My direction is in manifesting Spirit, through exploring personifications of the elements, the seasons, and faces of the Goddess. The Grandmothers are now the strongest voice, the crone, the elder wise women of past and present time, especially the Siberian shamans and the power of the drum. But my earliest roots were in the Fantasy realms and a love of winged creatures is still strong too. Having a growing dragon to feed every morning makes it easier to stay in touch. (see Dragon Princess)
The process of watching a new face, a new character, emerge from a simple ball of clay in my hands, is the most amazing thing. I am a midwife, birthing this new energy force and must listen very carefully to help it grow strong. This head establishes the character and directs me in completing its body. I love having a number of little heads sitting around the studio telling me what to do.
These characters, like those in a developing story, all have their own will regarding who they shall become. Of course I may start with a sketch, a photo or an idea, but like growing children who refuse parental guidance, the process is an adventure full of surprises of all sorts. Finally a little character comes together, rather like completing a puzzle. Their separate connecting parts are finally assembled in just the right order until the whole picture is present in every detail, and we both breathe a sigh of relief.
Predictably I sculpt and paint, build armatures, stuff and sew bodies, make wigs or wings and design patterns, sew clothing, build props, and yet I am always drawn into learning new techniques and materials. I stubbornly resist the call of production, of even limited editions. That's what I love about this, always creating something new and as individual as the life around us-or within us-and sometimes more so.
Manifesting one's vision in this dimension of course depends entirely upon the materials one has on hand. Working in mixed media requires a lot of Stuff. I am a Saver and Recycler as was my Mother before me. You never know when something will come in handy, right? All those precious little scraps from the cutting room floors in Sequin City (Hollywood), and others that I have moved cross-country numerous times for the past 30 years. . . I know it's crazy, but they come in quite handy. My challenge is knowing just where to find that perfect thing when I actually need it. ("I know it's here somewhere. . .") My actual studio is a sensory overload for visitors. I have in the past contemplated giving it all up for the simple life of a pad of paper, pencil and box of watercolors. It didn't work.
A phrase which has followed me for over two decades was "I am a misplaced maker of magic, and I have not yet found my home." This year I found my long-standing passion for creating little people has grown a name and a following, "Doll-Art." I like to think that in dedicating myself at long last to this artform that I have, indeed, come home.
