Emily Eckel

Looking Forward to 2012

2012-01-22T12:42:00.001-05:00

This year I am taking a different approach to my creative activity goals. I am expanding them to include more aspects of my creative efforts. Joyce Compton says goals should be measurable, obtainable, and tangible. That makes sense to me.
Dolls

Make progress towards a group exhibition with Chris Fondi and Joyce Compton.

Finish the hard copy portfolio to show gallery owners.

Artist statement
Brief bio
Resume
Photos

Identify 3 specific potential venues and communicate with owners.
Continue to make and photograph dolls for the show. This must be a coherent body of work.

Submit work to at least one local exhibit and one magazine.
Finish or toss works in progress that are cluttering the studio.

Artisan Buttons

Etsy Shop

Build the shop to contain four pages of product.
Develop at least six products that do not require unique photos and descriptions.
Learn to use the Facebook page and twitter account for social media marketing.
Learn to use the productivity tools that Etsy provides.

Craft Fairs

Maintain a separate stock of product for craft fairs.
Participate in at least one craft fair.

Earn more money from the shop than in 2011.

At the end of the year assess whether or not Artisan Buttons has a realistic possibility of providing supplemental (and fun) retirement income.

Woodworking

Work at least one day a month at Lillian St. wood shop. Try for two days a month.
Build a major project. This will probably be the couch I need.
Help Beth Rogers develop the shop.

House

Finish the guest room.
Build a closet.
Build another section on the deck. By the end of summer the deck should be big enough to host a dinner party.

Blog

Update at least three times a month.
Report on progress towards these goals.
Refine and enlarge the galleries at the top of the blog.

Have Fun

Looking Back at 2011

2012-01-22T10:50:00.002-05:00

2011 was, like most years, a challenging but rewarding year. There were meaningful art making experiences but there were also life events that tested my ability to cope. As I look back I appreciate family and friends as well as the privilege in my life.

Last year I wrote some art related goals. Let's see how I did.

Submit 4 pieces of work for publication in magazines

Chris Fondi, Joyce Compton and I submitted paper dolls to an Art Doll Quarterly competition. We know the package was received by the magazine but we never heard anything nor did we get our dolls back.
I submitted a plushie to Stuffed magazine. They politely rejected my entry and returned the figure.
I made a Momiji doll for a British competition held by Selvedge magazine. My entry was published on their website but not in the magazine. The doll itself was lost in shipping back to the US.
I found publication success when I submitted an article about the Stockinette dolls to Art Doll Quarterly. It took all year to process but I just received the magazine and the article looks good.

Submit work to 2 Pittsburgh juried exhibits

I submitted photos to a Fiberarts guild exhibit instead of taking the work to the jury. I did this because the jury was held when I couldn't attend. The work was not accepted.
This goal wasn't met. Local events are more demanding than internet and publications in terms of being at specific places at specific times.

Have a gallery exhibit with Chris Fondi and Joyce Compton

This did not happen. We are working on developing our portfolios and locating a venue. It is still a goal.

Attend at least 2 events of local arts organizations

Fiberarts guild show
Fiberarts International
Ellsworth Ave gallery shows
First Friday down town
Worked at the Etsy table at the Hand Made Arcade

Update this blog at least three times a month

This goal was met for most of the year. Near the end of 2011 life got demanding and I took a break. This is the first post after the hiatus. My goggle rank is much improved and I have 59 followers.

Publish a simple free pattern online

Goal met at the AFIC doll makers conference.

Take professional quality photographs of 8 pieces of work

Doree Baumgard and Tom Henkel both photographed my work. I'm now working on learning more about taking professional quality photos of my work.

Attend Artistic Figures in Cloth conference

I attended and won a second place ribbon in the original doll design with my Leafkicker. His feet and legs are made from axes.

Attend or host 10 doll club events

This goal was met. We get together most Tuesday evenings and all day one Saturday a month. We are no longer calling ourselves a "club" and now use the term "collective" because it is more accurate.

In addition:

I spent time working at the Lillian St wood shop and I've begun regaining my old woodworking skills. I have to thank Beth Rogers for the opportunity.

I opened and maintained an Etsy shop to sell hand crafted buttons. This is an effort to develop a supplemental income stream in preparation for retirement. There has been a steady trickle of sales.

In summary I feel OK about what I got done last year. I also worked full time and I had significant caregiving responsibilities for an elderly family member. The best thing that I have done to get myself art time was to hire a cleaning lady. I do not have to spend precious weekend time on that!

I participated in a fiberarts supply crafts fair.

Learning from Photographs

2011-12-05T07:17:00.001-05:00

When I see photos of my work I somehow see the work differently. Its a fresh perspective that sometimes is helpful. This happened recently when I had a series of shadow boxes photographed. I liked the contents but the boxes looked shabby. So shabby that I cropped away the boxes from the photos.

Yesterday I built a new shadowbox to accommodate this work. There are a lot of decisions left about how to finish the piece. But my gut tells me it is much improved.

The most challenging thing about making this box was becoming reacquired with using a router. There were several routers that I could have worked with but I choose the one that was most familiar to me. It's been over a decade since I used a router. It was scarey. I had to finish building the router table. I had to remember how to use the jigs. I had to change a bit that hadn't been changed in years. But I did all that and it feels good. Now I'm ready to try the other routers.

In other parts of the shop Beth Rogers oiled the pieces of her lovingly made trestle table.

Elaine Fuller painted some details on the tale that I made a few weeks ago.

Craft Fair Success

2011-11-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

The Indie Knit and Spin craft fair was a successful first time event. There were steady crowds and sales were surprisingly good. I sold more buttons than I expected. Joyce Compton also had good sales of her felting kits. Things went well enough that I will consider doing other craft fairs.

Knitters and spinners tend to be passionate about their craft.

The displays I built worked well. I was particularly happy with the spinner display racks that are made from old floor lamps, scrap lumber and PVC pipe.

Small children were attracted to the buttons on the table cloth. This photo was taken just before the doors opened.

All of the displays were made from recycled materials.

Handmade Arcade & Craft Booth Design

2011-11-13T08:19:00.001-05:00

The Handmade Arcade was held at the David Lawrence Convention Center yesterday. This craft fair used to be held at the Construction Junction but it has grown and become better organized. The new venue was roomy enough to handle the steady crowds that came to see the 140 creative local vendors. I was there to represent the Steel Town Etsy team. It was fun to work the Etsy table, interact with the crowd and get to know some of the artisans. I especially enjoyed working with the other volunteers at the Etsy table.

I did a walk about and took a few photos of venders' booths. I was looking at the craft booth designs with a critical eye to get ideas for our table at the Indie Knit and Spin craft fair next week. Joyce Compton and I have a week to finish the preparations for our first vending adventure.

A cheerful vendor with a well organized space, great use of color.

L shaped display, good lighting and creative use of old windows.

The fencing on the left is a compact vertical display wall.

Check out the banner and spotlights shining on the merchandise.

The best booths create a sense of space and have a distinct atmosphere that is part of the artist's brand. They also make use of vertical space to have displays at eye level.

Portfolio

2011-11-10T07:57:00.000-05:00

Tom Henkel took photos of the dolls I am currently making. It took a while to get the images from him but they have finally arrived. The first two characters are from a series of busts made from lamp parts and traditional doll making techniques.

The girl on the scooter is the same scale and is about three feet tall.

A Crankie Folk Singer

2011-11-07T15:57:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a good day. A group of six artists spent the day at the Lillian Street studio working on a variety of projects. Elaine Fuller continued to paint the walls vibrant colors. Beth Rogers and Chris Fondi built some storage units and worked on Beth's trestle table. Joyce Compton made origami shopping bags from newspaper and pitched in on various projects when help was needed. I built a quick drawing table. It has mismatched legs, two of which are made from a tree branch. Elaine will be adding touches of color to this one but most of it will remain wood.

Ellen Gozian (the crankie folk singer) made her first visit to Lillian. She wanted me to build a crankie box. A crankie is a gizmo that displays a story scroll to illustrate a folksong. It took a bit of design work but here is the crankie that I built for her.

Ellen brought an illustrated the scroll made with a paper collage technique. The scroll attaches to dowel rods and the top lifts off to allow for changing scrolls. We also built the crankie so that it can be back lit or front lit. With back lighting the applied paper cutouts will appear as silhouettes. With front lighting the colored papers will show. When the crankie was complete Ellen gave us a performance.

It was the first showtime at the Lillian Street studio! A good time was had by all. I'm looking forward to attending one of her shows to see the crankie in a public performance.

Miina Äkkijyrkkä

2011-10-30T12:44:00.000-04:00

It's so good to be home after traveling for work.

This post is part of an occasional series about artists that I find inspiring and would like to support.

I am charmed by the work of Miina Äkkijyrkkä. She is a Finnish artist who sculpts large cows from cars. She also raises cows on her farm. I like the color, the scale and the exuberance of her work.

To see more of her work check out her website. http://www.akkijyrkka.com/en/

Ethernet Cable Joy

2011-10-22T09:55:00.000-04:00

This morning I solved the internet connection problem for my computer. I drilled two holes in my floor. One near the router and one near the computer. Then I strung an Ethernet cable across my basement ceiling. It took a while to figure out where to plug it in on the computer. Then the challenge was to learn how to change the computer settings to a local area network. Now that I've done it I understand the logic of what I needed to do. But when I was problem solving all of this it was a daunting task. I'm looking forward to getting back to blogging.

Today I'm purchasing a tabletop drill press and tomorrow I'm setting it up at the Lillian Street studio! I'm really looking forward to that!

Oh technology!

2011-10-10T18:17:00.001-04:00

I will be back to blogging when I solve my computer and camera problems.

Button Display Boxes and Button Cards

2011-09-26T17:48:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I worked at the Lillian St wood shop to make display boxes that will be part of my craft fair display and storage inventory system. While I was there I also made some wood buttons. The storage boxes are made mostly from recycled wood that has been languishing in my stash. The side bars of the boxes are fun. They are old rulers and paint stir sticks. After taking the boxes home and filling them with button cards I realized that the boxes need to have a second bar lower on the side to prevent the button cards from falling out. I'll do that next weekend.

I also designed some button cards for my recycled and hand dyed buttons. In the two cards on the ends of the photo I used images from vintage button cards. I'm trying to express the idea of making old things new through creative reuse. So my appropriation of these images to illustrate the button cards is in this spirit. If you look carefully at these two cards you can see that the illustrator was suggesting uses for the buttons. I took this thought and designed the card in the middle. By sewing the buttons onto images of paper flowers I'm suggesting to scrapbook artists that they can use my buttons in their art. I won't know until the Indie Knit and Spin craft fair if these cards are effective selling tools.

