Many Helping Hands
March 14, 2018
Inspirational Art
You may have already read about this in Cynthia’s blog a couple weeks ago but a new, enticing picture is fitting into our theme of variation this week, and I couldn’t help but share.
The Samunnat Nepal project is sending three of their ladies to the States for training, and the sale of these beautiful angels is part of the fundraising. The variation on these is aided by the help of the many busy hands at the Samunnat house along with a lot of scrap sari. The variations are not huge—a change of color in the top, a different hairstyle and slight changes to the face—but it makes each unique and something to be treasured.
The angels are $50 including free shipping within the continental United States. Ron Lehocky will be taking care of the orders so you can write him at rlehocky@bellsouth.net and send checks to him, made out to Ron Lehocky and mailed to 1763 Casselberry Rd, Louisville, KY 40205. If you’d like to support Samunnat with direct monetary support, you can do so on Paypal by donating here.
If you are working on variations, take a cue from these ladies and work with other artists to see what you can come up with. They do this all the time as you can see on their Instagram page
News of the Day and Steampunk Fairies
April 30, 2015
Inspirational Art
We are going to interrupt our normal banter about art to talk a little about the news of the day and some upcoming news here at TPA. If you want to skip to the information about this wonderfully detailed doll, scroll to the bottom of the post.
The Perilous World of Niche Publishing
A number of things have happened over the last few months and especially the last few days, that has really driven home the hard reality of being a niche periodical publisher. Early in the year we saw Metal Clay Artist shut their doors due to their distributor going bankrupt and unable to pay them. Yesterday, we got the news that From Polymer to Art is closing up shop due to the burden of a difficult personal loss. After that announcement I got several texts and messages asking if our magazine is doing okay. The answer is, yes, TPA is doing well. But, we micro publishers do sit very precariously in this world.
I was reminded of this last week when computer issues resulted in nearly 4 days of lost work. Then not one, but two contributors had to pull out due to health and personal issue. To top it off, I tore a cornea a few days ago and was unable to work for any length of time for several days.
As I lay there, eyes closed trying not to move my eyeballs, praying this corneal tear was not a bad one (I have weak corneas so this is not a new thing for me and luckily this wasn’t a bad one), I thought about how easy it would for this business go down. If I couldn’t work for a time, the magazine would simply not happen. Many niche and material specific craft magazines are in a similar boat. There is usually just one or two people holding it together.
Behind the Scenes of The Polymer Arts
For those of you who don’t know, TPA is run out of my home, and I am the only full-time person on the crew. I have a handful of wonderful part-time contractors, a couple amazing volunteers and a distribution partnership with The Great Create (manufacturers and distributors of Lisa Pavelka and Christi Friesen products). I have it so things won’t come to a screeching halt if I am out of commission for any length of time, but nothing further would be produced. So, I have to keep going no matter what to keep this house of cards from falling down.
Now, why would I do this to myself and ultimately to my readers? Simply because there is no other way it could exist. Periodicals are not the cash cows they may seem to be. Every business and service we deal with takes an inordinately large chunk, and then often asks for more. There’s no much left for staffing. So we work more, sleep less and live off your beautiful thank you emails and messages about how we’ve provided motivation, courage, knowledge or inspiration for you to do something you could not or would not do before. These notes may not pay the bills, but they bury any regrets that rise up as we sit editing or number crunching at 3 am.
So bottom line, TPA is not in any danger, but we have our challenges. I like to think that the universe is just checking to see if I really still want to do this. The answer is yes! Just keep supporting the micro businesses you love and depend on with whatever purchases you can afford and we’ll keep working away.
Odd Blog for the month of May
That all said, this coming month, we will have more than our usual share of challenges. The house will be under construction for about a week, I will be relocating my office to another room, and there is also a good possibility I’ll need a minor bit of surgery at some point. On top of all this, there is the Summer issue to get out, which is going to be later than scheduled, although, it should be released before May is up. In other words, it’s going to be nuts, and something will have to give. So here’s the deal …
During the month of May, I am going to reduce the blog to 3 times a week. Even with this, you may be seeing some very brief posts. I’ll do what I can, but please be understanding if things get a little lean over here.
Newsletters, if you get those, will also be on the short side. But, I promise they will be worth opening nonetheless!
