Assemblage Doll

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.

More AFIC Doll Photos

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

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

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

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

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.

Exploring Cage Dolls

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.