I like making the button cards because the process is making me learn how to do things with my software.

Building a Craft Fair Display

2011-09-18T17:40:00.000-04:00

Today was a day spent at the Lillian Street wood shop. It was lots of fun as usual. I used my time to build a table top craft fair display. I'm honored to have been invited to participate in a well organized craft fair that is focused on providing supplies to indie fiber artists. You will be hearing more about this fair as I prepare for it. It will be held Saturday November 19th from 11:00 to 5:00 at the Wilkins School Community Center, 7604 Charleston Ave. in the Regent Square neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Check it out!

It will be my first craft fair and I want to have a terrific display for my button shop. I built this display entirely from old stash and recycled materials. It was fun to figure out how to make it without spending any money. The exception is that I will purchase hooks to hang my button cards.

I started making some buttons from recycled hard wood moldings. I'll drill the holes on the buttons next Sunday.

At the other end of the shop Beth Rogers is building a table top. She is in the process of becoming reacquainted with fine woodworking techniques. If you look carefully you can see that she is gluing up some bread board ends for the table top.

This is a photo of the renovated tool cabinet. Can you see the influence of playing a lot of scrabble?

Clay Day

2011-09-11T17:31:00.001-04:00

Star Gazer and old woman by Chris Fondi

Victor is frightened by noises by Joyce Compton

Yesterday, Chris Fondi, Joyce Compton and I spent the day making doll heads from paper clay and tarlatan fabric. We also spent some time discussing the artist's statements, brief bios and resumes that we are working on for our portfolios. It was a fun and productive day.

I found myself exploring a recurring theme in my work: bird people.

Happiness is a New Bandsaw

2011-09-06T07:17:00.000-04:00

While I made dolls and did family stuff in August Beth Rogers has been working on the Lillian Street wood shop. It's looking good and it's getting organized. For me the most exciting thing is the arrival a a lovely new band saw.

Beth is hard at work building a new bed for herself. My tools are moved in and my workbench is waiting for me to get started on building my new couch.

Beth built herself a drawing table.

I'm looking forward to making the time to work in the wood shop!

Branding and Packaging my Buttons

2011-09-01T07:34:00.001-04:00

My current task is to work on how I package my buttons.
The theme that runs through my Etsy button shop is that I take old things and make them new. I'm using old button making techniques in new ways. I recycle old buttons by dying them. Etc. I want to design some packaging for my buttons that reflects that theme.

Historically buttons have been sold on cards. This is a card from the 1920s. It looks to me like the card designer did the 1920s version of cut and paste. I think the message is that these buttons are well made and fancy.

I'm not sure when the two cards below were produced. Perhaps in the fifties? The message conveyed is that using these buttons will enhance the user's gender role. The roles portrayed are so extreme that they seem like caricatures to me. It amuses me that on the man's card the designer has thoughtfully given us specific instructions on where to sew the buttons.

Contemporary button card designs tend to be simple. Often they just have the manufacturers logo. I want to do more than that. I want my cards to have a lot of personality. Here is the current version of a card for my buttons. I like the retro feel of the design and the pattern of how the buttons are arranged on the card. Its an affordable to make button card. The design is going to evolve. I'm thinking of adding historical information about button making on the back and maybe some imagery. I am also looking for a reasonably priced source of recycled card stock.

How to Dye Buttons

2011-08-21T10:11:00.001-04:00

All of these buttons were white before dyeing.

I'm expanding my line of dyed, recycled buttons in my Etsy button shop. I'm working primarily with white buttons from my mother's and sister's button boxes. They are typical old buttons saved from clothes and there are a lot of them.

Marbled buttons dye well also.

It's not hard to dye buttons. I use Rit liquid dye because it's readily available. Here's the process that is working for me.

1. Wash the buttons and a small plastic container. A 12 oz container works well.

2. Put about an inch of water in the container.

3. Heat water in a microwave until it boils. Don't skip this step. Dyeing doesn't work well without heat.

4. Add liquid dye to the container. Start by adding about 4 tablespoons. You can always add more if the colors aren’t bright enough.

5. Add 20-40 buttons. The number will depend on the size of the buttons. You want all of them to be submerged in the dye.

6. Let everything sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally with an old chopstick or plastic spoon.

7. Check the color of the buttons. If you want the color to be darker let the buttons stay in the dye for a while longer. Or add a bit more dye.

8. Remove the buttons from the dye with a plastic spoon.

9. Pour what's left of the used dye & water mixture back into the bottle to reuse. The contents of the bottle will be a bit diluted but it seems to work just as well.

10. The buttons must be well rinsed or they will stain fabric when wet. I soak mine in a bucket of water overnight.

11. Rinse till the water runs clear.

12. Let them dry.
13. Looking at your transformed buttons is the best part.

Fortunately there are lots of large buttons to dye.

And plenty of shank buttons.

These buttons will be added to my shop stock over the next few days.

Photographing Art Dolls

2011-08-15T07:46:00.006-04:00

Yesterday my art doll collective (Chris Fondi, Joyce Compton & I) met all day to work on our portfolios. Much of the day was spent preparing dolls for the photo shoot. When the dolls were finally ready we set up the photo stage. It consists of a small seamless backdrop, an ironing board, two color balanced lights with reflector umbrellas and a tripod. It doesn't take up much space when we aren't using it. The excellent photographer we had arranged to take photos of our dolls with a high quality camera did not arrive. Joyce and I decided to have a go at taking our own photos with our point and shoot cameras.

In the photo below Joyce is setting up a shot of one of her dolls.

I'm working on a series of dolls that are busts. This is a departure from my previous work. The heads are larger and the proportions of the piece must include consideration of the supporting assemblage structures. I found that the photos help me see the proportions and details of my work with a fresh eye. There is something about photographs that lets me see my own work critically.

I like this detail shot above because it shows personality and subtlety in the face. The character has a dynamic gaze, But in the photo of the entire bust below the face is washed out and dull. I either have to improve my ability to manipulate the lighting or I must make dolls with more strongly defined detail in the faces. I also realize after looking at this photo that the collar is simply not big or dynamic enough. This doll is not as close to being finished as I thought he was. That's OK. I like to push a design.

This is another doll in the bust series. This detail shot is less successful than the previous one. I think the eyes need to be further developed with needle sculpting and the application of eye lids for the doll to have a purposeful gaze. The interesting thing (at least to me) is that I didn't pick up on this just by looking at the doll.

I can say exactly the same things about the relationship of this doll's head to the supporting assemblage structure that I did about the previous doll.

This impish doll is also a work in progress. The detail shot looks great. But I'm not even going to show you the supporting assemblage structure until I rebuild it.

Finally, there was a photograph that I was really satisfied with at the end of the day. This is a doll that I made while working through my feelings about my sister's death. This is the first photo that I feel accurately expresses both the detail and the feeling of the doll. I will include it in my portfolio.

The intention of the day was to generate a lot of photographs for our portfolios. I didn't end up with a lot of usable photographs but I did find direction for my bust dolls. I consider the day a success.

Professional Art Doll Portfolios

2011-08-10T06:56:00.002-04:00

Lately my art doll collective (Joyce Compton, Chris Fondi & myself) has been working on assembling professional portfolios of each member's dolls. The short term goal is to prepare us to respond to calls for entries for juried exhibitions both individually and collectively. The long term goal of the portfolio project is to book an exhibit for the group.

Each portfolio will contain high resolution photographs, an artist's resume or curriculum vitae, a brief bio of the artist and an artist's statement. We will each make a hard copy and an electronic version of our portfolio. We have acquired folios for the hard copy versions and have yet to figure out how to handle the electronic ones. The biggest question is whether or not we will have them hosted on the Internet as an e portfolio. There are a number of sites that claim to do this for free. Artist Listing, Mosaic Globe, VoodooChile, etc. It's a lot to think about.

This Sunday we are bringing in a professional to photograph our dolls. We are on a bit of a push to get things ready for the photo shoot. It helps that we are making representational portfolios and not comprehensive ones. We want to have between five and ten pieces of work well displayed in each portfolio.

We have also been giving each other feedback on our artist's statements, brief bios and resumes. My new artist statement is not quite ready to replace the old one posted above.

Stocking My Etsy Shop

2011-08-07T16:31:00.004-04:00

I've been on a button making binge and have been adding to my Etsy button shop inventory. It has taken me a while to figure out how to make fabric and fiber buttons in a way that is unique to me. The technique that is working well is to learn about traditional button making techniques and then render those techniques with materials from my set of resources. There are a number of well established button makers on Etsy who do a good job of making cover buttons and sliced branch wooden buttons. I need to find my distinct style to compete with them. Happily my efforts seems to be working. I am slowly beginning to get sales. But there is much more to do. I read that when shops have about 100 items in inventory sales increase. I'm about halfway to that point. Nor have I done any marketing with social media. I'm waiting to do that until I have the enlarged inventory and an updated shop banner. It's a good thing that I have several years to build the shop before I retire.

The following three photos are examples of buttons made on plastic rings. The traditional buttons were made in white on sheep's horn rings. I'm using up stuff that I inherited from my sister. I really enjoy playing with the color. As I get more experience I have a larger set of techniques to use and my craftsmanship is improving. Best of all, I'm having fun.

Felt centers with a satin cording stitched onto a ring.

A fancy fiber button stitched onto large & small rings, stitched together & finished with a bead center.

These have the same 2 ring technique as those above with the addition of a knotted center.

This type of button was traditionally finished with a thread shank or no shank at all. I'm using a cloth covered commercially made shank back. It just feels like better craftsmanship to have a sturdy back.

This weekend I made my first wooden buttons. They are made from a trim sample that was probably manufactured in the 1980's. The trims are well made from an assortment of hard woods. To make these buttons I laid out cut lines and the hole spacing. I drilled the holes first with a drill press and then cut the buttons apart with a power miter box. I realized that making wood buttons is hard because it means working with power tools on small pieces of wood. I'm looking forward to making more wood buttons.

Toggle buttons about 1/4"x 1/2"x 1 1/2".

Building a Deck

2011-07-24T17:50:00.003-04:00

Three good friends helped me build another section of the deck that is growing in my back yard. Yesterday we got the lumber and hauled it into the yard. This was the hardest part of the project. Today was the fun part.

The treated lumber for today's project.

