Season's Greetings

Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season and wonderful New Year!

Entering the World of Romance

Now that my Bridgette online class is over I have immersed myself completely into my next project, Claudette.  Claudette will be a very romantic version of the cage doll.  And since Claudette lives in the world of romance guess what fantasy world I have been living in lately? I should be decorating my home and getting ready for the holidays but instead I just can’t seem to leave Claudette’s world of romance.  I spent the past few days playing with paper, paint, and cardboard to create the romantic and vintage style frame and flowers that will be used in her embellishment.  I woke up ridiculously early this morning and had to “gild” the frames by using an idea that just popped into my head. 

Of course this fantasy world has also influenced my search for the end of the internet.  I thought I would share a few romantic tidbits I found this week.

Did you know that December is one of the biggest times of year for getting engaged?  According to an article in USA Today (that of course I found online) the four big proposal days of the year are Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s. 

The Romantics, an American power pop and new wave band from Detroit, Michigan formed in 1977 on Valentine’s Day according to Wikipedia.  You can hear them perform one of their hits “What I like About You” on youtube by clicking on this link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqnw5IfbZOU

Enjoy!

The Beginnings of Claudette

As my online class Bridgette is winding down on A for Artistic I have been working on my next project, Claudette.  She was inspired by words I remembered from one of my dreams, by cage dolls, half dolls, a good sale on pretty bird cages that I found at Michael’s, Marie Antoinette fashions, and Romance.  She is far from complete, just in her beginning stages, but I thought you might want to see how she is turning out so far.  

Inspiration

I’ve always loved antique dolls and always have found inspiration in them.  Over the years I have gathered a small collection of vintage dolls.  I usually find them in an antique shop on my travels.  As I was traveling to Vermont this week I stopped at an antique shop and found this beauty.  She is a German made papier-mâché half doll.  I believe she is from the 1920’s era.  These dolls were often used as a topping for a pin cushion, candy box topper, powder box topper, table brush, etc.  Although I have a few china half dolls she is my first papier-mâché one.  I wonder what new creation I will be inspired to create now!

P.S. P.S.  Although my Bridgette online class is coming close to its ending it’s still not too late to join in on the fun.  For more information about the class click on the following link

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

 

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

Fourth Month as a Full time Artist and Happy Halloween!

Okay, so today I wake up in the wee hours of the morning and head downstairs so I don't wake up my sleeping husband who still needs to leave the home to make a living (correction, still feels like he needs to).  I fix a small pot of tea and read over the daily news until my husband trundles down the stairs and starts heading off to work.  I send him off with a kiss and a hug and the biggest Cheshire cat grin.  I then get out my needle and thread and the needle sculpted head I am working on.  I feel like a kid in a candy store.  I can't get over the sheer pleasure of feeling like I am playing hooky from WORK every day.  I get up and get to play all day long creating whatever I wish.  I get to teach my art online while getting to chat with and make friends with doll makers from all over the world.  Granted, I am living on much less income than when I wasn't playing hooky from work but life is soo much better.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the fall and all of its spectacular colors more this year than many, many before.  Life is slower and simpler.  Life is calm and relaxed.  Life is so less stress.  Life is, well just wonderful!

While I have been enjoying this new lifestyle I have had more time to connect with others that share this lifestyle from time to time.  One doll artist that I am friends with on facebook, Rhissanna (her blog is here http://rhissanna.blogspot.com/ ), also creates these amazing little tea sets that can be used as doll props.  She posted one that she just finished a while ago and after looking at it I knew I had to have it.  Well I really didn't Have to have it but I wanted it pretty bad.  So, I messaged her and wound up purchasing the set.  She lovingly packed it up and sent it off in a hurry.  It's called an Absinthe tea set.  I've had it in my china cabinet since.  But today is Halloween so my lavender ladies, Bridgette and Mistique, decided to have an Absinthe tea party, silly girls.  Don't they look like they are having fun?

Wishing you a Happy Halloween!

