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 wrapping strips as these photos show, but I also use hand painted cotton, silk, cheesecloth, free form machine embroidered and layered fabric, felted and embellished fabric, re- purposed knitting and crochet .... anything from my stash.

Smaller dolls with messages : The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate (Oprah)
and Those who lose dreaming are lost. (Aboriginal Proverb)

Message : The best thing to hold onto in life is each other ( Audrey Hepburn)

Message: Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is success. (Corinta Kent)

Messages: Peace begins with a smile (Mother Teresa)
Be a Rainbow in someone else's cloud ( Maya Angelou)

The other project I've been working on are some little fish for a display by my doll making group, Hello Dollies. We will be showing our work , with a 'water" theme at the Dobell Art and Craft Festival at Rathmines on the first weekend in May. I've modelled my fish on a little fish pin doll made for me by a friend but have adapted the size, shape and construction. So now I have made the prototype , I am hoping these will multiply quickly.

Too Precious to Waste

Stitched tea bags/ old doily "tea lights" - Wilma Simmons More than a year ago, a decision was made. The annual exhibition of NCEATA ( Newcastle Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists) 2015-2016 will have the theme "Mottainai". Mottainai in Japanese refers to more than just physical waste (resources). It is even used to refer to thought patterns that give rise to wasteful action. Grammatically, it can be used in Japanese as an exclamation ("mottainai!") or as an adjective phrase ("it feels mottainai"). There is no plural form. The collection of mottainai things could be called mottainai koto ( もったいない事 ? ). As an exclamation ("mottainai!") it means roughly "what a waste!" or "Don't waste." [2] A simple English equivalent is the saying "waste not, want not." A more elaborate meaning conveys a sense of value and worthiness and may be translated as "do not destroy (or lay waste to) that

Wednesday's Child /2

Work in Progress - 3 of the 193 for "Stitched Up"- Wilma Simmons The work for the "Stitched Up " Project continues. See the previous "Wednesday Child" post for the background to this art project celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Newcastle Industrial School. I have been documenting the progress of my work, so I thought it might be interesting to share some of the early stages of the "stick dolls" ... Here are some of the beginning steps.. Sticks collected while walking the bushland in my neighbourhood Drying and getting rid of any insects - oven heat 75 degreesC for approx 1-2 hours. Trimmed and cut if necessary Ends sealed with matte sealing solution. Drying - solution goes on white but dries clear. First wrapping - foil to create a body shape Second wrapping - stretch fabric. Third wrapping - fabric strips Some stitching - more stitching and embellishment to come. Follow thi

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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