The Call of the Mermaid

Sometimes inspiration is so strong it calls me out of sleep.  I have been waking in the wee hours of the morning, early enough to see the mists rolling across the fields, for the past two days.  It is as if this tiny little mermaid is too impatient to be created and decided to call me out of my sleep.  Isn’t it wonderful to be so happy to do what you do that you can’t wait to wake up in the morning to start your day? 

If you are interested in taking an online art doll class, I am teaching Poinsettia on A for Artistic.  

The class begins July 10^th for Christmas in July.  It’s never too early to start making gifts for the holidays!  If you would like to learn more about the class just click on the link to A for Artistic below.

http://www.aforartistic.com/christmas-in-july-poinsettia-with-marla-niederer-cloth-doll-artist.html

Just Wanted to Share Some Pictures

Hi Everyone!  I just wanted to share some pictures that were sent to me by a couple of students that just finished taking two of my recent classes. One of the things I love the most about needle-sculpting is that no two dolls look alike because they are individually sculpted and painted.  I just love how Jack and June used the techniques I taught to infuse the dolls they created with their own personality! 

 This is the class doll that Jack was taught in Advanced Needle-Sculpting in Tulsa.

This is the doll Jack Chowning created.

This is the online class doll that June was taught on A for Artistic.

This is the doll June Silberman created.

What fun!

If you are interested in taking an online class I will be teaching a Christmas in July class called Poinsettia on A for Artistic starting July 9^th.

If you are interested in learning more about the class you can click here

http://www.aforartistic.com/classes/open-classes/christmas-in-july-poinsettia-with-marla-niederer-cloth-doll-artist.html

Advanced Needle Sculpting in Tulsa

 I just wanted to share some picture of the Advanced Needle Sculpting Class I recently taught in Tulsa. I enjoyed every minute of teaching the class!  The Tulsa Dolling Dames are a wonderfully talented and fun group of cloth doll artists.  

You can see more pictures on their facebook page by clicking on this link 

https://www.facebook.com/TulsaDollingDames

Class at Quinlan Show

I just wanted to share some pictures taken at the Quinlan Artist Doll and Teddy Bear Convention in Philadelphia where I had the pleasure of teaching a class on how to needle sculpt a cloth doll head and how to use watercolors for skin tone and facial coloration.  

It was an absolutely wonderful experience.  The class was a lot of fun to teach. The convention is a wonderful setting to meet other artists and make lots of new friends.  I hope you join me in attending the convention next year!

Happy Mother's Day

Hope you enjoy a wonderful mother's day today:-)

Do you Ever Wonder Where Inspiration Comes From?

I just wanted to share where my inspiration came from for one of my latest creations, Claudette.   I have always been a bit fascinated with Santos or cage dolls and when I saw a sale on decorative bird cages I had to buy them and try my hand at creating one.  Shortly afterwards I woke up from a dream remembering the words, “Romance is the Music of Life.”  It just seemed like the perfect theme for my cage doll.  So, I decided to create an altar to romance inside of the birdcage by filling it with handmade crepe paper flowers and a handmade frame filled with a romantic picture.  While searching for a picture to place in the frame I found a portrait of Queen Charlotte painted by Esther Denner in 1761 on Wikipedia.  I fell in love with her costume.  The bodice and ruffled choker created for Claudette were inspired by this painting.  I didn’t use it for the picture in the frame of the altar because I found a painting of Princess Henriette playing the viola by Jean-Marc Nattier that seemed much more appropriate for the theme.  Once I start working on a project it seems like inspiration for different aspects of the project just seem to keep popping up all around me!

It’s not too late to sign up for the online class Claudette: a Cage Doll.  If you would like more information about the class click on the link below :-)

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

Getting Ready to Visit Tulsa

I am so excited to be visiting Tulsa this May at the request of the Tulsa Dolling Dames!  I was so pleased to be invited to teach a class for them that I created a doll with advanced ball jointing techniques that I have never taught before.  The doll has a swivel head also.  I have even been playing with techniques to inset eyes in a needle-sculpted head with a cloth overlay for the class.  This is the doll for the class.  I still need to complete painting the body.  The class will also involve using watercolors for skin tone and facial coloring.
Hope you are enjoying a very creative week :-)