Upcoming Doll Classes in NM & NY

Marlaine Verhelst - Taking Care of the Chicken

Received from Ankie Daanen:


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Hello, Dear Dollfriends.
 
I like to let you know news about upcoming dollclasses.
You might be interrested!!
 
MEET ´THE DUTCH TOUCH´.
Marlaine Verhelst and Ankie Daanen will come to Albuquerque, NM!!!
In a five day class Marlaine will teach hand sculpting into airdrying stone clay, based on human forms and proportions
and painting the piece with watercolor.
Ankie will teach inspiring lessons in clothing and finishing the doll in a personal way.
All students will go home with a finished piece!
 
DATES: Monday October 15th through Friday October 19th, 2012.
PLACE: Sandia Courtyard Hotel & Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM.
Roomrates are $59,- for two persons, incl. breakfast / excl. taxes.
The total fee for the five day class will be $ 875,-, payable in three terms.
Kit fee will be $25,-, payable the first class day.
For more info on this class you can get in touch with Ankie: ankiedaanen@hotmail.com
 
ONE OPENING in the ´DUTCH TOUCH CLASS´ in Rye Brook, NY!!
DATES: October 25 through October 29, 2011.
For more info on this classyou can get in touch with our host Barbi Kantor - Goldenberg: dollart29@aol.com,
or with Ankie: ankiedaanen@hotmail.com
 
TWO DAY CLASS IN WESTCHESTER, NY, MOUNT VERNON:
Ankie will teach a two day class : how to make a ´doll out of the box´.
You will learn how to sculpt a fantasy dollhead and hands from air-drying clay.
How to make a body, how to paint and finish the doll and how to decorate a box-on-wheels and finish the complete project.
 
DATES: November 1st through November 2nd, 2011.
For info on this class you can get in touch with Gwen Jackson: mamagdolls@msn.com
Gwen has extra bedrooms for students.
 
NOTICE: Find out all about classes Marlaine and Ankie teach in August during the NIADA convention in Denver.
www.NIADA.org
 

by Ankie Daanen

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I've been to Albuquerque. The old town is pretty, there are nice Mexican food restaurants especially and there is lots of art to see in the region.


Please contact Ankie directly for more information. These are all wonderful opportunities to work with masters of the doll making arts.

Filigree Fantastic

I never ceased to be amazed and inspired the creativity in the world. I have just found the adorable and whimsical site for The Filigree, a Fairy Tale Newspaper. The site features information about the paper, gorgeous fantasy animals and anthro figures ("filigreetures") made using polymer clays over armatures and repurposed silk fabrics for the skin textures, Art Dolls and the most gorgeous Paper Dolls.

The paper dolls are a big feature of the Etsy store. The whole concept and brand is most intriguing.

Gather at the Old Farmhouse with Junker Jane

Junker Jane's Monster on Etsy

I was explaining my slow progress on my Aesthetic Preferences Profile quiz on my MMM blog. I mention shabby chic/prim as a major style look. Here's the group blog of an Etsy team, Old Farmhouse Gathering, that make many beautiful prim and american folk style things for the home including beautiful dolls.

For anyone interested in running down a sweet rabbit hole the artisans button on that page takes you to a plethora of links to their blogs and shops. There delectable foodstuffs, traditional recipes, shaker furniture makers and of course dolls, like Prims Gone Wild, Angelbug Prims, and Night Owl Studios.

I think Junker Jane may be my current favorite, though. These go beyond the typical prim rag doll, to be prim rag monsters. Her work has an unmistakable look, lots of assymetry, lots of layering. Even though she appropriates elements of the prim aesthetic like aging, distressing and raggedy edges, you never think you are looking at an antique. They feel both aged and contemporary.

The Junker Jane website is also nicely organized. Her photography is exemplary.

Harry Potter all gone

As it happens most (but not all) of these dolls are sold out, but they sure are fun to look at. We have Tonner's Hermione and Ron at the Yule Ball, and they are truly beautiful detailed dolls.

Win a Kokeshi

...courtesy of the Craft and Folk Art Museum store in Los Angeles. In conjunction with the current exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum, you can win a sweet kokeshi by artist, Kathy Yoshihara, by going to this blog post article and commenting before July 19th - so hurry along.

A world of teddies

Here's an online show of artful teddy bears. You can vote for your favorites but only for 3 days, July 15-17! There are some adorables amongst the miniatures and the full size.

Lego art

Ok this is just highly amusing to me. There are tons of ads on the site but scroll down for the famous album covers recreated in legos. Beatles predominate, but there are some others too.

International Art Doll Registry

Here is a community site for doll artists, the International Art Doll Registry. At this site there members can access tutorials, get critiques and help, and participate in challenges - but most of all show their dolls to the world with links to their sales sites. The annual membership is a reasonable $39.00, and there are also annual contests.

The next associated learning opportunity will be a Polymer Clay Sculpting Seminar hosted by Deb Wood. This will be in Minnesota August 17-21, 2011. Details from Deb directly.

Ric Rac Softies

Here's Jodie of Ric Rac's tutorial for making a personalized plushie doll. A quick browse around her blog finds other soft dolls, whimsical stuffed miniatures made by reducing patterns, and a general fondness for clean shapes,  pretty felt colors and a sharp eye for retro influenced design. I like it.