Also, if you have general questions, comments, or any kind of query about the magazine or your subscription, to get a quick response, you will want to write my wonderful assistant Kat, not me directly, at connect(not sbray)@thepolymerarts.com, and she will get back to you within one business day.
A Steampunk Fairy
In the meantime, enjoy this beautiful doll by Amanda Haney. I couldn’t go through this week without taking a bow to the polymer fairies. Fairies must be the most commonly produced polymer doll. I know that may not make this seem unique enough to present, but there is a reason for their popularity that can’t be ignore. They are charming, and polymer lends itself to truly fantastical creations.
Amanda’s Steampunk Moon Fairy includes some fun little touches like the moon morphing into (or out of) a gear at the top, and the bones of the wings being replaced with hinged bars and gears. It’s just a fun piece. And fun is certainly a legitimate mode of art.
Find more of Amanda’s skillfully crafted dolls on her pages on Elfwood, a long-standing home for Science Fiction and Fantasy artists to post their portfolios.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine, as well as by supporting our advertising partners.
Too Strangely Cute
April 29, 2015
Inspirational Art
Okay, yes, I’m sneaking this one in on Art Doll week when it would probably be better categorized under sculpture or illustration, but I don’t know when else I will get to share the immensely entertaining work of Gesine Kratzner. We have doll-like forms, props and a story told through the expressions; all things that are common with most doll art. But mostly, we have smiles. On our faces. Do we not?
Gesine is from Germany, educated in the UK and now lives and breathes life into her creations in Portland, Oregon. Technically, she’s an animator but pieces like these are where her heart is at. As she says, “Most of all, I love to draw and sculpt squiggly creatures and to dream up small worlds and stories for them to inhabit.” Creatures. Dolls. Pretty much the same thing.
Her creatures are polymer clay with color added through acrylic paint. Polymer purists might cringe at the mention of painted polymer, but the look she gets is not something that could be done with polymer alone. I imagine it also allows her to spontaneously and freely create the forms leaving color until later when the personalities have made themselves known. Her process certainly shows a lot of personality.
You can further entertain yourself with Gesine’s pieces by heading over to her website. And, if you fall in love with these faces and want to own your own little creature, you can grab them up in her Etsy shop that goes by the sophisticated name of … Blobhouse.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine, as well as by supporting our advertising partners.
Moving into Doll Art
April 27, 2015
Inspirational Art
I have been wanting to do a week of doll art for some time, but finding work that most of you readers can draw inspiration from is not easy. A lot of doll art is about painting and creating the costumes for the figures created. Those that are mostly polymer, included the clothing and props, are highly sculptural. Although admirable and certain to bring a smile to many a reader’s face, the question was could all you many non-doll makers get as much out of a doll week as a jewelry centric week of posts. Well, I guess we’ll find out now!
Most of my pics will have more than just sculpture and fabric. But, even the fabric, the painting, the forms, composition, lines of the limbs, color palettes and so much more can be immensely inspiring. So, even if you never see yourself making a doll, when you find yourself drawn to one or a particular aspect of it, try to figure out why. And, when you can identify that particular thing you are drawn to ask, “Can that be translated into what I do in polymer?” We are not talking mimicking what you see, but identifying the characteristic you are drawn to and asking yourself if that kind of thing could work well in your work and would you enjoy it?
For instance, this piece has an amazing color palette. Do you feel a connection to these colors and the emotion they emanate? How about the decorative aspect? Do you like the textures and the swirling folds of the fabric? Can you create more movement in the way you shape or fold your clay? Would crowding texture and form like this be something you can see yourself doing in your own way, with your own favored techniques? Of course, you can just sit back and enjoy the amazing talent I hope to share with you.
This, of course, is the renowned mixed medium sculptor Virginie Ropars. Polymer is her primary medium in these pieces, but she also doesn’t limit what she will add to it. Her work truly transcends the mediums she uses. Her pieces are strikingly beautiful and hold a kind of magnetic energy and grace even though they are often a bit frightening and dark. The thing is, beauty is in everything, and so someone, somewhere, will come out and celebrate it, and sometimes, we are in awe in spite of our personal preferences.
More of Virginie’s dark aesthetic can be admired on her webpage here, but if you want a quick overview, drop her name into Google images and be prepared to be a little overwhelmed, but in a very pleasant way, I think.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine, as well as by supporting our advertising partners.