The before photo.

Beth Rogers (57) planning the blocking between the beams.

Chris Fondi (58) & Elaine Fuller (69) stand up to rest their backs.

Me (61) cutting a fancy shape with my lovely saber saw.

Our progress by lunchtime.

Screwing down the decking.

Relaxing on our finished product.

We were so tired and sweaty that we poured glasses of ice water over our heads and spoke fondly about our bath tubs! The next section of the deck will extend from the portion that we built today to the brick wall in the back. I don't know if it will happen this year. It depends on how my various other projects are progressing. It was a fun day and we all got some exercise. The deck is now large enough that I can host a dinner party on it. That will happen soon.

A Discovery During Studio Construction

2011-07-22T13:00:00.000-04:00

While working on the walls of the lower level of the Lillian Street Studio Beth Rogers and I made an exciting discovery. We found some old casework and drawers that had been walled over! We had been working on the studio renovation for a year and a half and somehow hadn't noticed that there was unaccounted for space under the upper cabinets. You can see the area in the far right of the photo below.

Look to the far right where tools and lumber are propped in the corner.

We took a prybar to the area and found this.

The framing is still in place but you can see the drawers and casework that had been closed off for years.

We then noticed that there was space above the upper cabinets so we opened that up and removed the cabinet doors. It was a very exciting find! The mystery is why it had been walled off.

In this photo the drawers have been temporarily removed to let everything air out.

Other things are happening at the studio as well.

Ceiling lights have been hung

Drywall is up and primed on the main work level.

Wev'e begun framing work benches.

Button Making

2011-07-21T07:16:00.004-04:00

Anytime I need to sit (riding the Megabus) or want to sit (after work) I do some sort of hand work. Lately I've been working on learning more about making buttons with centuries old European techniques. I'm not trying to make reproduction buttons. I'm exploring the old ways with the resources I have immediately available to me.

I find myself working in series that either explore the use of color or variations of technique.

In this series I'm working a color scheme with needle weaving and crocheting.

These two photos show Dorset Wheel buttons in color and pattern variations.

This is my first successful star shirtwaist button. I'm happy to have finally figured out how to make these!

This is an example of a lace shirtwaist button. It was also a challenge to make.

As I practice and gain experience I expect these buttons will be easier to make and I will be able to get on with playing with color. It is a lot of fun to figure all of this out. After learning how complex these buttons can be, I have gained a great deal of respect for all the old button makers who made buttons for a living. Over the next week I will be adding these and other buttons to my Etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop/EmilyEckel

Lillian Street Woodshop Studio Progress

2011-07-17T18:32:00.002-04:00

Last week 2 Men & a Truck moved a lot of machinery and good lumber into the shop. Today Beth Rogers, Elaine Fuller, Chris Fondi & I worked on getting the place functional.

The first thing we did was put all the machines on locking casters so we can reposition them as we need them.

Beth got the old drill press running, hung a cabinet on the wall behind for bits and jigs and started hanging hand tools.

I spent most of the day building a router table and a tool battery recharging station.

Chris Fondi began construction of a trellis of recycled materials on the back porch. Hopefully a vine will grow there and block the hot afternoon sun. She added 5 stones for good luck.

Elaine spent the day painting in the lower level. For the first time it was organized enough and clean enough that we were able to eat there. After many, many months we are very close to being able to work on projects in the new studio.

Learning to Upholster

2011-07-13T08:16:00.001-04:00

In my quest to acquire the skills to build a couch I need to learn something about how to upholster furniture. Last week I made a couple foot stools to work on. The old Bernina sewing machine is up to the task of sewing the heavy fabrics. I'm getting more comfortable working with the upholstery fabrics. I had assumed that I would be using a random patchwork style of upholstery but as I went to work on these foot stools I found myself doing patchwork that reflects the shape of the base of the stools. I liked what was happening and went with it.

Of course I will use a lot of buttons on my upholstery. I love to make buttons and I can use these projects as a marketing tool for my Etsy button shop. In these photos the buttons are not yet attached. I'm still playing with where and how to position them.

I also need to figure out how to finish the cushions. Should they be permanently attached to the base with upholstery tacks? Should they be finished as pillows and attached to the base with Velcro? As a learning experience I may do one cushion with each technique and then see what I think about the results.

My cat is not waiting for me to finish.

Assemblage Doll

2011-07-09T09:19:00.002-04:00

I have finally finished the assemblage doll I began at the AFIC doll making conference in April. The project began with the discovery of an old tool box in my attic. It was signed by my great grandfather George Eckel. He survived a harrowing ocean crossing and shipwreck during his first year of life (1832). He was a tin smith in the family tradition. I wanted to do something to honor him and the Eckel history of making objects.

Tool box after the clean up.

Sketch for the project

Torso in progress

I liked the instructor Susie McMahon. She taught techniques for using paper clay & let us follow our muses.

Finished project.

A Day at Lillian St. Studio

2011-07-04T19:40:00.004-04:00

The studio is almost ready for the machinery to be moved in. While Elaine Fuller and I were off having fun at summer camp Beth Rogers was pushing progress at the studio. She built a vertical lumber rack that immediately got filled in a with lumber to recycle into shop improvements and projects. It won't take much to get it sorted out so that fresh lumber can be stored there also.

She built a wheeled cart for the chop saw. A nice feature of this cart is the lumber supports on either side of the saw. This makes it easier for one person to cut long pieces of wood.

One of the things I did today was start a couple foot stools made of recycled lumber. I took them home to make some patchwork upholstery tops. One will end up in my home and the other will be in the upstairs lounge at the studio.

Beth realized that we needed a mirror the other day when she got some saw dust in her eye. She hung a beveled mirror in the lounge.

Beth Rogers lounging in the lounge.

We installed an air conditioner and it made an enormous difference in the temperature. It doesn't look like much but it's got it where it counts.

Meanwhile, down in the kitchen area Elaine Fuller was painting. The bench and table are almost ready for use. I will celebrate the first time we eat on the table. We couldn't today because the paint on the bench was still wet.

The cabinet that was hidden behind a wall has been repaired and painted. It looks fabulous! The microwave is in place. Soon we will set up a mini fridge in the lower left.

The wall to the left has turned into Elaine's patchwork quilt in drywall scraps and paint. I'm curious to see how she will detail it.

I am so happy to have this studio! I want to spend a lot of time working in it. The couch will be my first serious project.

Walking a Labyrinth

2011-06-30T18:02:00.001-04:00

It's easy to forget what it's like to work in a beautiful natural setting. My program is housed in the interior of the Eastside satellite building. The entrance is through a gritty parking lot. There is no comparison to Chatham University's lovely main campus on a sunny day with balmy temperatures.

My students were doing ergonomic computer work station evaluations for administrative employees on the main campus. Outside Berry Hall there is a labyrinth that was built in memory of a young woman's tragic death. Its made of grass and cobble stones in an ancient design.

It had a wonderful sense of invitation about it and I got drawn into the walk. I experienced it as a unique participatory art form. The shadows on the labyrinth made me think of Maxfield Parrish's sense of color and fantasy. I found myself trying to figure out if the path was positive or negative space. I don't know why that is important but I kept thinking about it.

There was a distinct sense of destination when I arrived at the center. The photo below shows the path into the center. I had just enough time to follow the walk back to the beginning before my students arrived. It was a wonderful start to my work day.

This evening I've learned just how old labyrinths are. This is a stone carving from the bronze age.

I like this type of archetypal imagery. I don't know what it symbolizes and yet it still draws me to interact with it. It occurs to me that a piece of jewelry of a labyrinth would be very useful when I must endure a long and boring meeting.

Summer Camp 2011

2011-06-26T18:03:00.002-04:00

I spent last week in the company of old friends. Counting babies we had over 100 people camping near or staying in the lodge at Plantain Pond over the course of the week. Many things happened including a beautiful celebration of Sue Levering's life that included floating candles on the lake. The purpose of this blog is to share the adventures of my creative muse, this post will be limited to that.

Several of us made table clothes out of Sue Levering's fabric stash. This photo is the one I made. I brought it home to finish with some embroidery and trim. It meant a lot to me to work with Sue's materials. We will use the table clothes each year for special occasions. It's a way to keep Sue with us.

Another lovely experience was a collaborative painting project. This is the painting that I did with my friend Willy. It found a home through a silent auction. .

On the silly side, I made my old friend Rip a Grand Pooh Bah hat to wear to the Karl Marx amateur hour and costume party. Here he is in full costume.

I wanted to dress as lady porcupine and started to embroider a hat to wear to the costume party but ran out of time. I wore my tea cozy instead.

I believe it made a suitable fashion statement!

Finally, I enjoyed doing a little landscape photography. I was fascinated by the effect of photographing a foggy scene at night with a flash.

Plans to Build a Couch

2011-06-15T07:57:00.003-04:00

Electronic devices are great. When they work! My computer problems may or may not be solved. Its working now so its time to post.

Recently my son moved to his own place. I am taking the opportunity to reorganize and redo parts of my house. The living room currently has two arm chairs and a love seat. There is nowhere to lie down. The Lillian Street studio has progressed to the point where we can work in it. Therefore it is time to build a couch. I built one once before in the late seventies. I saw it recently and it is solid and I like the design. I'll try to get a photo to post.

I have a number of requirements for my couch. It needs to be cat resistant. That means that it will have a wood frame. Here is my initial sketch for the project. The arms will be wide and there will be shelves under them. The cushions will not be attached to the frame so that I can recover them. Because I am also concerned about aging in place the couch will be somewhat firm and the seat height will not be low. I'm currently thinking about making 6" upholstery foam cushions that will rest on a plywood base.

I have no experience with sewing upholstery fabric but think I can figure out how to do it. The old Bernina sewing machine that I inherited from my sister is made of steel and brass. It can handle upholstery fabrics. I like the way the folks at Squint patchwork the upholstery on their furniture. So I have to learn how to do that. I bought some remnants from the OnlineFabricStore and am doing some small projects to build up my skills. Here is my first cushion. The cushions on the couch will have buttons!

Because I am planning to build the couch's wood frame for paint I am also doing some warm up exercises with painting small furniture. This table was painted with artists acrylic paint. I am concerned that it will be sticky in warm weather. Latex paint may be a better choice. I'll see how the surface of the table holds up.

Obviously these two items don't coordinate. In the near future I need to decide on a color scheme and sense of pattern. Like a crazy quilt the couch will have areas that are visually active and areas that are quiet. I'm excited. It will be a fun project.

