Ann's Art Doll : Exhibition

The Wise Woman Exhibition opens on 8 March. The invitations, advertising and the media releases are out . Here is a link to an invitation - click here . All that is left for me to do this week is to put the finishing touches to a few more pieces. Here is a beautiful art doll created by doll maker friend, Ann Maullin - one of her new dolls in her "Landscape" series. Ann has kindly donated this beautiful doll to be sold during the exhibition to raise funds for Penola House programs for refugee women. There are also very many artists who have embellished and decorated "paper" dolls for the same cause - thank you all for your generosity. Hope to see you at the exhibition celebrating International Women's Day.

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The Making of a Matriarch

Matriarch? Definitions of ‘matriarch” don’t differ much, but the following one suits my purpose …. A matriarch is a willing protector, a nurturer, and a leader of her family and community. She is a role model, particularly for women, and a fierce advocate for causes close to her heart. She is empowered and makes it her job to empower others. She is open-minded and utilizes her wisdom for the good of all. ( from https://medium.com › a-matriarch-in-the-making-52b42) The debate whether a matriarch is the exact opposite of patriarch delves deeper into power relationships and the established dominance of gender in governing bodies. I will not be subscribing to that serious debate in this blog as I just wanted to make an art doll which has a story. The Matriarch I created is an amalgam of European and First Nations concepts of matriarchs: Guardian of Nature Protector of Environment Healer and Nurturer Cultural Keeper Decision Maker...

Countdown to Christmas 20 - Fruitcake song!

There are many songs about fruit cakes - not all of them referring to the Christmas cake we know and love.It is really surprising to learn via Google that there are 89 listed songs with references to Christmas cake or fruit cake - not all of them complimentary. Probably one of the most famous folk songs about Christmas cake is Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake (a favourite sung by The Irish Rovers). This first recorded comical Christmas song was written by C Frank Horn in 1883 in Pennsylania, as a variation of an Irish folk song, 'Miss Mulligan's Christmas Cake' . The chorus might give you the hint that Miss Fogarty's cake was not for the faint hearted or those who suffered from a weak stomach. Chorus : There were plums and prunes and cherries, There were citrons and raisins and cinnamon, too There was nutmeg, cloves and berries And a crust that was nailed on with glue There were caraway seeds in abundance Such that...

Fish and Sticks : Art Dolls

This week I've been working on fish and sticks .... The sticks are the message stick art dolls which were very popular, attracting some attention and a few orders at the Wise Women exhibition. Each of the message stick dolls are from the Wise Women series, each with her own personality and message of wisdom, handwritten on a handmade timber tag. I gather the sticks during my walks around my neighbourhood and the tags are made from special bits of timber, some collected by me or my husband or from off cuts gifted to us from another doll making friend whose husband makes bagpipes. These dolls start off very simply with a wrap around a stick, in the general shape of a body. 'Naked" message stick dolls - strips of wadding wrapped around found sticks. Then I usually wrap other layers of fabric, wool, and/or fibres, over which I do some simple embroidery. I sculpt or mould small face masks for these dolls. I really like using "sari ribbon" as w...

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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