Christmas Cute
December 25, 2013
Inspirational Art
As many of you reader’s have seen, we introduced a new section in The Polymer Arts magazine called Polymer Jeweler’s Workbench this past Summer. We created this section to focus on these very popular forms in polymer. Shortly after the first of these articles came out in the Summer issue, Julie Cleveland, owner of Blue Morning Expressions polymer supply and bead shop, as well as being a polymer artist and freelance writer, contacted me about helping with this section. She is now the on-going editor and writer for the PJW section as well as taking on article assignments. She has been amazing to work with, getting in article materials far ahead of the deadline, not just on time. It kind of throws me but in a good way!
One of Julie’s favorite polymer artists is Judy Pollard. Julie says “Her amazing attention to detail, from the tiny fingers and toes to the dash of freckles across the nose, makes her artist dolls unique pieces of art that are created to treasure for a lifetime. They are irresistible in their cuteness. Judy has such a wonderful imagination, and it shows in how she dresses and poses her creations. I can sit and look at her dolls for hours and still find all new details. A wonderful sense of color and a delightful sense of humor can be found in the sweet faces she sculpts.
You can find more of Judy’s adorable creations on her Flickr pages.
Regardless of what you celebrate or believe in, I hope you all spend time with the people you love the most today. A very Merry Christmas to you all.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
In Awe of New Hope
March 30, 2013
Inspirational Art
Easter, whether one partakes of its religious or more secular traditions, is really about hope. Between the observance of the rising of the Christian savior and the association with ancient agricultural societies’ Spring celebrations, its traditions focus on the promises and optimism of the coming year. The colors are light and bright and the symbolism is, well, young. Baby bunnies, little chicks, and of course, all the sweet young children we tend to focus on … especially us doting aunts, uncles and grandparents.
I am so in awe of sculptors that can capture that very unique look and expression of innocence and hope in children. Cynthia Malbon is one such artist. She can imbue her art dolls with a visage that nearly breaks your heart. Here is one of a child slightly older than the majority of her body of work shows on her sites, but this child’s open expression is just so precious, not to mention amazingly realistic.
If you can handle a serious overload of adorableness, take a look at Cynthia’s SmugMug page. You might also want to check out her blog with process photos on some of her posts show her amazing talent in more detail.
Dynamic, Dancing Sculpture
February 28, 2013
Inspirational Art
As you know, polymer is particularly popular among figurine and art doll sculptors. And so is the passive stance of the figures. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this … a figure posed standing still and looking off into the distance is often the best way to show the character and emotive facial expressions of the subject. When sculptures convey actual movement though, the effect can be almost mesmerizing.
Mark A Dennis is an accomplished doll sculptor with a tendency towards dynamic, movement based compositions. This piece below, “Sky Dancers” is a gorgeous example of instilling a kinetic feel to stationary figures.
Movement in sculpture is all about the lines. The lines in this case are in the bend and flow of the figures’ torsos and limbs with emphasis and focus brought to this through the the swirl of the fabric. Establishing single or connected flowing lines gives us the sense that the single moment portrayed keeps going, off the composition into the surrounding space and off into that next moment of time we easily imagine follows this frozen one.
If you want to learn more about using lines to convey movement and direction, see the Fall 2012 issue of The Polymer Arts where both flow and repetition are discussed at length. You can also check out more of Mark’s work on his website here.
Doll to Your Heart
February 14, 2013
Inspirational Art
I know Valentine’s is really supposed to be about your sweetheart–and I do hope all of you have the chance to spend the day with the one you love the most–but I like to think of this day as a time to consider what love means and all the ways we have it in our lives. It does take many forms … there is what we feel for that one other person who knows us best, the passion we have for life and our art, the affection we have for family and friends, the devotion we have to our pets, etc. And then there is the love we get from complete strangers or we can feel for someone we don’t even know simply because of caring and empathy. We have people in our community that could use a little extra love, that are dealing with family tragedies and personal struggles among other hardships.
How about just sending out a little love & wishes today for someone who could use a little extra? Here is a touching story from Keri Joy Colestock who created this heart adorned Wall Dancer while struggling with her own pain and hurdles.
I began the “Wall Dancers” in February 2003. After 15 years of a being Senior Designer, I lost my “passion” for my art. I said, “No Mas!” Just when I thought I knew where my life was going, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in February 2002 and that kept me literally bed-bound. It’s been a 7-year battle. The first dolls were actually made in bed with me in my jammies! I was told by all of my doctors that “these were impossible to do” so I make them dolls every year for Xmas! ~smiling~
My wish is that they will make you feel happy, positive and sometimes even encouraged.That they will always put a smile on your face!