Studio Construction Update

2011-06-02T16:07:00.006-04:00

Computer problems have prevented me from posting. A computer smart friend got my computer working last night and by morning the problems had returned. So today I'm posting from my work computer. Hopefully the nasty virus and the space hogging extraneous programs can be banished so I won't throw the computer in the river (just kidding). Work on my Etsy shop has also been impacted. I'm making lots of buttons but haven't gotten them into the store. One way or the other these problems will get resolved.

Work on the Lillian Street Studio is progressing nicely. On the main level tools are getting set up. Beth Rogers and Rip Phipps are discussing the intricacies of the radial arm saw in the photo above.

Elaine Fuller is standing on one of the sturdy work benches we built to paint the drywall.

One of the two skylights is installed and it is NOT leaking. This is very good!

The upper loft is ready for paint.

I'm excited about the progress on the studio. The first project that I am going to make is a new couch for my living room. I'm inspired by the folks at Squint.

Etsy Button Shop

2011-05-22T16:53:00.004-04:00

Grindle button made on a cover button mold.

I find that the skill set required to run an Etsy shop is large. The skills include mastering the mechanics of listing an item for sale, taking excellent photographs, establishing shop policies, shipping internationally, writing compelling item descriptions, designing attractive packaging, marketing with on line techniques, etc. All of these skills are important but secondary to developing a great product line that people want to buy. For the last 4 months I worked on building my Etsy shop and decided it was time to evaluate my efforts to date.

Reinterpretation of the Dorset button.

The biggest weakness that I identified in my shop keeping was that I didn’t know who my customers were and what they want to buy. My thinking moved to a new level when I defined my target market or ideal customer as people who like to make creative projects that involve fabric. They are the DIY crowd, the crafters and other inventive souls. I figured this out by observing who was buying what from the vendors at the Artistic Figures in Cloth conference. These customers were not looking for finished products they were looking for unique supplies to use on their projects.

Dorset cross wheel button & two recycled fabric buttons.

When this became clear I was able to find direction for developing my product line. My task is to make unique buttons that crafters will want to use on their projects. I realized that the way to make my buttons unique is to make the most of my unique set of interests, resources and skills. After much research and experimentation I defined my product line as buttons that reinterpret preindustrial revolution button making techniques and/or use recycled materials. Old technology buttons include thread woven buttons, singleton cloth buttons, & natural material buttons. Recycled material buttons include cover buttons made from repurposed fabric & hand dyed vintage buttons.

Woven ribbon button.

I'm excited and having lots of fun designing and making the buttons. It will take a while to get the shop fully stocked. It really helps to have a clearly defined direction for the shop.

A vintage rhinestone button and two buttons made from recycled fabric.

A Protest Poster from the Seventies

2011-05-15T08:51:00.001-04:00

As part of my efforts to document my older work I had a poorly aging poster scanned. Back in the seventies I was part of a collective that made protest posters supporting various peace and social justice causes. We were inspired by the posters of the 1968 Paris uprising.
http://www.art-for-a-change.com/Paris/paris.html This particular poster has apparently become a local collectors item. A copy of it recently sold at a fund raising auction. It feels great to have done work that is standing the test of time.

Rip Phipps, Joseph Nagy &Emily Eckel

More AFIC Doll Photos

2011-05-06T07:47:00.004-04:00

First some of the dolls that won ribbons. If you can identify any of these artists please send me their names.

3rd place pattern interpretation.

Denise Dodd's pattern interpretation "Blu" wins the Blue

Leslie Wright won the People's Choice award with her doll "Gwen Ellyn"

This is my ribbon. 2nd place original design. I never did wash Leaf Kicker's feet.

Some of the other dolls from the exhibit hall.

Cyndy Seiving

Cecily by Joyce Compton

Chris Fondi's Wish Doctors

Some dolls in progress from the classes.

"Coming Out of Her Shell" by Tracey Baldwin.

A beautiful sculpt

Saturday at AFIC

2011-05-01T07:26:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was busy with doll making and evening activities. I was trying to max creative time and didn't get everything else done. Here are photos from the doll exhibit. If you can identify any of the artists that are unnamed I will update to give credit where it is due.

Making the mannequin in Stephen Rausch's class.

Jody Miller's doll: I Have All the Time in the World.

Beautifully beaded doll on an interesting shape. Dayton Doll Club?

This artist did a terrific job of giving context to her doll.

Susie McMahon's doll.

Linda Apple won first place in original design with this doll. She does a great job of presenting a strong profile and interesting details. Note the position of the foot on the base. This adds to the sense of action.

Nancy Forsythe's "Look Ma No Doll stand.

Jody Miller's doll flying a kite.

This is the best I can do with dial up quality internet service. Edited May 3, 2011 to add captions.

Friday at AFIC

2011-04-30T07:55:00.002-04:00

Everyone is having a great time. It's wonderful to get away from the everyday and hang out with a community of doll makers. The internet service at the hotel is poor so most of the (many) photos must wait until I return home. Here are a few of the highlights.

Nancy Forsythe, Judy Skeel and Tracey ? at work in susie McMahon's class.

Classes are going well. Rooms are organized to encourage camaraderie and communication. My excellent instructor is Susie McMahon from Tasmania. She teaches the technique and then lets the students apply it as they wish. The class is a good fit for me. Feedback from the other classes is good.

Mimi Weiner the auctioneer.

The live auction of donated dolls to benefit the scholarship fund went well. It probably raised several thousand dollars. Mimi Weiner was a ham of an auctioneer. We were all entertained! Notice the Treasures of the Gypsies shop in the background. It was mobbed with shoppers.

Doll Street Dreamers online doll club has a terrific exhibit of steam punk inspired dolls.

Joyce Compton won second place in the challenge to make a doll without a doll stand. There are two categories. Original design and pattern interpretation. Joyce won for this original design of a felted Wild Hare. I'll post a full list of winners tomorrow. My Leafkicker doll won second place in the original design division.

Opening Night at AFIC Doll Makers Conference

2011-04-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

This is Cyndy Seiving, the organizing force behind the Artistic Figures in Cloth conference, posing for the camera.

The opening night party was a blast of energizing doll making energy. Here are some pics.

Judy Skeel dressed as a stem punk fairy wandering about with foggy goggles. The crowd was to close to get a photo to do justice to her costume.

Nancy Forsyth and Libby Fishman get their party on!

Jennifer Mitchell won a prize for the originality of her hat ratatouille.

Each table at the banquet played a doll making game. Everyone at the table pitched in to make a charity doll. This is my table's doll.

I won a gift pack of Sulky products for guessing that there are 175 heads in the jar.

Getting Ready for a Doll Makers Conference

2011-04-24T15:32:00.006-04:00

On Thursday Joyce Compton & I are driving to Columbus, Ohio to attend the Artistic Figures in Cloth conference. It's a well organized opportunity to spend time with kindred spirits. Chris Fondi was going to go with us but she will be staying home to greet a new grandson.

Cyndy Sieving is the driving force behind this biennial event. http://www.cyndysdolls.com/redirector.htm

I'm taking a class with Susie McMahon, who is an excellent doll maker from Tasmania. http://www.susiemcmahondolls.blogspot.com/ I chose her class because it is primarily an open studio. These days I'm not interested in making dolls from patterns. Susie will be teaching a sculpting technique using paper clay. That will be fun.

Susie asked us to come to class with a concept of what we want to make. My concept is to make this old tool box into a small wall hung cabinet.

This metal chest was made by my great, great grandfather George Eckel. He emigrated from Alsace in 1832.

She asked us to do some sketches. I rarely do this for dolls, but did this time. It will be interesting to see if the finished product resembles the sketches.


2 sketches of my "concept".

There is also a doll making challenge at this conference. The challenge is to make a free standing doll that is at least 50% cloth. The only dimensional restriction is that the base must fit in an 8"X8" square. Leafkicker's almost done and I had time to take a few photos today. I like the personality that emerged! He doesn't need a doll stand because he has heavy feet.

The ax heads give him a very low center of gravity.

Lillian St. Studio Construction Update

2011-04-23T14:27:00.003-04:00

Beth Rogers has been busy making great progress with the Lillian Street woodworking studio. The third floor rest and drawing loft is developing personality and a better connection to the second floor. It has a very nice quality of light because of the windows and skylight.

Before photo of the loft.

After photo.

In the after photo the knee wall has been removed along with the flooring beyond. A second skylight is planned for the section of roof beyond the knee wall. This will allow light and air to circulate between the floors. In the photo below you are looking up to the open floor beyond the knee wall in the loft.


The green bead and board wall extends into the loft and is the hand rail on the stairs.

We have electricity and heat!!!

This photo may not look like much but it is an important one. There is now a rational and safe installation of wiring for lights, equipment and heating. It is so nice to not be tripping over extension cords. The building inspector has signed off on the work.

Running hot and cold water.

Down in the lowest level the plumbing is fully functional. Beth built a counter around the sink. Hot water is generated as needed by an energy saving heater. This is the only room that is heated when no one is working in the studio. This room is also where we will store paint, glue and anything else that shouldn't freeze.

My Painting from 1974

2011-04-21T07:38:00.003-04:00

I just received photos of an old painting from a friend. I was living in New England in a communal house when I painted this scene. At the time I was painting on found objects. This one is on a wood tray.

There were two children living with us.

Our cat Slickeroo made it into the painting!

It's not upside down. This is the top right corner of the painting.

A witness in the corner.

An Iron Gate

2011-04-17T16:45:00.002-04:00

I am happy to be home after a five day trip to Philadelphia where I attended a work conference. Being in another city for a few days provides an opportunity to see and experience new things. It also makes me appreciate my family, home and studio. On one of my walks around center city I encountered a fabulous iron gate. (Chestnut Street near 19th) The artist put many details into the gate that became apparent as I spent time looking at it. I had an experience of discovery, of investigating a story. I like this quality in art.

At first I just saw the foliage and appreciated seeing a live tree through the gate.

Notice the bird in the top left. Such a juxtaposition against the modern building.

Lizard

Green Man!

The urge to make art

2011-04-10T16:17:00.001-04:00

In my youth I thought of myself as an artist and a free spirit. For twenty years I lived a basic lifestyle selling my creative services. This is a picture of me in a kitchen that I designed and built in New Haven, Connecticut.. The photo is from the mid seventies.

