Inspiration

This is my dear friend Vola at her home after we went out to lunch together a few weekends ago.  Vola has been a dear friend for many many years. The way she lives her life is an inspiration to me and most who are fortunate enough to have crossed her path.  A long time ago she tried to teach me how to quilt.  I wound up making a quilted table runner, realized how much time, work, and effort is involved in quilting and decided to go off into the worlds of doll making, beading, painting, jewelry making, and collage.  I may sometime go back to trying my hand at quilting when I feel I have more time to spend.  But I still use the stitch she taught me that hides how the thread is tacked onto the quilt, and how to use it to end a thread you are using to quilt.  I use it all the time in my doll making.   But, that is a little off topic.

 What is inspiring about Vola is that she spends her life every day trying to do something to make someone else's life just a little bit better.  She lovingly works on quilts daily to give away to all that she knows, to the homeless,and  to the children that are victims of domestic violence.  When she is not busy making quilts to give away with love, she is knitting hats to keep those less fortunate warm in the cold winter months.  I had the good fortune a year and a half ago of sitting beside her at her 90th birthday tea party.  People from near and far came to wish her a happy birthday.  Many shared with me how Vola had touched their lives in a very significant way by her acts of kindness during a difficult part of their life journey.  I have always told Vola that when I grow up I would like to be like her and feel lucky to have her friendship as a part of my life for so many years.  Not only does she inspire my art but she inspires how I try to live my life. 

Kuan Yin Revisited

I started a cloth representation of Kuan Yin quite some time ago and for some reason she was set aside amongst my multitude of unfinished projects.  I worked diligently during the last Figurative Artists Consortium Retreat in Ottawa on her hand beaded lotus blossom seat and never finished her.  So I took her out this weekend, completed her lotus blossom seat, needle-felted mohair for her hair, and have little left but a few finishing touches to do.

For those who did not see the original post, and may be unfamiliar with Kuan Yin, she is known by many as the goddess of compassion, one who hears the cries of all beings. She is also known in Buddhism 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 seen standing or sitting on a lotus blossom. In the representation of Kuan Yin that I have created, she has golden colored skin and is seated in the Bodhisattva pose.  

Spring Garden Asparagus and Artful living

I am so happy to be able to work in my gardens this season! When I work in the gardens I always keep in my mind a great respect and thankfulness for nature.  I also look at the act of gardening as an active meditation and as an art form. So I am so pleased to be able to return to my work in the gardens and the beauty the gardens surround me with.  

There is a story to the asparagus bed.  Quite a few years ago when I had just prepared the bed for the asparagus but had not planted them yet I was near the bed weeding one of my rose beds.  As I was weeding I noticed the ground in the bed rising.  I stopped and really didn't believe my eyes and wondered what was going on.  I went back to my weeding but kept an eye on the bed, with curiosity.  Well the ground continued to rise until all of a sudden a very large turtle rose from the ground and walked out of the bed.  I had never seen anything like that happen before.  I imagine it had laid its eggs there in the soft, sandy soil, but never saw the baby turtles rise.  I took it as a good omen and have had incredible luck with the asparagus in that bed despite the occasions when life gets too full and the bed goes unattended. 

Glinda the Good Witch

This is Glinda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz.  Although she is often depicted as a redhead she just could not resist having lavender hair to match her fine costume.  She is a one of a kind original needle sculpted doll that I created for the MAIDA Storybook Challenge.  She has just been shipped to Prims Magazine to be photographed for the article on the challenge.  How cool is that!

Love is in the Air

I just completed another wedding cake topper. Mr. Furry Bear and Miss Velvet Kitty are ready for their wedding day! Miss Velvet Kitty chose a beautiful mermaid style wedding gown to wear. She is carrying a bridal bouquet of white and light green roses. Aren't they just a dashing couple!

Jewelry Spree

Hi everyone! Well I have been a little behind in posting on my blog but wanted to share the results of a jewelry making spree I had at the end of the holiday season. I enameled the blue and red metal components with my friend Mary during a play day last spring.

Sea Spirit

I used my pin doll pattern that I designed to make a Christmas Ornament. She is called Sea Spirit. I used lace, silver lined beads, and eyelash yarn to embellish her. I used watercolor pencils and prismacolor pencils for her facial coloring.