I know it does mine!
You may have already read about this in Cynthia’s blog a couple weeks ago but a new, enticing picture is fitting into our theme of variation this week, and I couldn’t help but share.
The Samunnat Nepal project is sending three of their ladies to the States for training, and the sale of these beautiful angels is part of the fundraising. The variation on these is aided by the help of the many busy hands at the Samunnat house along with a lot of scrap sari. The variations are not huge—a change of color in the top, a different hairstyle and slight changes to the face—but it makes each unique and something to be treasured.
The angels are $50 including free shipping within the continental United States. Ron Lehocky will be taking care of the orders so you can write him at rlehocky@bellsouth.net and send checks to him, made out to Ron Lehocky and mailed to 1763 Casselberry Rd, Louisville, KY 40205. If you’d like to support Samunnat with direct monetary support, you can do so on Paypal by donating here.
If you are working on variations, take a cue from these ladies and work with other artists to see what you can come up with. They do this all the time as you can see on their Instagram page
Read MoreWe are going to interrupt our normal banter about art to talk a little about the news of the day and some upcoming news here at TPA. If you want to skip to the information about this wonderfully detailed doll, scroll to the bottom of the post.
The Perilous World of Niche Publishing
A number of things have happened over the last few months and especially the last few days, that has really driven home the hard reality of being a niche periodical publisher. Early in the year we saw Metal Clay Artist shut their doors due to their distributor going bankrupt and unable to pay them. Yesterday, we got the news that From Polymer to Art is closing up shop due to the burden of a difficult personal loss. After that announcement I got several texts and messages asking if our magazine is doing okay. The answer is, yes, TPA is doing well. But, we micro publishers do sit very precariously in this world.
I was reminded of this last week when computer issues resulted in nearly 4 days of lost work. Then not one, but two contributors had to pull out due to health and personal issue. To top it off, I tore a cornea a few days ago and was unable to work for any length of time for several days.
As I lay there, eyes closed trying not to move my eyeballs, praying this corneal tear was not a bad one (I have weak corneas so this is not a new thing for me and luckily this wasn’t a bad one), I thought about how easy it would for this business go down. If I couldn’t work for a time, the magazine would simply not happen. Many niche and material specific craft magazines are in a similar boat. There is usually just one or two people holding it together.
Behind the Scenes of The Polymer Arts
For those of you who don’t know, TPA is run out of my home, and I am the only full-time person on the crew. I have a handful of wonderful part-time contractors, a couple amazing volunteers and a distribution partnership with The Great Create (manufacturers and distributors of Lisa Pavelka and Christi Friesen products). I have it so things won’t come to a screeching halt if I am out of commission for any length of time, but nothing further would be produced. So, I have to keep going no matter what to keep this house of cards from falling down.
Now, why would I do this to myself and ultimately to my readers? Simply because there is no other way it could exist. Periodicals are not the cash cows they may seem to be. Every business and service we deal with takes an inordinately large chunk, and then often asks for more. There’s no much left for staffing. So we work more, sleep less and live off your beautiful thank you emails and messages about how we’ve provided motivation, courage, knowledge or inspiration for you to do something you could not or would not do before. These notes may not pay the bills, but they bury any regrets that rise up as we sit editing or number crunching at 3 am.
So bottom line, TPA is not in any danger, but we have our challenges. I like to think that the universe is just checking to see if I really still want to do this. The answer is yes! Just keep supporting the micro businesses you love and depend on with whatever purchases you can afford and we’ll keep working away.
Odd Blog for the month of May
That all said, this coming month, we will have more than our usual share of challenges. The house will be under construction for about a week, I will be relocating my office to another room, and there is also a good possibility I’ll need a minor bit of surgery at some point. On top of all this, there is the Summer issue to get out, which is going to be later than scheduled, although, it should be released before May is up. In other words, it’s going to be nuts, and something will have to give. So here’s the deal …
During the month of May, I am going to reduce the blog to 3 times a week. Even with this, you may be seeing some very brief posts. I’ll do what I can, but please be understanding if things get a little lean over here.
Newsletters, if you get those, will also be on the short side. But, I promise they will be worth opening nonetheless!
