Hello!!  So this week I’m extra excited about my classwork and projects so it’s another update!  At the beginning of the semester for my Mixed Media class, we were tasked with creating a collection of five pieces.  I chose to make a style of doll I have been hoping to perfect.  Last week I started showing the progress of my final mask project but I wanted to give it more context and show off some more ideas I had!

So this is the mask I began making over the last few weeks.  I have worked on refinement as he has been drying and he is almost ready for his first firing.

This is the body of one of my figures.  He will be roughly two feet tall when completed but will be posed sitting.  He has the most articulation of any of my figures so far but there is always room for improvement.  I want to make art that can be played with like a child’s toy.  Every improvement I make is geared towards my figures withstanding handling and time

This is another mask I have started.  This one is cut metal and when it is finished will be hammered into shape.  I also plan to mount tiny black crystal eyes on this mask, reminiscent of the stop-motion puppets in James and the Giant Peach.

This is the material start of another figure in the collection.  This character is meant to be the embodiment of a fictional character within its own world so he will be made from more earthy, pulpy materials than the figure in his set.  I have been scouting for used hardcover books to construct his trunk and his limbs will be wooden.

I make all the clothing that is worn by my figures.  My absolute favorite thing to make are tiny sweaters.  This is my newest one.  I have a sound enough understanding of basic clothing patterns and can manipulate those proportions to fit my figures.  Clearly this sweater wouldn’t be comfortable for a human but when you are built with your wrists falling below your knees, this will do just fine.

This leads me to my fabric haul!  I have recently discovered the gold mine that is the remnants section of Jo-Ann fabrics.  Since I am essentially making doll clothes, I rarely need more than a few inches of any given material.  Nearly every character has some form of costuming (having performed in theatre, I feel like the costume ties the characters to the world they inhabit the most).  This is the fabric selection for four of my five figures.  I am still brainstorming a costume that will set the last figure apart.

I am so excited to finish these pieces but can’t wait to get them right.  It has been such an incredible experience so far to bring my bare bones work in and learn how to make it even better.  I am lucky that these are transferable skills for me and that the time I’m spending learning how to cut fine metals and weld and solder can benefit my ceramics work.  This has been an invaluable exercise in invention and creation and I can’t wait for more!

Oh and here’s a photo of my work buddy, since the weather has broken, we have been relying on the great outdoors as our well ventilated area!

What’s Playing-  Full disclosure, my favorite movie is American Psycho.. I watch it on repeat while I make my work so this song has been stuck in my head.  But when I watched the video, I learned how beautifully ironic the video was and I can’t help but feel it fits.  I want my work to feel out of place but complete and I think this is an excellent soundtrack.