With time I choose to assume responsibilities such as motherhood and marriage. Other responsibilities were delivered to me by circumstances. I never expected to be my sister's caregiver as she lost her fight with mental illness. At the peak of my life as a responsible person I had a mortgage, a car payment, significant care giving responsibilities for family members both younger and older than me and a full time job. How did I, the free spirit, end up with all that responsibility? Through it all I kept making my art, although my medium changed with my resources of the moment. That experience of continuing to make art when I was under serious time pressure is where I find my encouragement when I encounter short term obstacles to spending time in my studio today. I've learned that the key to satisfying the urge to make art is to be flexible about the medium and to always keep making things.

Designing a Logo

2011-04-04T18:17:00.005-04:00

In the process of setting up my Etsy shop I decided that I need a signature logo to brand my products. I have a general sense of what I want the logo to look like and express. I want it to indicate innovative design, good craftsmanship and my love of color. After a couple weeks of trying to create a logo with my limited ability to use graphic arts programs I gave up in frustration. I know I could learn one of these programs with a time investment. But right now I am focusing on improving my photography skills and have limited time.

Given all this, I decided to hire some help. I found Ariel Tyndell who is graphic design student with an Etsy design shop. She posted this ad:

I can design a clean and professional quality custom logo for your shop or business. I will draw up 3-5 concept logos and edit the concept of your choosing until you are satisfied with the design. Since I am a student and have much more to learn I am very open to constructive criticism!

If you are interested and ready to purchase from me, purchase a listing and I will send you a short questionnaire to help me get a sense of what you need. Make sure you include your email address in the memo. I will then create 3-5 ideas for you to choose from and once you choose the concept you like we will collaborate to get the best design. Once the logo is perfect I will send it to you in EPS, PDF, JPG and PNG formats.

I hired her and I am enjoying the process. I sent back her questionnaire and after several days she sent me her first draft of several logo concepts. I really like her work and have thoughts about how to proceed. But I'm also interested in what you think. Which of these logo concepts best represents me and my work? Do you have any suggestions for design improvements? Please answer these questions with a comment. Your comment won't show right away. (I have to moderate comments because someone leaves pornographic statements and links. YUK!)

Studio Construction

2011-03-28T18:31:00.002-04:00

This sequence of photos shows the construction of the studio kitchenette. The first photo is the most current. This sequence of photos moves backwards through time to the "before" photo. Think of it as a blog post time machine. The work in these photos took place over several weeks.

All the kitchenette needs now is a little more paint and the services of an electrician. The microwave, refrigerator and electric kettle are ready to set up when we have power. The water source is in the next room which is the only room that has heat in the winter. Frozen water pipes are not part of the plan! The hot water heater heats water on demand and does not keep a big tank of water hot at all times. This is a great energy saving device.

Beth Rogers and I built this structure. Elaine Fuller applied the water vapor barrier to the foundation and painted it all.


The unpainted wood on the face of the structure is a recycled 2x4 from the interior walls that we removed. This photo is by Beth Rogers, all the others are mine.

The back and floor were painted before the counter and shelves were added so that the work could be done with good ergonomics. We are all women over the age of fifty so we have to do everything carefully.

Plywood walls are partially completed and the framework for the counter is in place. Notice the mortises in the recycled front rail. This is a beautiful piece of rough cut lumber with carefully cut mortises. I'm glad we found a place to showcase this bit of the building's construction history.

The vapor barrier is applied and the framing is in place.

This is the before photo of the raw foundation under the stairs.

Setting up an Etsy Shop

2011-03-25T17:53:00.003-04:00

I set up an Etsy shop in mid January. My plan is to use the shop for supplemental income when I retire in a few years. I want to develop the shop now so that I won’t have significant start up costs when I retire from the university. I’ve been on a steep learning curve since I started the shop. There is more to do and learn than I expected. Here’s a list of stuff that has to be done to do it right.

The shop banner must be prepared using a graphics program. The banner is the equivalent to the sign on a brick and mortar store. It’s important to have a good one. I just uploaded my second banner and I’m already thinking about ways to improve it.

As a shop owner I need to have an avatar that represents the spirit of the shop. This is a task that involves photography and/or using a graphics program. I’ve uploaded a new avatar today and I’m thinking about whether or not it truly represents me.

I must develop my “brand”. This is something I never thought about before. Essentially it means being clear about the focus of the shop and everything in it. My goal is to have products that are “beautifully crafted and innovatively designed”. It feels presumptuous to claim that phrase as a tag line because it is a goal that I hope to achieve. Nevertheless I am using it for now.

There is a lot of writing to do when setting up an Etsy shop. I need a profile, shop policies, shipping policies and item descriptions. I’ve got a draft of each of these in place but I expect to do a lot of editing as I gain experience.

The heart of the shop is the products that I sell. I began with a bunch of ideas that were all related to cover buttons or playing cards. I’m now trying to think through who my customers are and what they would like to purchase. I read that this is knowing my “target market”. The one sale that I have had from someone who is not a friend was for handmade buttons. I think this may be my bread and butter item. I am concentrating on stocking the shop with handmade buttons to get started. Hopefully I will figure out my "target market".

An online shop MUST have fabulous photographs of the products to be a success so I have been diligently working on improving my photo skills. This involves not only taking photos but also editing them with Photoshop Elements. My learning curve here is quite steep.

There is of course the packaging of my items. I’m currently selling my buttons on handmade blank greeting cards so that the buttons can easily be used as gifts. I have a big collection of rubber stamps that I made in the eighties. I’m using these to decorate the greeting cards.

Finally we get to the shipping of the items. I am so engaged with all of the above that I can’t begin to think about shipping overseas. I'm using USPS because it is most convenient for me. I did some test mailings of buttons to friends and learned that I need to use bubble envelopes because the processing machines crush stuff.

This may sound like a lot and I suppose it is but so far I’m experiencing it as a fun challenge.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/EmilyEckel

Lillian Street Studio Construction Update

2011-03-20T18:46:00.002-04:00

With the break in the weather there is a lot happening. Most of this post will be captioned photos. The post below Leafkicker has also been updated with a progress photo.

First a little evidence that our project is street legal.

This is my post & beam bracket with appliques and cutouts. I just just had to play with the facade colors.

On the reverse the cutouts and appliques are different.

Beth Rogers opted to construct a bird as a post and beam bracket. I'm looking forward to the bird getting a paint job!

This is a before shot at the top of the stairs to the drawing & rest loft.

This is an after shot of the same. I had a lot of fun making this and I love the energy of the design.

Looking up the stairway. Beth Rogers is making sure my fun design is sturdy!

The stairs in the studio are narrow and a bit steep. Because we are concerned about constructing a studio that will be enabling as we age, we are putting a lot of thought into making balancing handholds on the stairs. The stairs are just too narrow for bilateral hand rails. The alternative is a series of cutouts and shapes in the walls.

Leafkicker gets some Personality

2011-03-19T17:02:00.001-04:00

Leafkicker has a past. He began as a challenge from two friends to make a doll from a couple axes. (Not sure why I had axes laying around in my basement.) It's taken a while to figure him out. His trunk armature is made from 2x4s. The trunk surface is basket woven cloth. The arms are aluminum armature wire with very long tubes of fabric scrunched onto them. Leafkicker has had proportion problems. This is his third head and second set of hands. Enough already, I want to get on to sculpting the head and putting some hair on that head! I'm really enjoying the emerging "know it all" personality. I will force him to wash his feet before he goes out into public.

Studio Construction

2011-03-11T16:18:00.004-05:00

Now that winter is not bitter cold, it is possible to work on turning a small house on Lillian Way into a studio. Beth Rogers, Elaine Fuller and I have been working on getting a room on the lower level functional. The purpose of this room is to have a place to sit at a table to eat or draw and to have a room with less dust where we can paint or finish wood. In these photos you can see the construction sequence of a built in bench that will be part of a half booth & table.

Before shot! Plastic vapor barrier covers the foundation of the house.

The bench is framed in and the foundation is covered with insulation.

The seat is made from recycled beaded tongue and groove wainscot.

The bench is finished and ready for a coat of primer.

Edited March 20, 2011 to show bench with primer paint. Elaine Fuller was the painter.

While seated on the bench you can see the stairs up to the main level of the studio.

Sculpture at the Mexican Embassy

2011-03-06T17:24:00.003-05:00

On a recent trip to Washington DC I had the privilege of seeing a show of sculpture from artists in the state of Oaxaca. I love the color, the design and the fantasy.

Lillian and Her Scooter

2011-03-03T07:39:00.001-05:00

This doll has been a couple years in the making. She is finally nearing completion. At 3" tall she is one of the largest dolls I've made. She can stand without support if conditions are just right. I gave myself the challenge of making her a piece of context that would help her stand and begin to tell a story. The scooter was fun to make and it is an effective doll stand. It also gives Lillian the occupation of scooting. Fun!

Windblown - Assemblage Cage Doll

2011-02-27T08:50:00.007-05:00

This doll caught me by surprise. I was playing with the idea of a cage doll. It's built from an antique game board and doll dress that I inherited from family members, bamboo skewers, candles and wood bits. It has something to do with the danger and the gift of our passions. Clearly it is a shrine about potential energy, spark and revelation. That is what surprised me. I wasn't thinking about making a shrine or fire. I was thinking about how cages and fences keep things in or out. This doll will probably have one more round of revision before it's finished. I need to figure out what is contained in the cage. And I would like to know more about who this doll is.

Leroy's Elizabethan Collar

2011-02-22T13:37:00.000-05:00

I've been traveling lately so I've had opportunity to crochet Leroy an Elizabethan collar. I find that I can crochet while flying or riding in a car. This collar has used up an entire ball of crochet thread and it is just now getting some volume. One more weekend trip and it will be finished.

Nek Chand

2011-02-17T14:38:00.002-05:00

Nek Chand is an Indian artist who is building a sculpture park from recycled materials. It is an intriguing story. Nek Chand worked as a road inspector during the construction of the designed city of Chandigarh. During the time when he wasn't working he collected materials to recycle into his park. He built it on 12 acres of public land and he hid it from authorities for 18 years! When discovered, the park was saved from destruction by the strength of public opinion. Then the government gave him a salary to keep building the park. Today it is a major tourist attraction.

I particularly love his figurative sculptures. I find this man and his work inspiring.

A Pattern & an Etsy Shop

2011-02-14T18:39:00.004-05:00

For two years I've been making small awards, ribbons and medals to celebrate the creative spirits of other artists. To date I've primarily given these appreciations to artists that I know. One of my 2011 goals is to "do something" with these projects. Lately I've been working on getting them out into the world in two additional ways. I've started an Etsy shop and I've written a pattern to show how to make an award ribbon brooch.