Also, if you have general questions, comments, or any kind of query about the magazine or your subscription, to get a quick response, you will want to write my wonderful assistant Kat, not me directly, at connect(not sbray)@thepolymerarts.com, and she will get back to you within one business day.
A Steampunk Fairy
In the meantime, enjoy this beautiful doll by Amanda Haney. I couldn’t go through this week without taking a bow to the polymer fairies. Fairies must be the most commonly produced polymer doll. I know that may not make this seem unique enough to present, but there is a reason for their popularity that can’t be ignore. They are charming, and polymer lends itself to truly fantastical creations.
Amanda’s Steampunk Moon Fairy includes some fun little touches like the moon morphing into (or out of) a gear at the top, and the bones of the wings being replaced with hinged bars and gears. It’s just a fun piece. And fun is certainly a legitimate mode of art.
Find more of Amanda’s skillfully crafted dolls on her pages on Elfwood, a long-standing home for Science Fiction and Fantasy artists to post their portfolios.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine, as well as by supporting our advertising partners.
Okay, yes, I’m sneaking this one in on Art Doll week when it would probably be better categorized under sculpture or illustration, but I don’t know when else I will get to share the immensely entertaining work of Gesine Kratzner. We have doll-like forms, props and a story told through the expressions; all things that are common with most doll art. But mostly, we have smiles. On our faces. Do we not?
Gesine is from Germany, educated in the UK and now lives and breathes life into her creations in Portland, Oregon. Technically, she’s an animator but pieces like these are where her heart is at. As she says, “Most of all, I love to draw and sculpt squiggly creatures and to dream up small worlds and stories for them to inhabit.” Creatures. Dolls. Pretty much the same thing.
Her creatures are polymer clay with color added through acrylic paint. Polymer purists might cringe at the mention of painted polymer, but the look she gets is not something that could be done with polymer alone. I imagine it also allows her to spontaneously and freely create the forms leaving color until later when the personalities have made themselves known. Her process certainly shows a lot of personality.
You can further entertain yourself with Gesine’s pieces by heading over to her website. And, if you fall in love with these faces and want to own your own little creature, you can grab them up in her Etsy shop that goes by the sophisticated name of … Blobhouse.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine, as well as by supporting our advertising partners.
I have been wanting to do a week of doll art for some time, but finding work that most of you readers can draw inspiration from is not easy. A lot of doll art is about painting and creating the costumes for the figures created. Those that are mostly polymer, included the clothing and props, are highly sculptural. Although admirable and certain to bring a smile to many a reader’s face, the question was could all you many non-doll makers get as much out of a doll week as a jewelry centric week of posts. Well, I guess we’ll find out now!
Most of my pics will have more than just sculpture and fabric. But, even the fabric, the painting, the forms, composition, lines of the limbs, color palettes and so much more can be immensely inspiring. So, even if you never see yourself making a doll, when you find yourself drawn to one or a particular aspect of it, try to figure out why. And, when you can identify that particular thing you are drawn to ask, “Can that be translated into what I do in polymer?” We are not talking mimicking what you see, but identifying the characteristic you are drawn to and asking yourself if that kind of thing could work well in your work and would you enjoy it?
For instance, this piece has an amazing color palette. Do you feel a connection to these colors and the emotion they emanate? How about the decorative aspect? Do you like the textures and the swirling folds of the fabric? Can you create more movement in the way you shape or fold your clay? Would crowding texture and form like this be something you can see yourself doing in your own way, with your own favored techniques? Of course, you can just sit back and enjoy the amazing talent I hope to share with you.
This, of course, is the renowned mixed medium sculptor Virginie Ropars. Polymer is her primary medium in these pieces, but she also doesn’t limit what she will add to it. Her work truly transcends the mediums she uses. Her pieces are strikingly beautiful and hold a kind of magnetic energy and grace even though they are often a bit frightening and dark. The thing is, beauty is in everything, and so someone, somewhere, will come out and celebrate it, and sometimes, we are in awe in spite of our personal preferences.
More of Virginie’s dark aesthetic can be admired on her webpage here, but if you want a quick overview, drop her name into Google images and be prepared to be a little overwhelmed, but in a very pleasant way, I think.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine, as well as by supporting our advertising partners.
