Monday, January 7, 2008

ITS A NEW DAWN!


Its a new day! Its a new life for me and I'm feeling good!

Hello, everyone! This is my maiden post for a blog I never thought I would start! Who knew that the last 5 years would lead me to my current path! As one who can barely turn on a computer, I am surprised to be writing a weblog. It is indeed a new dawn for me.

I hope to make lots of new friends and reconnect with some old here. Most of all I hope to share my art and provide inspiration for others who may have similar interests.

The love of old things is not new for me. I had a step-grandmother, Edna, God love her, who had a little antique store in the back of her house. Even as a pre-schooler, I would fondle each of her little trinkets and those she bestowed on me were taken home and given a place of honor on my dresser. I am convinced that I was born to love vintage things. When I handle them it is as though I can feel the history of all the persons who have handled them before - as though I love them not just for the item, but for our shared connection. Surely this is born, not made.

Through the years I came to love vintage clothes, particularly vintage purses and lingerie and even briefly ran a vintage clothing store in the '80's with my Sister: The Cat's Pajamas. This brought me into contact with others who also loved vintage clothes. A few years I was sitting in a courtroom next to a friend and she was wearing a black vintage coat from the '50's. Suddenly, an alarm sounded in my head and I knew I had handled that coat before. She saw me staring at it and I mouthed, "Did I sell you that coat?" and she nodded yes. She told me later that she was a customer in my store, but we didn't know each other then and she had never mentioned it. Maybe the connection I have to these inanimate objects is real!

I have always been a little "crafty." A college roommate convinced me to take a ceramic class with her, which led to 10 more years of lessons. Then there was a couple of years of paper molding with my friend, Nancy, and many more years of emulating Martha. I had the help and assistance of many fine crafters, but my own work took a serious new direction when I saw my first copy of Somerset Studio. I think it was about 2001 and I would read the magazine from time-time and several of its sister publications until I finally had the courage to make something of my own. I made Zany Dolls from a pattern in Art Doll Quarterly. The Girls are some of my most recent ones. I made the original ones from old file folders and xeroxed pages from Alice in Wonderland that I aged with tea. It was my first distressing journey.....

4 comments:

Wendy said...

Welcome to blogland, love those pictures. Now you need to add a link column so that you can link to all your arty friends out there. :) Wendy

Belle said...

Congratulations! I can't wait to see the banner you design and more pictures. I hope you put a picture of the purse you did for me to show some commissioned pieces. From the non-crafty friend. Pat A

kathy said...

Hi saw your comment on Feathered nest . Glad I came to visit -- Welcome to blogland -- am a newbie myself-- I love somerset -- Your dolls are wonderful . I have made paper angels after a design in somerset several years ago -- Still lovin -what i learned in kindergarten-- Cutting and pasting -- which now has a new meaning -- Kathy

Nancy said...

Glad to see you have started your blog. As one recipient of some of your artwork I look forward to see what you post in the future.