The Etsy shop has taken a lot of time and work. Creating the shop banner took days. I had to work on my photography skills to have OK images of my products. Finally I'm ready to list some items. I'll be uploading two items a day into the shop until I have about 40 items for sale. The shop URL is:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EmilyEckel?ref=pr_shop

The first two items to be listed are in these:

The second way that I am putting my awards out into the world is to give away a pattern for making one of them. The pattern that I've written will be included in the free pattern booklet that Cyndy Seiving will distribute at the Artistic Figures in Cloth (AFIC) Conference in the spring. I've been trying to publish patterns for years and have always gotten bogged down by the devil in the details. This pattern is simple but it is finished and ready for use. This photo is the pattern award ribbon brooch.

It feels good to have done some things that will help me reach this years goals.

The Stockinetttes

2011-02-03T19:38:00.001-05:00

The Stockinets are a series of dolls that I made to explore the range of what I could do with aluminum armature wire and stockinette knit fabric for the doll skin. I gave myself some rules. All the dolls had to have the similar armatures. The "skin" of the doll had to be made from and defined by a stuffed and sewn stockinette form. All of the dolls had to be free standing. I gave myself complete freedom of design for the head, hair and costuming. This project took me a year and a half. It was SO MUCH FUN and I learned a lot. Have a look....

Mrs.Winters

Jo Ellen

Aging Rock Star

Big Hair & Mohair

Cirque

Bernardo

eleanor

Archimedes

Mr. Mischief

My Pincushions

2011-01-30T15:47:00.000-05:00

Pincushions & Photographs

2011-01-24T07:35:00.007-05:00

Lately I've been working on improving all aspects of my photography. My finished dolls are at a professional photographers studio and aren't currently available to me to use as subjects. My pincushion dolls are always available and seemed to be the perfect subjects for my latest efforts to take good photos.

For a while I thought I needed a new camera to take better photos. But after reading a number of "how to" guides I realized that I needed better skills and supporting equipment. To upgrade my photo stage I bought and hung a seamless backdrop. I also purchased a couple studio lights with umbrella diffusers. I purchased these things from Amazon for around $100.00. I was surprised at the reasonable prices.

This new equipment has made a difference in the quality of my photos. The other thing that immediately improved my photographs was that I read my camera's user manual. Why didn't I do that when I bought the camera three years ago? I'm beginning to understand the range of what my camera can do. Here are my latest efforts:

The background looks great. Obviously I have to learn more about focus and exposure. But I am making progress.

Portraits of Women Artists

2011-01-21T15:48:00.001-05:00

I've been working on improving all aspects of my photography. To learn more about photo manipulation I decided to do a series of portraits of some of my friends. I am working on learning about the range of what I can do with photo manipulation and on gaining control of the techniques.

Joyce Compton needle felting.

Chris Fondi doing a basket weaving technique with yarn.

Elaine Fuller enjoying a brew at the neighborhood pub.


Lynne Feinburg photographing herself with one of her amazing cold cast bronze sculptures.

Beth Rogers communing with her muse.

Me having fun with photo manipulation.

Art (Work) Day at My House

2011-01-16T17:38:00.011-05:00

Elaine Fuller, Beth Rogers and I take turns working on each others' houses. Each home owner chooses the projects when it is her day. Today was my day. It was too cold to work on the deck in the back yard and I didn't want the house to smell like paint. I chose to work on art related projects.

The first project I gave to Beth was to design a bracket to hold a large roll of seamless background paper for a new photo stage. My current photo stage is great for art dolls and other work that is similar in scale. But my new work is too large for the old photo stage to handle. Hopefully this seamless background will enable me to take photos of my new work. She built a mechanism from a bamboo pole, Tinkertoys, and bits of shaped wood from my stash. In the photo the roll of paper is still snug in its plastic wrap.

Recently, Chris Fondi gave me some strands of beads that incorporate her beautiful origami birds. I gave Elaine the project of designing a way to display the birds in the top of my doorless kitchen doorway. I also asked her to make some other things to display with the birds. She did a great job with making filigree brackets, strands of beads and doodads on a bamboo pole.

Then I asked Beth to do something with the transom over the leaded glass doors that we installed a month ago. She made a fantastic fish out of hardware bits.

I spent my time in the basement workshop. It really can't be called a wood shop because it is primarily a place to work with hand tools. But the convenience of just going to the basement to do basic woodworking can't be beat. I have a good stash of lumber, plywood and shaped wood bits and pieces that enables the fabrication of most basic ideas.

I built a context for my button clown. The back is luan, the shelf is cedar and the balls are probably maple. The woods don't really matter because I'm working for paint, but the mix of woods interested me. There was even enough time in the day for me to gesso the structure. It has a shrine like shape and will contribute to the concept of the button clown being a very minor deity. It will be interesting to see how this project progresses.

Art Doll Challenge - work in progress

2011-01-13T18:06:00.000-05:00

Chris Fondi, Joyce Compton and I have given each other some challenges to work on for our joint show. Joyce gave each of us a muslin doll to turn into an art doll. It has absurd proportions, stupid joints, and a T shape pose. I decided to take a fun approach. I painted it dark blue and cover it with buttons. The face is a cover button that I made. The hair is ball fringe. (Ball fringe was on sale at Construction Junction. I binged at $.75 a yard.)

I like the whimsicality of the doll and am thinking about having him juggle the cover buttons at his feet. A button clown of absurd proportions!

Lillian St Studio - Posts and Beam

2011-01-11T14:49:00.002-05:00

Its been cold lately so progress on the interior renovation has slowed. But Beth Rogers and I have been working on making brackets to provide triangulation and strength to the post and beam system that is replacing the interior walls. We decided to each do our own thing and have fun making the brackets.

Beth chose to make an Asian inspired bird. It looks great and it provides stability in two planes. A tail for the bird is in the works.

For my bracket I played with the Victorian impulse but threw out the rules. It will have cut out shapes added onto the left side and be painted in several bright colors.

This is a photo of me working on my bracket. It was a fun day despite the chilly weather. Beth Rogers took all of these photos.

Doll Quilt

2011-01-06T08:32:00.002-05:00

For several years I've been making, collecting and trading pin dolls and artists' trading cards. They are now part of an evolving doll quilt. The quilt base was made by a friend from things found in my sister's hoard, so even that is meaningful. The quilt is full of memories of people and good times. I love having it in my home.

Lately I've begun inviting friends to add things to the quilt. The beaded face doll below is by Chris Fondi. I'll post updates when I add major items such as Chris' doll to the quilt.

The top of the quilt has larger dolls and reminds me of a costume party or a "hats & heels" banquet.

Currently I'm participating in a fabric postcard swap with other members of Doll Street. Those cards will become part of the quilt. I'm looking forward to their arrival next month.

Some of my awards and medals are sprinkled into the mix. The doll quilt is fun to make and to have.

Marisol

2011-01-03T18:30:00.008-05:00

Usually when I discover art that I really like I just add a link to the artist's website or blog on the side bar. But Marisol is in her 80s and she doesn't have a web site. As an alternative I'll do a post about her work and my musing.

Marisol is considers herself to be a Pop artist. Pop art is a form of art that depicts objects or scenes from everyday life and employs techniques of commercial art and popular illustration. Her subject matter is certainly about contemporary life and her style reminds me of assemblage illustration. (Polly Becker is my favorite assemblage illustrator.)

I love the way Marisol sculpts each figure with varying degrees of abstraction. Some parts are blocky and geometric with painted or drawn surfaces and other parts are rendered three dimensionally. I find her decision making about these choices fascinating! I also wonder if there is an element of social commentary in her work?

Was she influenced by this ancient style of Roman sculpture?

Doll Making Goals 2011

2011-01-01T20:37:00.002-05:00

Last year I wrote what I thought were modest goals. I knew I would be working full time, finishing my doctorate and providing care for an elderly family member. I underestimated the demands of my coursework and did not anticipate my aunt's colon cancer. As a result my "modest" goals turned out to be too ambitious to achieve. Most of them were not met and are incorporated in 2011's goals. It's disappointing to not meet goals.

On the bright side, my aunt is in much better health and I have completed my degree. Finally I have some time to concentrate on my art. So here's my current situation:

I am meeting several times a month with my doll making group and we have plans to have an exhibit next fall or spring.
I have started a new series of dolls.
I have become active with this blog.
I've gotten involved with the Lillian St. studio project.
I've begun doing a little woodworking.

In summary, 2010 was a challenging year, but it is over and I'm now happily engaged with my art. Here are my measurable goals for next year:

Submit 4 pieces of work for publication in magazines
Submit work to 2 Pittsburgh juried exhibits
Have a gallery exhibit with Chris Fondi and Joyce Compton
Attend at least 2 events of local arts organizations
Update this blog at least three times a month
Publish a simple free pattern online
Take professional quality photographs of 8 pieces of work
Attend Artistic Figures in Cloth conference
Attend or host 10 doll club events

Lillian St Studio Update

2010-12-29T16:34:00.007-05:00

The structure has been buttoned up for winter and the facade looks great. It's a tiny house in the urban hills of Pittsburgh that is going to be a fun studio. Notice the building permit.

The interior is a construction project. Walls have been removed and replaced with a laminated beam.

The push right now is to get everything ready for the electrician to do the wiring. After that it can be insulated and dry walled. Tuesday was a workday for Beth Rogers and myself. Our task was to deal with holes in the floor.

The holes are in the area of a former bathroom. It was a cold day, with temperatures in the 20s, but with a couple Envi Heaters and vigorous work we were warm enough to work an entire day. Patching the floor was time consuming because we had to attach wood to all the beams so that our patches didn't fall through to the lower level.

We got the job done and the floor is solid. It was a great work out. This is my favorite form of exercise! I have visions of playing with a band saw and drill press by next summer.

Beth is in her 50"s and I turned 60 this past summer. Part of the fun of this project is demonstrating that older women can handle projects like this one. As an occupational therapist (my day job) I can report that an important element of how we work is the application of the principles of energy conservation and good body mechanics/ergonomics.

Exploring Cage Dolls

2010-12-24T18:21:00.002-05:00

I've been thinking about cage dolls ever since I saw the description of Leslie Molen's doll making class at the upcoming Artistic Figures in Cloth conference. Her doll is lovely and it references the Portugese and Spanish tradition of the Santos doll. The image of a cage doll seems archetypal. Perhaps it's a symbol of the things we keep within ourselves.

