IMART, Day 3

Fresh eyes look at yesterday's work: the layered bricolage pieces are lined up on the chalk ledge. Quite fascinating to see the how the final layers and processes have changed the pieces so drastically from their beginnings.

Edie Fredrickson had decided to add one more layer of color before beginning today's project:






















A week after the workshop Edie sent me this update on the piece, saying she added a photo transfer and really liked the effect it created.
























We were shown a collection of articulated dolls made from rusted tin. Our instructor, Ken, described them as clock dolls in that they had moving parts that went around, and around, and around..... I'm not talking arms and legs here, although the limbs moved so the dolls could assume various poses. (The lady doll had a lovely body form but wasn't nearly as interesting!)
















The protective case that Ken made is as intriguing as the dolls. The old discarded canvas is totally in character and what color would be more suitable for a 'floor' accent than deep red? The bone handled awl slips through the ring to secure the dolls in place when the case is wrapped.

Do you think the two on the right are a couple? What's the story of the third person? Brother? Friend? Former lover? Maybe my mind is just wandering through the intricacies of this creation but that's the kind of reaction these dolls receive. I think something special happens with the combination of materials and wisps of the makers soul.

"As a child, who or what did you want to be when you grew up?"

Outside, everyone chose appropriate pieces of rusted sheet metal, drew patterns for limbs and torsos and got to work cutting and assembling .



Before long, articulated metal art dolls were literally dancing around the room! Vi Martens created the ballerina of her childhood dreams.

Her daughter, Cheryl Latimer, made an image of herself with a little schoolgirl haircut sporting a bow.

"All I ever wanted to do was make crafts and sell them to the tourists from my own booth at the Alamo Grill in Grande Prairie. And here I am with my little satchel of crafts."

This sweet little girl exudes happiness and sunshine, doesn't she?
Below, she's tied safely in her cloth booklet:

She proudly shows us her satchel with the shoulder strap....



and then does a little happy dance,

kicking up her heels. A happy crafter! I would have liked this little girl as a childhood friend.





I knew I wouldn't be able to apply enough pressure to use the tin snips. This was quite disappointing because I've wanted to try articulated metal dolls for several years now. OK, how do I get around my not completely functioning hand problem and still make a doll?



In the box of metal pieces there was a strip of aluminum embossed with roses and painted red. I wonder what its history is — what has it seen? Since it had a border along one edge, what could it be but a 1950's era apron? If I could find enough small pieces to attach to each other for the rest of the body, it might work. Ken brought a few small slats of wood that were perfect to fan out for a skirt. He always seemed to know what his students needed.



Handmade wire 'rivets' hold the rusty bodice together and the skirt pieces, as well. A cotter pin keep the apron closed at the back. I was able to use scissors (I'm proud to say) to cut some very thin aluminum for the arm pieces. A generous dollop of modeling compound helps to prevent the rusty skirt frill from moving back and forth. I usually tint the modeling compound, camouflaging it with acrylic paint but the white won't show once everything is in place. The metal that was rusted enough to break apart without cutting was also delicate and too full of holes to fasten with the wire rivets. The metal rod holds the doll upright and eliminates the need for legs. She was looking quite good at this point and I allowed myself the artistic freedom to let her have only one arm. Even without a 'head' she could almost be considered finished but since there was a large spoon, why not use it. Not bad symbolism either, hmm?

She could have used a few more beaded decorations on her skirt frill but the metal was fragile and my hand was starting to cramp slightly so it had to be left at that point.

There was one shard of the broken Bunnykins china left over from the cloth doll so I filed the sharp edges, gave it a brushing of beeswax, buffed it and tucked it in behind her apron string, so to speak.



The spoon needed a small detail that a piece of embossed copper filled without too much cutting. It was stuck on with bees wax.

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A piece of vintage linoleum, luckily in red tones, covers the wood block holding the metal rod.



She probably figures that by the time they're teenagers (or young adults) the amount fingerprints on the walls and fridge will lessen somewhat. Hate to disappoint this little mother, if she doesn't already know......from mushed up cookie to bike repair grease to dirt from the current job site, it just never ends!



Do you think she's heard the recent statistics on adult children living at home? That 18 year old could be doing another 8-10 with her but she loves them dearly and will cry when hey leave. Oh, well, they're cute when they're young. : ) Guess there's a reason for that.