Goddess Online Class

The Goddess by Marla L. Niederer

I’m very pleased to announce that I will be teaching the Goddess as an online class for the first time for AforArtistic September 23 2019!

The Goddess by Marla L. Niederer

The Goddess was inspired by Kuan Yin, a Goddess of Compassion, one who hears the cries of all beings.  Others know her as a Bodhisattva, one who puts off Nirvana in order to liberate all sentient beings. Many representations of Kuan Yin depict her as a beautiful oriental woman in flowing gowns carrying a vessel filled with the waters of compassion.  She is often depicted standing or sitting upon a lotus blossom. 

 

The Goddess by Marla L. Niederer

In this interpretation of Kuan Yin, I chose to place a hand crafted and hand painted lotus blossom upon her head as a headdress.  She wears a skirt and shawl of hand painted cheesecloth which represent the waters of compassion.  Her costume is hand beaded with silver lined glass beads. 

 

The Goddess by Marla L. Niederer

The Goddess is a 19” tall needle sculpted, hand painted art doll with ball joints and a facial cloth overlay.  The head has very unique sculpted eyes utilizing an advanced technique that gives the appearance of inset eyes.  In this class you will learn a variety of unique needle sculpting techniques such as how to attach a cloth overlay on the face, creating a swivel neck, creating ball joints at the hips, knees, ankles, elbows and wrist. In addition, the class presents instruction on how to utilize tube and pencil watercolors for skin tone and facial coloration.  Unique costuming design is included in instruction along with how to needle felt a hairdo. This workshop is designed to stretch your cloth art doll making skills to a whole new level!

 

The Goddess by Marla L. Niederer

I can’t wait for the class to begin and hope to see you there!

You can find more information about the class and how to sign up by clicking on this link to AforArtistic.

 https://www.aforartistic.com/goddess

Until next time…..

warm hugs,

Marla

Treasures from the Past

Puppet created by J. Emery Kelley

Some days the sun just smiles on you.  I received a phone call the other day from a friend inviting me to view an incredible private collection of puppets created in the 1940’s.  

Puppets by J.Emery Kelley

The puppets were created by J. Emery Kelley who had been a music teacher in Binghamton NY.  She not only created these incredible puppets but also put on shows for the area children. 

Puppets by J.Emery Kelley

It was such an amazing experience to walk into a home filled with J. Emery Kelley’s life work. 

Puppets by J.Emery Kelley

The pictures do not do justice to the fine detail in the costuming and the expressions on all of their faces. 

Puppet by J. Emery Kelley

Included in the collection were a series of watercolor pictures of the puppets.

Watercolor by M. Foster Kelley

I feel so fortunate to have had an opportunity to view this beautiful collection from the past.

Watercolor by M. Foster Kelley

until next time………

Warm hugs,

Marla

Goddess by Marla L. Niederer

P.S.  I am getting ready to teach The Goddess for the first time online this September on AforArtistic.  Hope to see you there!

Romance is the Music of Life

Think back to a time when your heart was filled with romance.  A time when all the colors in the world were more vibrant, when you danced in the rain on a whim, when everything was brighter, when waves of laughter were easier to capture, when the world was viewed with wide eyed wonder, and when your heart was filled with song. 

Claudette by Marla L. Niederer

This is the world that Claudette belongs to, the world of romance.  The world in which harsh realities, worries, and cares cease to exist.  A world in which you are invited to enter.

 

Claudette by Marla L. Niederer

You are invited to join me in an online class Claudette, a cloth needle sculpted mixed media cage doll,

I was inspired to create Claudette, after waking up with remembered words from a dream.  The words were:  Romance is the Music of Life.  Her creation was also inspired by cage dolls, half dolls, Marie Antoinette fashions, and of course romance.

 

Claudette by Marla L. Niederer

If you wish to find out more about the Claudette online class starting on February 12, 2019 or wish to sign up, you can click on this link to AforArtistic.

https://aforartistic.com/claudette-a-cage-doll-marla-l-niederer-cloth-doll-artist.html

 

Bridgette by Marla L. Niederer

I also have several art doll making instant downloadable PDF tutorials for sale in my shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/OrsinisAngels

 

Moulin Rouge Dancers by Marla L. Niederer

If you are interested in taking a live doll making class from me I am scheduled to teach my Moulin Rouge Dolls workshop at Artistic Figures in Cloth & Clay in Columbus Ohio April 25^th – 28, 2019

www.CyndysDolls.com

 

La Fae Verte by Marla L. Niederer

I am also scheduled to teach a class on how to make dragonfly wings for dolls and bears at the Philadelphia Artist Doll & Teddy Bear Convention May 2^nd -4^th

http://www.quinlanmuseum.com/convention/

Until next time…….

warm hugs,

Marla

Nature’s Gifts

I wake up early in the morning on most days excited to get to work in my studio and one morning I had the good fortune to witness the most glorious sunrise right outside my living room window.  I took a few photos and thought you might enjoy seeing this one. 

As far as doll making, I have been working away this week on a cage doll and a second Bridgette.  I will share some pictures soon.

P.S. P.S. It’s not too late to still sign up for the Bridgette online class on A for Artistic.  You can find out more information by clicking here

http://www.aforartistic.com/bridgette-with-marla-l-niederer-cloth-doll-artist.html

How to transition from a full time job to becoming a full time artist

I am in the process of transitioning from working full time with a full time pay check to becoming a full time artist without the full time paycheck.  Jumping into the starving artist realm has always been financially scary for me so I have pretty much always worked full time with my art placed on the back burner.  But as any of you artists out there that have made the same choices by now know, it is really difficult to find the time to create when you have exhausted most of your energy into making a living outside of the art field and keeping up with your other responsibilities in life.   So I finally set aside 51 days last summer to create art every day.  It was wonderful!  I couldn't wait to get up each morning and start my art projects for the day.  Thoughts of my artwork filled every waking moment and filled my dreams as I slept.    I smiled so often my smile grew wider than the Cheshire Cat grin.  My heart sang.  I glowed with inner calm and contentment.  I even lost some unwanted weight.  One of my dolls won the people’s choice award at the Figurative Artist Consortium in Ottawa.  Another one of my dolls won second place in a Doll Street Dreamer’s contest.  I taught an online doll making class on A for Artistic.  Then I went back to work.  I gained back the weight.  My heart doesn’t sing like it did last summer.  My smile isn't as wide as the Cheshire Cat’s grin.  I stopped glowing.   Life is short.  I am fortunate that my husband has always been my number one fan and has always encouraged my growth as an artist.  My husband and I had several conversations and both agreed that it was time to take my art off the back burner and leave the education field earlier than we had originally planned for me to do.   So as of July 1^st this summer I will be a full time artist.  I plan to share with you what works and doesn't work during this transition and first year of living the full time artist dream.    I will share some of the things we have been doing to prepare for this change in a later post.  Until then I am wishing all of you well and hope you are able to find some time to be creative.

 

P.S.  If you are interested in taking my online class Mistique it is starting on May 22^nd and you can sign up for it by clicking on the link below.

http://www.aforartistic.com/mistique-cloth-ball-jointed-doll-with-marla-niederer.html