December Art Events

I'm participating in two special events in December. The first is Lucia’s Garden Holiday Open House, this Sunday, December 2, from 1-5 p.m. Lucia will have her famous Christmas and Winter Potpourris, mulling spices, scented candles and oils, ornaments from around the world, and other treasures. Debbie Tubbs will be there with her luxurious handcrafted goat’s milk soaps and lotions. I will be there with angels, snowmen, holly leaf elves and other winter whimsies. If you are in the area I hope you'll stop by and enjoy refreshments and a cup of Holiday Tea.

 

Lucia’s Garden

2360 W. Alabama

Houston, TX  77098

713-523-6494

"Holly Harmony"  Janet Bodin ©2012

The next event will be an Art Benefit to raise money for the reforestation of Memorial Park in Houston. The 2011 drought killed half of Memorial Park’s beautiful tree canopy. “Art For the Trees If You Please” will take place on Tuesday, December 11th from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at

Mixed Emotions Fine Art Gallery

95 Tuam Street

Houston, TX  77006

713-861-9666  

I am one of the participating artists and will have work for sale at the benefit. You can find different ticket purchasing options and more information about the event here:

www.theartfullumbrella.com/art_benefit



Fall Shows

Fall is in full swing! As one show closes, another opens. The Hanson Galleries show "Cutting a Fine Figure" will run through October 20 at the Memorial City location in Houston.

Opening October 20 is the Mixed Media Artists of Houston show "Innovations by Design" at Hollywood Frame Gallery, 2427 Bissonnet, Houston.

The opening reception is at 6 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 20. One of my pieces in this show, "Balancing Act", is pictured on the lower left of the postcard below.

 

If you are an International Quilt Festival goer, be sure to look for the doll exhibits. I will have three pieces in the exhibit this year. Quilt Festival preview night is on Halloween! The show will run through Sunday, November 4.

And if by chance you should find yourself in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, stop in at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilt and Fiber Arts. I have three dolls in a show there titled "A Thread Runs Through It", which runs from October 17, 2012 - January 6, 2013.

To close the year I will be participating in Lucia's Garden Holiday Open House on Sunday, December 2, 2360 W. Alabama in Houston, with angels, snowmen, and other winter whimsies. Much more information about that to come.

Happy Fall!



Full Circle

The very first doll I ever submitted to a magazine for publication was "Torn Apart"

submitted to Somerset Studio magazine back in 2002.  They did a special issue featuring Art Dolls, and I was thrilled that mine was one of those published. 

The issue turned out to be so popular that the publisher decided to create a quarterly magazine devoted to Art Dolls, which was Art Doll Quarterly. 

So ten years later I've come full circle with a feature article about my dolls in the Summer 2012 issue of ADQ.  It's such an honor!

Another recent "full circle" moment was last fall at Lucia's Garden in Houston. Lucia gave me my start selling dolls many years ago.  Last fall I was honored to be invited back to bring my art dolls to Lucia's Garden Fall Open House.   

http://janetbodin.blogspot.com/2011/10/yesterdays-open-house.html

Leaf Elves

I've been working on some leaf elves for the Fall Open House at Lucia's Garden.

Dyeing Silk Habotai for the leaf bodies

After dyeing the fabric with some fall golds and reds, I took the damp fabric outside and sprinkled on dry rit dye right out of the box.  This will give it some grainy spots - a trick I learned years ago from doll artist Dawn Kinsey.

Here are their little faces, which have been needle sculpted.  The darling little bunny pin cushion in the background was made by doll artist Leslie Molen.

Faces are painted

Here is "Autumn's Last Dance"

and "Maple Leaf Shim Sham"

 Shim Sham is a kind of shuffling soft shoe tap dance.  I think that looks just like what he is doing.

Lucia's Garden Fall Open House

Lucia's Garden is hosting a Fall Open House on Sunday, October 2, from 1-5 p.m.  I will be bringing Pumpkin Folk, Leaf Elves, friendly Witches, Harvest Angels, Autumn Elves and more! 

Lucia's Garden is located at

2360 W. Alabama

Houston, Texas 77098

713-523-6494
http://www.luciasgarden.com/

Lucia gave me my start in selling little Halloween witches at Lucia’s Garden many years ago.  Now I’ve come full circle and I will be bringing Halloween and Fall dolls to Lucia’s Garden for sale this October.  I’m honored to be back!



Pumpkin Men

My website has been updated and I would love it if you would take a look when you have a moment. New work includes some framed hanging pieces, a couple of vintage bathing beauties, and my love affair with silk fusion continues…. www.janetbodin.com

 

I am holed up in the studio these days working on some fall projects, which is a good place to be in this 100 degree weather we are having here in Texas. I’d like to think working on pumpkin men and leaf elves will hasten the arrival of fall! I’m preparing for a Fall Open House October 2 at Lucia’s Garden in Houston. I was thrilled to be invited to show my art dolls at this beautiful little shop on West Alabama. http://www.luciasgarden.com/about.htm

 

Work in progress:

Dyeing Fabric for Pumpkin Men



Beginning to Sculpt Pumpkin Head

Sculpted Head Covered with Orange Cotton Lycra

Painted Features

Stitching the Head on the Body

Stitching the Stem on the Head