This cage doll is a work in progress. It is made from an old game board filled with unlit candles. The cage is made from bamboo skewers. The dress is an antique doll dress that I inherited from someone in the family. It's possible that my mother or sister made it. I'm still thinking about how to make the torso. The theme that is evolving for this doll is perhaps repressed desires or living a life without inner fire/passion. It would go up in a blaze if anyone actually put a match to it. The edge of danger is intriguing to me. These components have been sitting around my studio for years. When I got the concept it came together quickly.

This cage doll is also in process. I wanted to think about different approaches to making a cage. This has a drum like quality to it. The interior will be developed into an elaborate six pointed compass rose. The torso of the doll is made from an armature wire and yarn basket technique. The armature wire makes the curly parts of the collar. The hat is just a lamp part. The theme of this doll is something about exploration.

An old drawing goes to auction

2010-12-17T07:12:00.003-05:00

Several times lately I have encountered pieces of my art in the community. Most recently, I became aware of a drawing that I did in the late 70s going to auction. I hadn't seen this drawing for thirty years when I saw it on the internet. The instant I looked at it I remembered the experience of doing the drawing. I don't know what happened in the auction, but I was able to get a jpeg of the drawing while it was up for bid. I'm grateful for that. This is a fun experience!

I did very little to document my work in the early years. Some silk screen posters that I did in the mid 70s were auctioned at a benefit concert recently. The experience of finding old work circulating in the community is validating. I'm going to collect images of my old work whenever I have the opportunity. I'll post images and stories when I have them.

Assemblage Art Doll

2010-12-13T07:32:00.004-05:00

Baby Matron is finally finished and ready to go to the professional photographer.

Artistic Figures in Cloth challenge doll

2010-12-10T07:19:00.007-05:00

These dolls were inspired by a challenge for this springs AFIC conference. The dolls must stand but not use a traditional doll stand. The base must not be larger than 8" x 8", there are no other size limitations. "Doll" is loosely defined but it must contain at least at least 50% cloth. I'm not sure that I meet that requirement with these. Whether or not these go to AFIC, I'm having fun and enjoying combining assemblage techniques with cloth doll making.

The doll above has hair made from braided cotton. The neck is made from O-rings, the collar from feathers. The base contains a copper pot scrubber, vintage lamp parts and stuff from my stash.

This doll is earlier in its development and will probably look quite different when finished.
I'm looking for a few more vintage lamps to take apart. I want to explore this idea by making a few more busts.

Work in progress

2010-12-09T08:02:00.003-05:00

This doll is 32" high and she is top heavy. Despite big feet she doesn't stand well. I needed a doll stand that doesn't look like a doll stand. I made her a scooter. It works well and adds another level of fun to the project. At this time the scooter just has a coat of primer. It will probably be painted in shades of blue green and red orange.

These photos are studio shots of Lillian on her scooter. She has an aluminum wire armature, a stockinette skin and she is stuffed with poly fill. Her head is made from craft velour with fancy fiber hair, her clothing is crocheted. She has been in the works for a year and a half. The shoes will be yellow spandex.

Taking the time to wire each finger makes makes it possible to pose the hands. The idea of using a scooter for a doll stand wouldn't work without that detail. She has to be able to hold on to the scooter for it to support her.

Assemblage Art Boxes

2010-12-05T16:58:00.009-05:00

I've been working on assemblage boxes. People have been giving me cigar boxes and I have lots of stuff to use up. Its a good fit. There are about ten boxes in the series so far. This one has a Buddha head in a bird's nest with an assemblage of watch/clock parts below. It has a meditative feel to it. Nice and quiet.

The second box contains a compact that has been converted into a biological clock. The face is one of my cover buttons and the arrow on the clock is an old arrowhead. The emerging theme in these boxes is choosing how we spend our time. And how we each connect with archetypal images.

This last box looks further back in time to events that happened before I was born. The telegram was sent by my father to my mother during WWII. "You are more than ever in my thoughts at this time. All well and safe. Fondest greetings". He was courting her in 1943. Below the telegram is a Reischmark from the twenties when Germany experienced insane inflation. I suppose this box is about how events from the big sweep of history connect with our personal histories.

Submissions to Magazines

2010-11-27T09:51:00.006-05:00

Cloth Paper Scissors magazine recently had a reader challenge for creative uses of buttons. I sent in a few photos and will find out if they are interested sometime in the next couple months.

Joyce Compton, Chris Fondi and I also sent a submission in response to an Art Doll Quarterly challenge for paper dolls. My paper dolls were made from paper dollars and playing cards. These challenges were fun and it feels good to have put some work out into the world.

Lillian Street Studio

2010-11-09T08:12:00.000-05:00

Under the visionary and resourceful leadership of Beth Rogers an old house in the hills of Pittsburgh is being developed into a woodworking studio. The interior walls have been replaced with beams and a rotten section of the floor has been repaired. A bathroom and utility sink have been installed. The roof was replaced and a skylight installed. The interior is still rough but the electrican should be arriving shortly and then we can close up the walls with some insulation and get ready for winter. In the photo above Beth is in the middle, Chris Fondi is on the right and I'm on the left. I'm particularly proud of the glass block windows. It was the first time I set block. It was a lot of work but I like the results. Beth built the door from T 11 plywood.

All of the women working on this project are over fifty so we are being very thoughtful about creating a studio that we can use as we age. We all want to make art for a long time. In this photo Elaine Fuller has joined us. The Lillian Street project is just fun!

Back to Blogging!

2010-11-07T17:39:00.003-05:00

Finally I have the time and technology to pick up blogging again! I finished my doctorate this spring. It is such a relief to be done. Now some of the students call me Dr. Eckel. This will take some getting used to because I prefer to be called Emily. But earning the degree allows me to keep my job and that is a good thing! I just got a faculty review committee recommendation for a new three year contract. The “publish or perish” ax has been kept at bay.

Sadly, my home computer dropped dead shortly after I finished my degree. I am quite sure that the old computer was as tired as I was by the end of the program. It was a wonderful old computer and I am sorry to see its demise. It has taken a while to replace the old computer but I now have a temporary solution. Hopefully the purchase of a Mac Mini will soon be possible and I will be able to return the borrowed hardware.

Another barrier to blogging was a need to rest after the push to get done. As I rested I let my thoughts percolate on the artistic opportunities. Slowly and I do mean slowly, I became active with doll making and Beth Roger’s Lillian Street Studio project. More information about these activities will be in the posts to follow. For now it just feels good to be back to the blog.

The photo is a snap shot of my work table and several works in progress. I'm so happy to be back to the occupation of artist. Unfortunately I will have to moderate comments because of the porn spammers.

Goals for 2010

2010-01-25T14:48:00.001-05:00

January is zipping past so I want to look at how I did with meeting last years goals and set some new ones for 2010. 2009 was a year that was dominated by work and family priorities. I worked full time at Chatham University and I spent a lot of time caring for my elderly aunt. The time I usually spend on doll making and other artistic pursuits was spent earning my doctorate. I'll be done with that in April and then I will get to spend my pent up creative energy.

I did OK with my 2009 goals, but I didn't achieve everything I wanted to do. I attended two doll-making conferences, the Artistic Figures in Cloth gathering in Columbus and the Enchanted Doll Artists in Albuquerque. It was so much fun to get away and enjoy the company of other doll makers. There are also wonderful doll makers in the Pittsburgh doll makers club, each member is inspired by a distinct muse and I like to watch their creative processes. Hosting and attending several meetings was a welcome break from my studies. It is especially nice when the members enjoy my cooking.

Eight posts were made to this blog. I had hoped to post more often but the posts that I did put up reflected my efforts to stay connected to doll making despite being really busy. Unfortunately, I didn't find a round robin doll exchange to participate in. But I did make and submit a doll to the Momiji competition. It felt great to meet the deadline and send a doll off into the world. Ruth Hendricks photographed some of my dolls. A couple of her photos accompany this post. It would have been nice to be more active in 2009 but I did what I was able to do. It is after all about fun and creativity.

Goals for 2010

Participate in three days of workshops, classes or a doll making conference.
Attend or host ten doll club meetings.
Post at least twelve times in this blog.
Submit photos of Baby Matron to a magazine.
Submit the Stockinettes to a magazine.
Have Roy Englebrecht photograph some of my dolls.
Do "something" with the ribbons and awards I've been making.
When the doctorate is over remove all journal articles, reference books and other related stuff from the studio.
Publish a pattern.
Start a new series of dolls.

Enchanted Doll Artists Conference

2009-08-07T19:14:00.007-04:00

This year I attended the Enchanted Doll Artists Conference for the first time. It was a good experience. I was honored to win the advanced amateur blue ribbon for my doll Archimedes. Archimedes was formerly known as Athena's Muse. When I submitted him to EDAC the new name just fell into place and it felt right - so I went with it.

The first two days I learned about how to write patterns with elinor peace bailey. I worked on writing a pattern for some of my doll maker's awards and medals. It was great fun and I learned a lot. I hope to publish my first pattern shortly.

Looking at myself in the photo with elinor I look seriously under dressed for the occasion! I must work on my wardrobe! Obviously I need to dress more vividly... get some hats...cover up the grey. Could I pull off my day job of professor with a primary hair color?

The last day I took a class with Peggy Wilson on how to make clothing fit a particular doll. Peggy is a good teacher and she knows her stuff about tayloring. I put together a doll for this class out of spare body parts. It felt pretty random until I designed the garments. This is a picture of the dapper Sir Edac modeling the clothing made in Peggy's class. He is a work in progress.

Doll Makers Medals & Ribbons

2009-06-14T17:54:00.004-04:00

After attending the doll makers conference in Columbus, I came home full of excitement and pleasure from the fun, creative experience. When I told the people in my life about the experience, most of them said something like: "Oh, that's nice". I realized that people who don't find meaning from making things don't "get" the excitement of a creative experience such as doll making. I suppose they find their creative sparks in other ways.

I took a class with elinor peace bailey who suggested that I make a decorated doll. After mulling things over I decided to make "decorations" for doll makers and artists. I want to recognize kindred spirits with medals and ribbons. The photo shows my train of thought for designing these medals and ribbons. Once I have developed the designs a bit further I will make name the various ribbons and medals. A short term goal is to develop these small projects into a publishable pattern.

Artistic Figures in Cloth

2009-05-07T19:56:00.003-04:00

Despite the awkward name the conference was great fun. It was the perfect way to blow off steam after a demanding semester. It is always good to spend time with fun creative people. I'm energized.