As many of you reader’s have seen, we introduced a new section in The Polymer Arts magazine called Polymer Jeweler’s Workbench this past Summer. We created this section to focus on these very popular forms in polymer. Shortly after the first of these articles came out in the Summer issue, Julie Cleveland, owner of Blue Morning Expressions polymer supply and bead shop, as well as being a polymer artist and freelance writer, contacted me about helping with this section. She is now the on-going editor and writer for the PJW section as well as taking on article assignments. She has been amazing to work with, getting in article materials far ahead of the deadline, not just on time. It kind of throws me but in a good way!
One of Julie’s favorite polymer artists is Judy Pollard. Julie says “Her amazing attention to detail, from the tiny fingers and toes to the dash of freckles across the nose, makes her artist dolls unique pieces of art that are created to treasure for a lifetime. They are irresistible in their cuteness. Judy has such a wonderful imagination, and it shows in how she dresses and poses her creations. I can sit and look at her dolls for hours and still find all new details. A wonderful sense of color and a delightful sense of humor can be found in the sweet faces she sculpts.
You can find more of Judy’s adorable creations on her Flickr pages.
Regardless of what you celebrate or believe in, I hope you all spend time with the people you love the most today. A very Merry Christmas to you all.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Easter, whether one partakes of its religious or more secular traditions, is really about hope. Between the observance of the rising of the Christian savior and the association with ancient agricultural societies’ Spring celebrations, its traditions focus on the promises and optimism of the coming year. The colors are light and bright and the symbolism is, well, young. Baby bunnies, little chicks, and of course, all the sweet young children we tend to focus on … especially us doting aunts, uncles and grandparents.
I am so in awe of sculptors that can capture that very unique look and expression of innocence and hope in children. Cynthia Malbon is one such artist. She can imbue her art dolls with a visage that nearly breaks your heart. Here is one of a child slightly older than the majority of her body of work shows on her sites, but this child’s open expression is just so precious, not to mention amazingly realistic.
If you can handle a serious overload of adorableness, take a look at Cynthia’s SmugMug page. You might also want to check out her blog with process photos on some of her posts show her amazing talent in more detail.
Read MoreAs you know, polymer is particularly popular among figurine and art doll sculptors. And so is the passive stance of the figures. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this … a figure posed standing still and looking off into the distance is often the best way to show the character and emotive facial expressions of the subject. When sculptures convey actual movement though, the effect can be almost mesmerizing.
Mark A Dennis is an accomplished doll sculptor with a tendency towards dynamic, movement based compositions. This piece below, “Sky Dancers” is a gorgeous example of instilling a kinetic feel to stationary figures.
Movement in sculpture is all about the lines. The lines in this case are in the bend and flow of the figures’ torsos and limbs with emphasis and focus brought to this through the the swirl of the fabric. Establishing single or connected flowing lines gives us the sense that the single moment portrayed keeps going, off the composition into the surrounding space and off into that next moment of time we easily imagine follows this frozen one.
If you want to learn more about using lines to convey movement and direction, see the Fall 2012 issue of The Polymer Arts where both flow and repetition are discussed at length. You can also check out more of Mark’s work on his website here.
Read MoreI know Valentine’s is really supposed to be about your sweetheart–and I do hope all of you have the chance to spend the day with the one you love the most–but I like to think of this day as a time to consider what love means and all the ways we have it in our lives. It does take many forms … there is what we feel for that one other person who knows us best, the passion we have for life and our art, the affection we have for family and friends, the devotion we have to our pets, etc. And then there is the love we get from complete strangers or we can feel for someone we don’t even know simply because of caring and empathy. We have people in our community that could use a little extra love, that are dealing with family tragedies and personal struggles among other hardships.
How about just sending out a little love & wishes today for someone who could use a little extra? Here is a touching story from Keri Joy Colestock who created this heart adorned Wall Dancer while struggling with her own pain and hurdles.
I began the “Wall Dancers” in February 2003. After 15 years of a being Senior Designer, I lost my “passion” for my art. I said, “No Mas!” Just when I thought I knew where my life was going, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in February 2002 and that kept me literally bed-bound. It’s been a 7-year battle. The first dolls were actually made in bed with me in my jammies! I was told by all of my doctors that “these were impossible to do” so I make them dolls every year for Xmas! ~smiling~
My wish is that they will make you feel happy, positive and sometimes even encouraged.That they will always put a smile on your face!
I know it does mine!
Read More
