One of my resolutions for 2007 is to keep my blog updated more regularly, posting pictures and comments about works in progress and about my studio life in general so that family, friends, and collectors will better know what's going on with me, because work and life keep me running all day, every day, and sometimes I seem to "disappear", or my work does, for weeks on end. Gymnastics lessons and meets; play dates and sleepovers with the kids; trips to the Bay Area to get the boys to their dad (and trips back); plus accommodating husband Tim's night job (he sees private therapy clients Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights in addition to his 40+ hour a week job as a Mental Health Supervisor for Butte County) and my stepson Zack (16 and on the wrestling team) make for a really full schedule. I admit, it's really hard sometimes to get the bearmaking and dollmaking and beadmaking and graphic design time that, in an ideal world, I'd really like. Yeesh, I'm tired anew, just READING about all that! Anyway, my point is, if I keep up with my blog more regularly, nobody has to guess where I've been, what I'm doing, when my next pieces will be available, and so on. So I'm committed. Stay tuned...
To begin the updates -->
GRAPHIC DESIGN PROJECTSThis week, I'm working on a handful of design projects that suddenly poured into my lap over the last few weeks (always a good thing, that.) More bears and dolls will be in the works within the next few days, though; I'm itching bad, to get building something touchable really soon.
Here's something I've been working on this week for Hawaiian bear artist Jody Tokioka, who makes really cute open-mouth bears. Go ahead and click on it, if you're interested, for a larger view. I'm proud of the gold metallic effect I achieved! It doesn't hurt that Jody's bears are drop-dead gorgeous, either; there's nothing like a beautiful product like hers to showcase those graphic design skills!
TEDDY BEAR CONTESTS
I have only one entry in the big, magazine-sponsored US contests this year. My piece is MR. SANDMAN: BRINGER OF DREAMS, and he's been entered into both the TOBY (sponsored by Teddy Bear & Friends) and Golden Teddy (sponsored by Teddy Bear Review) competitions.I have this "thing" about making new, out of this world pieces specifically for the contests. Maybe I'm a bit superstitious in that way, but I don't like entering past work, even if it might be contest-worthy. We'll see how SANDMAN does!
I've been so blessed by, and am so grateful for, my nominations and wins in the contests for 2005 and 2006, so of course I have high hopes this year -- and a fear of failure, too. I avoided the "Friends" category this year, on purpose, and plunged into SANDMAN with all my heart in the hopes that my BEARS -- which, after all, is what I mostly make! -- might earn some notice, instead of my "other" critters, which have been my most recognized pieces to date. Please keep your fingers crossed for me and my dream-weaving SANDMAN! The TOBY nominee announcement will come first, as soon as Friday, January 19; that's the date for IDEX . Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Clicking on MR. SANDMAN will bring you to a slightly bigger version of this photo. For a REALLY big one, go to my website, www.potbellybears.com and click on GALLERY, and then his tiny photo. He's got a whole page to himself there!
DOLLMAKINGI also tried something really scary and daunting and new, but exciting, earlier this month: I submitted my doll, FLEUR, to amazing doll artist and Lark Books juror Akira Blount, in the hopes that she might be selected for publication in their upcoming book to be published Fall 2007, 500 HANDMADE DOLLS. Kinda a big goal for a first doll, eh? Kinda a big goal for a doll in general, methinks. But I wouldn't be me if I weren't pushing and pushing and pushing myself to do something new, and do it my best, and then feign bravey and just get "out there" with my work. So once I saw the Call for Submissions for the 500 Handmade Dolls book, FLEUR just HAD TO BE created. :)
It was no small feat to prep for this submission because, unlike the teddy bear magazines I'm so accustomed to working with -- which have certain print quality parameters -- Lark publishes super-high quality coffee table books with gorgeous photography. So my images needed to be not just of the finest quality (in terms of data and composition), but also, had to be submitted either as RAW digital files (my camera doesn't do that!) or as slides or transparencies, which I had no previous experience in creating.
Happily, I managed what I think are some really great shots of FLEUR, and I was supremely happy with how she turned out, which was just as I imagined, in all her goofy, mixed-media glory. I found a great place online which produces wonderful slides in ONE day and will overnight them for a fee -- www.iprintfromhome.com. I highly recommend them. So it all worked out.
This is my FLEUR. She's my absolute pride and joy; I adored making her! She's come to represent what I predict will be an ongoing obsession with me. I am totally inspired by Basel, Switzerland's FASNACHT carnival in the creation of my dolls; I was witness to the wee-hour Morgenstreich parade once, years ago, and the images of that magical night never left me. I think this dollmaking thing is here to stay! Click on FLEUR's photo to get a really big version of her closeup; you can even see paintstrokes!
I hope you've enjoyed my studio updates for mid-January, 2007. I promise to keep 'em coming!
Happy Creating,
Shel
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