Happy New Year! Doesn't a New Year hold such promise? I am very excited to begin on my new goals. One of them is to spend more time with my art. In that spirit, I am posting this photo (click on photo for close up) of a doll I made in a class with the amazing Sally Jean! (http://www.sallyjean.com/indexArgyleHOME.htm) This girl and her talent just blow me away. Speaking of Sally... She is having some rare workshops in her OWN studio (in PORTLAND...aren't I lucky???)in February, and I was able to get into one on February 10th. It is an early birthday present from my husband and I can't wait!
Back to my doll... you'll notice my name emblazoned across the front in vintage wood game piece letters. The "L" however is missing. I have it, I just haven't gotten around to soldering it on her yet. When I first made her, I was not proud of her.
Everyone in class around me had these beautifully themed, in proportion, gorgeous dolls. One lady made a Marie Antoinette doll with silk and velvet robes and even a gorgeous wig. Another made a gorgeous rabbit doll, and when her long coat was opened, it showed a darling baby bunny inside! Another lady made a Frida Kahlo doll with each square in her dress and each charm in the squares the same perfect size. And then there was mine; lopsided with one hip jutting out in a severely unlikely direction. She had all soldered dangling charms like everyone else, but made of broken china, gift wrap between glass, old buttons (some of which broke in the process) and a few pieces of jewelry and my husband's stars, all looking as they had been added in haste.
Now though, I am proud of her. I just love Harriett. You all know I don't like perfect things. I like time worn, paint chipped, dented, cracked or partially broken things that show some personality and life and history. Not many things in my house are perfect and I love it that way.
So here in all of her imperfect, lopsided glory, to wish you a wonderful, Happy New Year full of imperfect but wonderful life is Harriet!
Why you might ask, is her name Harriet?? Ah, that story is for another day. Love to you all!
Now I know why you like me.."with her hip jutted out in an unlikely direction.." Did you know my middle name was Harriet??
ReplyDeleteJOY!
This post makes me smile with tears of joy!!!! We do so compare our work to others and YET suddenly without looking we realize it is OURS!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love Harriet to!! She is a joy what is her head?? plastic doll head/rubber??? I would love to take a sally Jean class...but alas...I live on the other coast!!
Keep loving what you do!!
Harriet is adorable! I too fall into the trap of comparing my work against others. I always feel like my stuff isn't as good. But I know I need to stop doing that and just appreciate the fact that it is mine and a reflection of me. We are all more critical of ourselves than others sometimes. Best wishes for a fabulous New Year!
ReplyDeleteLisa
That's weird. I can't find my comment where I asked you to send me your email address. Oh well, can you? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLisa