites of the kids eyes, attacked and a frantic game of chase was on~ Not sure who named him, I think Caroline, but either way he quickly became a family favorite. I always knew I would capture this moment in some form.. it still makes me laugh today~

Virginia Marie~ My beautiful sister...remembering you running around in your orange bathing suit blowing dandelions and chasing the neighbors cats~

This strawberry pot was given to me as a gift years ago. I remember the simplicity of that time, when caring for a plant was a big deal~how things changed~The pot is no longer but the memory and its replacements carry on~

A difficult situation made better~