Autumn Equinox

Autumn equinox is fast approaching. I like an excuse to showcase some dolls, so here is a little round up of some timely Etsy offerings.

Griselda has a lovely Autumn Tarot/Spirit doll amongst others that fit the theme.

My doll friend Kats in the Belfry (who also found that Equinox site) has her cute little pagan people.

Over at Painting Pixies you'll find a whole forest full of sweet felted mushroom people.

Bonnesinging is Ready for Fall .

From Brussels, Mademoisell G has some beautiful painted cloth dolls bundled up for chilly weather like Agathe.

For your dollies' Mabon celebration, here is some miniature bounty (pictured) by Afterdarkafterall.

Ankie Daanen in Albuquerque

Received today from Ankie Daanen:

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Dear Dollfriends.


I am happy to let you know that I will teach a FOUR DAY DOLLMAKING CLASS in Albuquerque, NM.

This class will take place in February 2011 from Thursday Febr. 3 through Sunday Febr. 6.

Classhours will be from 9.00am until 5.00pm.


This class will take place in the SANDIA COURTYARD and CONVENTION CENTER and the roomrate is $49,- plus taxes.

The class fee will be $500,- per student plus a $25,- kitfee.


Attached on this message you will find some dollpictures.[see below]

If you are interrested in this class you can make a choise: What do you want to make?

1: A ´Big Belly Boy´, made out of Darwi stoneclay and paperclay.

2: A ´Heartbreaker´, made out of Darwi Stoneclay.

But!!!...You have to make a choise, and most votes win.

So, it will be OR a ´Big Belly Boy´, OR a ´Heartbreaker´ in the end.

For the ´Heartbreaker´ you need to purchase a costume ($65,-), or you have to make one yourself after classhours.

You will go home with a completely finished doll.

If you are interrested in this class, or if you have any questions, please let me know and I come back to you with more information!

Warm regards, Ankie Daanen

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More info on Darwi here.

Fun for Toy Collectors

Afficianados of vinyl toys and other toys too will enjoy Rotocasted, self described online library for toy collectors. Members can upload images of their collectibles and anyone can browse the over 8000 images currently stored. The images are not only of commercial vinyl toys but also of mods, repaints and stuffies. Joining is free.

Incidentally, I found this site travelling circuitous path along twitter that started with a google search of Dylan and Cole Sprouse (Disney's Zack and Cody). Dylan is an artist and vinyl doll designer. His first collectible vinyl toy (William and Shady pictured below in brown) is in release through his design company, Sprousearts.

Margi

Get ready to giggle, or certainly smile with a sense of knowing, when you peruse the textile and mixed media dolls of Margi Hennen. They embody a whimsical feminism, and charming humor as well as a freedom in execution that I really enjoy. They seem to me to be living in the same strange universe as the wee people that populate Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig's art, or at least next door.

Dabida

I was only going to post once today, but I'm a bit too excited. From Esther's site I followed her link to Dabida - the Dutch and Belgian Institute of Doll Artists.

If you can't find enough beauty and inspiration to keep you busy for a couple of hours, visiting the 23 members' picture heavy pages, then I'm...I'm a catfish. Such variety and some familiar names too.

BTW scroll down each page for the info thereon repeated in English.

Van Essie

I love this website and the work of Esther Verschoor. She makes spooky, mysterious and intriguing mixed media art dolls, sometimes starting with found objects like bird skulls. Her site is a visually rich rabbit hole. Click, click and click again to get to the deatiled info about each of her intricate vignettes. Her links page is a feast as well.

Art Dolls in Gallery 9

Another cheeky post about myself. My Dream Star Dolls have been invited to be in the store at Gallery 9, in Culver City in conjunction with The Peace Project juried exhibit starting September 25. I'll also be donating a beautiful Dream Doll for a gala auction to benefit victims of the war in Sierra Leone.

Pictured is Best in Show "Look Within" by Kelly Drew

More info on The Peace Project and Sierra Leone on my blog.