Liberty Medal

Last Thursday (October 8) I attended the Liberty Medal presentation at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.  The Liberty Medal is given to recognize someone who has worked to secure liberty for people throughout the world.  This year's recipient was Steven Spielberg. It was a great night, held on the front lawn of the Constitution Center.  All the local dignitaries were there along with Whoopie Goldberg and Bill Clinton, the Center's chairman.  At the end of the event Richie Havens sang "Freedom" - really cool for all of us who are part of the Woodstock generation.

My trip tp NIADA in Tennessee

I don't usually put a lot of text in this blog, but I had such a wonderful trip to Tennessee a couple of weeks ago that I thought I would share some of my experience there.  I went to the NIADA (National Institute of Doll Artists) conference held at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg to spend a week taking classes and learning from an amazing group of artists.

I took two classes, one with Leslie Molen to make an Asian doll, Ling-Li Hua, and another with Diane Keeler to learn to sculpt a child's head in polymer clay. I learned so much!  From Leslie, how to insert eyes in a fabric sculpted face and how to color the face with chalks.  And Diane was a wonderful teacher who taught me how to sculpt a realistic face from clay - something I had never attempted before.  This is my Ling-Li.

And this is an in progress photo of my clay head.

The keynote speaker at the conference was Elsa Mora, a wonderful artist from California.  Her blogs are delightful - she makes friends and shares her extraordinary talent so beautifully through her words and pictures.  I was so happy to meet her in person and to experience her artful, entertaining, and moving presentation at the conference.  Please go take a look at her blog(s).  You will make a new friend.  Here is a photo of Elsita and me.

The NIADA conference will be in Chicago next summer and I hope I can return to reconnect with all the beautiful artists and friends!

Butterfly

This is a doll I made for an exhibit of dolls that hang on the wall, rather than stand or sit. That's a real butterfly in her hands, preserved with Paverpol. She's an original design.

Thelma's doll

Thelma will be 90 years old this week and this is her childhood doll - a German bisque doll. I cleaned her up and made new clothes.

Little Bo Peep

I started to make this doll for the Hoffman Challenge, but couldn't finish it on time to submit her to the contest. I like how she turned out.

Emily's doll

This an Annie I made from a pattern from De Powell for Emily.

More Bunnies

New doll

This is a doll that was inspired by a picture I saw on a blog. She ended up pretty cute and I think I will try some more based on this design. I don't have a name for her - what do you think?

Fuzz Bun

I signed up for an online class to make a polymer clay bunny. I had never tried to work with clay before, but this was pretty easy. Here is my first bunny.

John C Campbell class

I attended a weekend class in photography at the John C Campbell Folkschool in Brasstown North Carolina this weekend.

I learned a lot about how to take better photos of artwork. Here are some photos.

My dog

His name is JP and he's the best!

Snow!

We had a beautiful snowfall this week in Philadelphia - powdery, light, and really pretty. Would have been perfect on Christmas Eve. It was the best kind of snow - easy to drive in and by today all has melted!

Lots of Pixies

I made a lot of small pixies that I sold at Christmas time. Here are some photos.

Annies for Christmas

I made a lot of Annies for others to give as Christmas gifts. The blonde Annies went to twins Miya and Priya. The brown-haired Annies were gifts for three sisters.