P.S.P.S. I am still teaching how to create your own Bridgette online at A for Artistic.  It's not too late to sign up!  You can find out more about the class here   http://www.aforartistic.com/bridgette-with-marla-l-niederer-cloth-doll-artist.html

Why I teach the art of doll making

In light of the unsettling news this past week of the Ottawa shooting on Parliament hill and the world affairs that are disturbing to us all, I have to ask myself what is the relevance of teaching doll making?  What is the relevance of what I do on a day to day basis? 

Ottawa is a city that I frequent and love.  Part of the reason why I love where I live is its proximity to Ottawa.  When I think of Ottawa I think of the diversity of culture that is celebrated.  I think of the art, music, and song that flourishes there.  I think of the museums, the events, the markets, the food, and last but not least the people.  I belong to a doll making group in Ottawa where I have had the honor of becoming friends with some of the kindest warm hearted and talented ladies I know.  My daughter in law and stepson live near Ottawa and work in Ottawa. 

So what is the relevance of teaching the art of doll making?  Most of my life I have worked in the helping professions. Early in my adult life I worked in the health care field where I tried to bring comfort to the elderly and infirm.  I then entered the field of education where I taught my students to utilize their strengths to overcome their needs and use all kinds of tricks to get around the things that stood in their path so they could gain and maintain meaningful employment.  These are not things that solve the problems of the world or decrease violence but these were purposeful activities that I liked to think had some sort of positive impact on the little part of the world I lived in.

I have recently become a full time doll artist and teach the art of doll making.  I am currently teaching an online class on A for Artistic and have just recently had a proposal to teach at the 2015 spring Philadelphia Art Doll and Teddy Bear show accepted (which by the way I find so way cool). So again, I ask what is the relevance of teaching the art of doll making?  How meaningful and purposeful is this?

Quite a few years ago I met a woman that made very time intensive and very beautiful dolls and horses out of cloth at a conference.  While we were chatting away she shared with me the reason why she created her dolls and horses.  She stated, “it gives me something beautiful to think about every day.”  Her quote remained with me and comes to my mind often when I think about why I create.  It truly does give me something beautiful to think about every day.  During high stress periods of my life I would often stop and think about my doll making project.  My project gave me something beautiful to think about, something calm and peaceful to focus on.  I have always found my doll making and my art very calming and stress reducing.

When I create I enter in a peaceful state of bliss.  Some call it the “zone.”  It is a state of mind that artists, athletes, martial artists, dancers, musicians share when their entire focus is placed on performing a single activity during one moment in time.  During this state one becomes completely immersed in the activity to the point where one becomes completely lost in the act.  One becomes at one with the act.  The act becomes a form of meditation, much like walking meditation.

About four months ago I left the field of public education and became a full time artist.  I create and engage in art every day.  I am immersed in my art.  I lose track of time.  Sometimes I forget to eat.  I work during the early hours of the day into the late hours of the night.  I laugh more often, smile almost always, and find myself calm and at peace almost all of the time.  My heart sings.

Throughout life and as an educator I have learned that one cannot change how others act or behave.  To enact change, one can only change oneself.  I have no control over world events, over violence, over the behavior of others.  All I have control over are my own acts, my own behaviors, my own response to the actions of others.  Thich Nhat Hanh, a great spiritual leader and peace activist, teaches that in order to create peace you must create peace within oneself first.

Why do I teach the art of doll making?  Is there a purpose?  After truly contemplating this question the answer I have is this:  I teach others how to engage in an activity that brings me great peace and joy.  It brings my mind to a state of calm.  It makes my heart sing.  If I can share that ability with others so they too can enter a state of bliss and have their heart sing maybe it doesn’t change world events, maybe it doesn’t create world peace.  But maybe, just maybe, it brings something positive to the little part of the world I live in.  

P.S. P. S., It's not too late to sign up for my online class Bridgette on A for Artistic.  You can find out more about it here http://www.aforartistic.com/bridgette-with-marla-l-niederer-cloth-doll-artist.html