Hooray for my daughter-in-law – she thoughtfully stocked my temporary Boston digs with art supplies.    I have a new set of Caran D’Ache water soluble wax crayons and also a set of Derwent watercolor pencils. I had never used any of these before so I was curious to try them – wonderful stuff! It’s very interesting being in an unfamiliar space with unfamiliar materials, but it’s a good exercise. How a wax crayon can be water soluble beats me, but the colors blend beautifully and are vibrant and intense. I experimented on a couple of small pieces on watercolor paper, kimono shaped with some metallic stamping. The crayons can be used to make lines or textures, and then all or parts can be blended together. Here’s the first sample:

 Of course, I had help from my grand-cat who is obviously an art connoisseur – he sits on the table and watches me. He tends to fall asleep a lot,though – hope it’s not a commentary on the artwork.

Tomorrow the cold, rainy weather is supposed to be clearing up here so it may be time for a walk in the park! The cats stay inside, though – Boston is definitely a dog town!

At our last aromatherapy workshop, my scientist friend Bill Kurtin said, “The longer I research essential oils, the more open I become to the possibilities.” I feel the same way about the Spirit Dolls – yesterday’s workshop was almost magical, both in process and result. I swear, these little figures take on a life of their own. I’ll let the video show you the results – thanks to all of the participants. What synergy you guys created!

If you’d like to try your own Spirit Doll, here’s a free instruction book from moi. And here are couple of things I’ve learned over the course of facilitating four of these workshops:

• There are guidelines for starting the structure (see my directions in the booklet), but after that, open up to possibilities – you’ll see what I mean when you make your own – there is not One Right Answer just as there is not one right intention for creating them.
• Stretchy gauze bandages make wonderful wrappings for the bodies – quilt batting cut in strips makes good padding.
• Tear some of your fabric into long thin strips – it makes wrapping the bodies easier and give a nice soft aged and tattered look.
• We use my EarthShards for the faces, but you can use anything – air-dry clay rolled into a flattened ball works well – you can draw or mold a face. You could probably adhere your own photo, but that would have a different purpose.
• Don’t search too hard for the right fabric or trim – use what you have and recycle. It will turn our better (and more meaningful) if you don’t over plan or over-decorate.
• Don’t be “finished” – add new things every so often – a found feather, a bead from a broken bracelet – let it evolve.

Check out the video – we all started exactly the same way with the same possibilities, and look how these Spirit Dolls defined themselves!

Quick update – I had some questions about the silver shard mirrors, so here is the first one by itself (far right, shown without mirror) as well as the other two (and there may be more – these are kind of a prototype). Each one measures about 7″x8″ one way or the other. They don’t have actual glass mirrors in them yet because it doesn’t photograph well, but they will. I’m thinking they will be priced at the Studio for about $25 each. Thanks for the interest!

Our Fiesta Show and Sale was fantastic (nice alliteration :)). Being with Lesta, Jan and Alison is such a treat, and their work is wonderful. It was great to talk to everyone who came. I met some of the *nicest* people. Here’s a photo of the happy artists:

Alison, Lesta, Lyn and Jan

Before I say goodnight and thanks, here are a couple of reminders about upcoming events- the Spirit Box Workshop is next Sunday from 3-5 and there are two spaces left, and Hildegard, Art and Soul Journey with Michelle Belto is the following weekend. That will be the most remarkable event at the Studio so far, I’m predicting. Email me with any questions. OK, this happy artist is going to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. See you soon!

Yesterday morning I went to a meeting of the Fiber Artists of San Antonio. My friend Vicki Siptak invited me because she thought I’d like the presenter, nationally-known multimedia artist Sherrill Kahn – not only did I like her, I want to BE her! Her work is so inspiring and she shares her techniques and thoughts in a totally open way. Gloria Hill went with me – Gloria was lucky enough to purchase one of Sherrill’s beautiful multimedia fabric pieces.

Sherrill teaches all over the world. She and I talked about the possibility of having her come back to San Antonio in the fall. I would love to host two or three workshops at the Studio in August, so stay tuned. Talking with her just reinforced my decision to work for a while on smaller pieces – here’s the first one in a new Guardian series, still not finished, but on its way.

PS – Congrats to Ana Kurland who won the subscriber’s Friday Freebie journal!!