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





Textile Center

I got a nice surprise in the mail today.  The Textile Center in Minneapolis used a photo of my doll Forest Canticle on the cover of their annual report.  This piece was in the Figuratively Fiber exhibit there earlier this year.

ADAA Conference

I just got back from the All Dolls Are Art Conference in Austin, TX.  TAODA had several tables in the vendor area with lots of wonderful dolls for sale by Neva Waldt, Marlene Slobin, Tina Forester, Adriana Esqueda, Annette Money, Theresa May, Karin Otto-Burfict, and others.  I had to get one of Neva's little flower peeps - he's adorable!

His little head pops up out of the flower - too cute!

I also purchased some great fabrics, trims and doodads from everybody's favorite gypsy, Pamela Armas.  Of course Pamela and her Treasures of the Gypsy booth will be here in Houston in November for the Houston International Quilt Festival.  I always make a bee-line straight to her booth on preview night!

I got some neat things from Jeweled Treasures (also coming to Houston for IQF in November!):  some little blown glass baubles (don't know what I will do with those yet), some wire mesh ribbon, and other little treasures.....

Goodies from Jeweled Treasures

Lauren Vlcek had a great booth with patterns, supplies, and some wonderful cloth nesting dolls.  Of course they don't really nest, but are varying sizes and shaped like the Russian nesting dolls. I couldn't resist.....

Lauren does wonderful faces as you can see.  Lauren taught a class at the conference and I peeked in to see some fantastic butterfly fairies in progress.  I also got to peek in another class being taught by Lisa Renner, who does really interesting work. 

Last, but not least, I picked up some black and white striped fabric from Barb's Quilt Nook which will be perfect for some Halloween dolls I'm working on.

I'm so glad I attended.  It was a fun day.  I saw lots of friends, old and new, and even one I hadn't seen in many years - the wonderful and talented Annie Hess!  Amy Nelson did a wonderful job organizing the conference and says that she already has plans in place for next year's conference at the same location.

Go Figure Two!

Last night was the opening for Go Figure Two! at Las Manos Magicas in Houston.  TAODA has been blessed with so many gallery shows lately.  This one is in a folk art gallery, which is a different and interesting venue for us.

a view of one of the gallery walls

the reception getting under way

my contribution:  fruit kabobs

I have three pieces in this exhibit:

The Tempter

Vespers

Wisdom

"Wisdom" is a cloth figure over a wire armature. The under tunic is made of hand dyed silk habotai, stamped with circles and swirls. A scattering of sequins are sewn on. The over tunic is made of many pieces of hand dyed silk gauze. These pieces were computer printed with the same Bible verse (“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.” James 1:5), then the edges were burned and foiled, and lastly sewn together.

The wings are made from artificial flower petals, cut apart and hand painted, then reassembled into wings.

While in Washington DC one of our stops was the Library of Congress. This is a stunningly beautiful building!

 

I recently discovered that my ancestor South G. Preston, who was a lawyer and a Methodist minister, authored several books, three of which are in the Library of Congress!  One (The Shadow of the King) was off site and I was unable to see it, but two others, Key-Words and Phrases of the New Testament, and The Secret of Hamlet, were there and I was able to photocopy his picture and bio from the books - a very exciting find for this budding genealogist!

South G. Preston
b. 1857, d. 1908

American Heritage Awards

Last week Bob and I traveled to Washington DC.  I was honored by the DAR at the 2011 Continental Congress with two awards.  I had entered  "Thy Word" in the American Heritage exhibit a few months ago and was stunned to find out that I won first place in the doll category!

I received this award on Wednesday morning, then on Wednesday evening we watched the opening ceremony at Constitution Hall.  It was filled with pageantry:  every state flag, the Marine Corps band, a stage full of dignitaries.....

On Friday morning I received the Evelyn Cole Peters award, "Best in Show" for the craft category.  It was an amazing honor!

Before and after and in between we saw the sights and visited friends.

We had a great time.  I found out that the Original Doll Artist Council of America conference will be held in DC in 2013 - I can't wait to come back!





Napa

Our trip to Napa Valley was amazing.  The weather was perfect, the scenery gorgeous, the food was wonderful, of of course the wineries were a highlight of the trip.

The first winery we visited was Robert Mondavi, which was perfect because they give a great tour which includes learning about wine and winemaking.

Our next stop was Rutherford Hill, for a picnic on their beautiful grounds.

We purchased a lovely Malbec for our picnic and enjoyed the view from the hill.

Then we had a tour of their caves which are built into the side of the hill.  Here is the entrance to the caves:

Enjoying more wine in the caves.

The next day we toured the Culinary Institute of America Greystone campus.

When she finishes college, the family chef may want to attend the school here.

We had a wonderful lunch at the Wine Spectator Restaurant here prepared by CIA chefs.

Dessert!

We also went to Sterling Vineyards

where we took an aerial tramway up to the vineyard on the hill

another lovely view

And inspiration for a doll!

Some of our favorite visits were to the Champagne Houses

Champagne and Caviar tasting at Domaine Chandon

Cheers!

tastings at Domaine Carneros

We said farewell to the good life and made the trip back to San Francisco for the flight home.  But we had one more stop to make:

The Trumer Brewery in Berkley, CA. 

Bob got a tour and a tasting of his favorite beer.

Simply Live!

We did a lot of that - it was a great trip!