Category Archives: Spirit Dolls

It’s Mouse by a nose . . .

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The Friday Freebie winner is a bookish fellow whose persona is Sir S.G Mouse of the DC Area – he’s a friend from the Food and Wine list and a deserving recipient! Email me, you lucky rodent, and send me a mailing address where you little dish should be sent.

Now about those mirrors – I think I figured out how to finish them. I attached a 4″ round mirror to the back with E6000 glue (which would adhere an elephant to a Volkswagen) and then covered the mirror and the rest of the back with Mexican Amate paper made from three bark. It’s as strong as fabric but more suitable because it doesn’t slide around as much. Here’s what it looks like – the tag is about 6″ long so you can see the size. OK – wrapping it up, happy weekend, everyone, and if you’re here in San Antonio, didn’t you enjoy this wonderful rain!

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Spreading the spirit . . .

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A Spirit Box by Lyn Belisle with a Secret Compartment on the Back

I had a nice surprise in my Inbox this morning from Barbara Delaney, Assistant Editor at INTERWEAVE Press:

Dear Lyn,
Thank you so much for your submission to CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS. We are happy to inform you that your project “Spirit Box Collage” has been selected by the editorial team to be included in our September/October issue. We are so pleased to have your work included in this publication, and hope that you will be, too.

You bet I’m pleased! The Spirit Box Workshop we did last Sunday was so much fun that I’m glad to be able to share the project with a wider audience. I’ve done one other article for Cloth Paper Scissors so far, and it’s always interesting to do the “step-outs.” You have to make the same object six or seven times, each time going a little further in the process. So I’ll need to make seven Spirit Boxes in progress that are all like alike except for their stages of completion.

Cloth Paper Scissors is a great resource for artists and crafters. I recommend their site and their magazine to lots of people. If you go to their site and sign up (it’s free and secure) you can download free e-books on all kinds of subjects. One of my favorites is Creating Digital Artwork for Photo Collage. Check them out! And look for the Spirit Box article in September.

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Studio mascot?

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Today was a workday in the Studio, painting walls and rearranging artwork. I bought a new rug for the front door area that was cheap and colorful – yay. But the most amazing thing was moving those hawks wings (some of you have seen them) to a new wall above the drafting table. After they were mounted, I remembered a lonely deer skull that was high on a wall in the guest room of our house – we brought it to the studio and hung it with the wings – just look! It is a mythical guardian creature! I hope it doesn’t scare me to death when I walk in tomorrow morning – but I think it is more protector than predator. Just keep that in mind if you’re coming to the Mala workshop tomorrow.

Deer skull and hawk's wings

Deer skull and hawk’s wings

 

Spirits abound

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Yesterday’s Spirit Doll workshop at the Studio was magical! We started with sticks and clay and cloth and ended up with enchanted beings! I am going to have an exhibit of Spirit Dolls by these talented creators and those in the March 24 class on Friday, March 29th. Stay tuned for details, but I think you’ll agree that these sculptural forms are much more than the sum of their parts.

Sneak peek . . .

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. . .at the work for the show tomorrow – shards everywhere!

Spirit work –

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This is just another sample of some of the spirit doll photos that people send me when they use my shard faces for their work. I am overwhelmed with the creativity and soulfulness that these little soft sculptures possess. Thanks to the artisans who crafted them and sent me the pictures. Our Spirit Doll workshop on the 3rd of March is going to be exciting! It’s full, but I’m thinking of having another one in May.

 

Faces in new places

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I’m wrapping up the weekend with some photos from other artists who have used my shard faces in their work. Two of these are Spirit Dolls (we’ll be making our own in the workshop on March 3rd). One is from Otter in Canada and the other is from Angela, who lives in Maine. The other photo I just got today from Chris, who took the shard face workshop on Sunday (there’s another one on Feb. 17th) and finished her necklaces today. Nice work! It’s inspiring to see how others use these little faces.

Joanna, Spirit Dolls and new faces . . .

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Joanna Powell Colbert appeared in my life at a serendipitous time – she ordered some of my little faces for a Spirit Doll workshop last year and, in doing so, opened a door to lots of new connections for my shard faces. You’ve seen some of the photos of Spirit Dolls that people have sent me – now Joanna has made her booklet describing how to make these small spiritual sculpture available to everyone. What a cool gift!
How To Make a Spirit Doll by Joanna Powell Colbertspiritdollbook

I’ve had lots of new orders for faces and, as a result, I spent last night making new ones, about 100 of them. Every one of them seems to have a different story to tell. It’s kind of meditative to work the clay and see the expression in each face. Here are a few, ready to finish drying and go into the kiln. Thank, as always, to Joanna for her example and inspiration! We’ll be making Spirit Dolls at The Studio in the spring 🙂White clay faces before firingWhite clay faces before firing

Terra Cotta faces

Terra Cotta faces

 

Preview!

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Here’s you preview of today’s Open Studio/Open House – I just realized that all of the artworks are under $29. Gosh, I’d shop with me!

Spirit Doll from Louise

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I love receiving comments and photos from other artisans who have used my faces in creative ways, particularly in Spirit Dolls because there is so much meaning, positive energy and symbolism in those constructions. Look at this photo and read the comments from Louise in Washington state, and you’ll see what I mean – the face and body have almost come to life:

Several months ago I purchased some of your lovely face shards and although it has taken me a while, I finally completed a Spirit Doll which I named, “Plant Woman of the Pacific Northwest Woods”, in honor of my commitment to deepening my knowledge of the medicine of the local plants. ~ Louise