I finally met elinor peace bailey and took a class with her. I learned a lot and have short term goals to work on during the summer semester. I am going to make a series of doll maker's medals and ribbons to balance my life. Hopefully out of this experimentation I will come up with a small pattern to publish.

Mrs Boyer

2009-04-22T07:43:00.003-04:00

Mrs Boyer is the first round robin doll that I have received that I really like. She is going to be the mascot for my doctoral project. I'm looking at how to support frail elderly women maintain their independence with cooking and related activities. I'm particularly interested in the meaning of maintaining independence and safety. I have her sitting on my desk to keep me company as I work my way through the doctoral process.

I've learned that it helps to start the face on these round robin dolls. In this case I sketched in the features with some simple embroidery. Mrs Boyer is named after the mother of a childhood friend who made fabulous raisin cookies. I imagine her as being at that point in life where she does what she wants to do and she doesn't care what other people think.

studio photos

2009-04-21T07:28:00.002-04:00

A pin cushion doll

Baby Matron in repose

Monkeys and pigs

epb doll minding the time

My rocking chair

Old Gram Winter

2009-03-09T07:34:00.007-04:00

Ruth did a great job photographing Grammy. It's hard to get the detail on a monochrome doll. Gram's personality shines through on this one. Gram is dressed in old lace, her face is done with a trapunto technique and her hair is Tibetan lamb's wool. She has an aluminum armature and can be reposed, even her hands and fingers.

We took the photographs on a photo stage that I recently built in my studio. It's the first use of the stage since the electrician was here to wire it for me. We played a lot with the lighting and in the end we used Ott lights bounced off the stage walls to get this effect. The drape is a large piece of felt.

Art Doll Photos

2009-03-08T16:42:00.002-04:00

Ruth Hendricks came over today to photograph some of my dolls. It was lot of work and great fun. Along the way she took some photos of my studio including the wall of dolls above. I'll upload more doll photos in the next few posts. Some of the dolls exerted their personality and refused to be photographed in front of a simple drape. Ruth suggested making note cards or a calendar with my doll photos. I love the idea but wonder about doing it in this economy.

The doctoral program is demanding but I'm doing OK with keeping up with it and my basic doll making goals. The doll club has been meeting here once a month and we are preparing to participate in AFIC. We will be taking a club exhibit with us for display in the gallery. It should be great fun with good friends. Its nice to have something like that to look forward to when I'm doing my homework.

Doll Making Goals 2009

2009-01-21T06:27:00.004-05:00

Goals

Attend the Artistic Figures in Cloth conference

Participate in a round robin doll exchange

Host the monthly meetings of Yinz dolls n’at

Have professional photographs taken of more of my dolls

Post monthly in this blog

My doll making goals for 2009 are basic because I have started my doctoral program in occupational therapy. It is a 16 month program. I love occupational therapy and am interested in the material that I am studying. But I don’t expect to have much time for leisure activities. I am committed to staying connected to doll making and my doll making friends through these goals.

Show Photos

2008-12-06T16:01:00.002-05:00

The student who photographed my show has finally delivered the images. The show seems a long time ago now. It's really fun to look back at the event!

The Monday before Thanksgiving my mother in law died. She was 89 years old but I am still sad that she is gone. For reasons I will never understand my husband did not make it to the viewing and he was late for his mother's funeral.

After the Show

2008-10-26T09:15:00.005-04:00

I had planned to use photos from the reception for my show as the basis of my next post. But the student photographer who was assigned to cover the event has been slow to deliver. When she finally does I will put them up along with some musings about the event.

In the meanwhile I am getting back to work in my studio. The top photo shows a couple assemblage dolls in the early stages. They are on a workbench in my wood shop. The bottom photo shows a large doll that I am working on for the Fiber Arts Guild exhibit that is rapidly coming up.

I had hoped to have a whole weekend to myself for creative work but that is not to be. My aunt who is like a mother to me is ill and I am going to make some chicken soup and take it to her. She is in her mid eighties and cannot drive any more. She has always made the time for me when I needed her so I will make the time for her. If I miss the Fiber Arts Guild deadline I will just have to wait for the show in the spring.

Art Dolls News Release

2008-09-10T13:38:00.003-04:00

This is the first news release that I have written. I am grateful the the Chatham University Art Gallery Manager and the Public Relations Director for their assistance in this task.

"Art Dolls" opens 2008/2009 gallery events at Chatham University

Pittsburgh (August 9, 2008) ... Presenting an amazing variety of artistic doll interpretations, Emily Eckel transforms the tradition of doll-making into something new. Ranging from traditional embroidery to contemporary assemblage, the doll assumes identities that demand attention. Ms. Eckel's works are on view in "Art Dolls" at the Chatham University Art Gallery now through September 23, 2008. The meet-the-artist reception will be Thursday, September 18 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. For mor information call 412-365-1232.

The Chatham University Art Gallery, located in Woodland Hall on the Quad, is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on weekends by appointment. For directions and parking visit www.chatham.edu/campusmap.

In the last ten years the art doll movement in America has blossumed and art dolls are being recognized as an art form of its own. Art dolls are one of a kind figuartive sculptures in mixed media. Ms. Eckel brings a unique vision to her dolls since each doll has a disctinct personlity. While generally light-hearted, many have dark untdertones. Ms. Eckel learned the needle arts during childhood but didn't begin making art dolls until she inherited a quilting studio from her sister.

Ms. Eckel holds a BFA from Carnegie Meool University and is an assistant professor of occupational therapy at Chatham. A member of The Fiber Arts Guild of Pittsburgh, Ms. Eckel's dolls have benn exhibited throughout North America. Her work has been featured in magazines such as Art Doll Quarterly and Soft Dolls and Animals.

Exhibition Poster

2008-08-26T08:52:00.001-04:00

Preparing to open my solo art exhibit

2008-08-24T15:11:00.003-04:00

This weekend I have been hanging my show of dolls in the Chatham University Art Gallery. I am trying to have a professional quality exhibit and there are many things to do.

The art has to be transported to the gallery, displayed and the lighting adjusted. All the art must be labeled and priced. In some cases I have also hung interpretation notes with the work. The postcard invitations to the reception were ordered last week and they must be addressed and mailed as soon as they arrive. The press release must be sent to the media in the hopes of getting a review of the show in the newspaper. The poster went to the copy center last week and will be ready monday. Next I have to order the food from the university food service for the reception.

This show is the culmination of several years of work and I'm very excited to see it finally happening.

Steel Wool Mama Revisited Again

2008-08-17T10:57:00.003-04:00

This doll keeps evolving. I've been preparing for my solo exhibit which opens in about a week. This doll just want to be more colorful for that event. So I gave her some bling and feathers.

Class with Linda & Opie at the SCC

2008-06-28T11:42:00.003-04:00

Last weekend I took at class with Linda & Opie OBrien at the Society for Contemporary Crafts. It was a good class. I learned a lot about techniques and materials. They were available when I wanted their advice and they let me alone when I just wanted to work.

New Assemblage Doll

2008-06-14T14:23:00.004-04:00

The Temperature Clown is the first in a series of clowns made from objects that measure things.

Anthropomorphic Dolls

2008-05-22T07:49:00.003-04:00

Athena's Muse with Devilish Friend. Devilish Friend is made from a recycled child's dance recital costume.

Steel Wool Mama Assemblage Doll Revisited

2008-05-16T17:41:00.002-04:00

Steel Wool Mama Assemblage Doll

2008-04-22T16:10:00.004-04:00

Steel Wool Mama is an assemblage doll begun in Robert Villamangna's class. Her head is one of many that I made one day to practice embroidering features. I "found" it in my studio. It was a struggle to compose this doll but as soon as I put the steel wool on her head she came together for me. Now I'm thinking about making her a little house.

Assemblage Art Doll

2008-04-20T10:14:00.006-04:00

Robert Villamanga taught an assemblage doll class at the Society for Contemporary Craft. The class was fun and I learned that I like making assemblage dolls. I was amused by the class talking about going to flea markets to find materials for assemblage art. I don't need to do that because I have inherited stuff from people in my family. I just need to visit my attic or my basement and I can find what I need to make dolls. A lot of what I have are things that were important to my departed family members. I can't bring my self to get rid of it all but I can make art out of it.

Dark Elf Doll

2008-04-06T06:12:00.004-04:00

This doll is a submission to Doll Streets Project Runway. The challenge was to make a evil dark elf in the court of the dark queen. Faeries and elves are not my thing so I turned to the Dungeons and Dragon kids in my life for advice. The rules of the challenge prohibit faces. That's why the face is blank. I'll add a face when the contest is over.

The doll has several found objects incorporated into the design. The hair is made from Japanese toothpicks and sewing pins. The staff that the elf is holding is an old lace bobbin.

Athena's Muse

2008-03-28T06:40:00.006-04:00

Owls are a recurring theme in my work. They make me feel connected to the spirit of Athena. This doll is my submission to the Art Dollz anthropomorphic challenge.

Fleeta & Zula

2008-03-21T17:52:00.006-04:00

Sometimes I make a doll from someone else's pattern. I see the finished doll as a collaborative effort. It's like a musician doing a cover of someone else's song. eleanor peace bailey is a doll maker that I admire. She is a creative free spirit. This is doll purse is based on one of her patterns.

Fleeta and Zula are named after Elaine Fuller's maiden aunts. Elaine suggested the names while I was embroidering the faces. We were on a long train ride at the time. Zula is a bit happier than Fleeta because her bee hive is higher than Zula's bun.

Old Gram Winter

2008-03-19T19:08:00.007-04:00

Old Gram Winter is the winter challenge doll that I submitted to the Doll Street Winter Blues Challenge. She is the antithesis of Old Man Winter. She isn't mean and cold. She appreciates the quiet beauty of snow and ice. She has a stockinette body stiffened with Pavorpol and she is supported by an aluminum armature. Her face sculpting is a trapunto technique. (edit 3/22/08 Gram is one of the winners of the challenge.)

Project Runway on Doll Street

2008-03-10T08:10:00.004-04:00

Doll Street online doll club is playing Project Runway with doll costumes. This weeks challenge is to make a doll dressed in the style of elinor peace bailey. elinor peace bailey is a famous doll maker who dresses like her dolls. My entry does not have a face because the focusof the game is on the costuming. I will add that later. This doll was a good challenge for me because I don't do a lot of this type of clothing. It was also a push to complete this doll in one week. I'm looking forward to next weeks challenge.