Willburr Banks a 16" OOAK Venus Gaze Mohair Bear

I just listed on etsy, a new 16" Bear, ooak mohair teddy, that I made to look aged and distressed with acrylic paints, I'v always loved antique bears, and this one is definitely inspired by antique bears, I didn't use boot buttons for eyes I used aqua gems, and I used those to weigh him a little.  Aqua gems are available at Michael's Crafts stores that is where I found black ones.   I put a picture of what aqua gems look like at the bottom of the post.   I kept the face simply, the nose was felted wool, the covered with synthetic leather, and I assembled the necklace using leather cord, and a pendant I found at Michael's Craft store.   Anyway here are photos of Willburr Banks.

The following picture is the aqua gems, they are solid glass, not easy to break, and I am substituting them for bird shot or copper bbs, when adding additional weight to my bears.   I thought it was an idea worth sharing. 

Creative Comfort Zones / Commissioned Sharon Tate Portrait Doll

I feel at this point, I am reaching that creative comfort zone where I feel I have obtained enough skills through experience to accomplish my desired visions as an artist.  Knowing myself allows Me that grace to move forward.   I understand that learning continues with each project, but one must allow for information, knowledge and skills to plateau to some degree and enjoy the fruits of experience and learning.  This is the point I feel I've reached.  I don't feel a competitive nature to this medium, and I respect people who choose simplicity as well as complexity in their creative comfort zones.  Everyone who pursues an artistic endeavor has an individual creative comfort zone, knowing yourself as an individual is the only real way to discover it.  There can be as much beauty and aesthetic in simply forms, as there is in the most complex of forms, and the work in the most complex is to be greatly appreciated.  My work is not that, my pursuits are not that, but out of me there is nothing but respect for all those monumental works I've seen over the years.  There is also an appreciation for the dedicated crafter who can in a few steps execute prolifically lovely objects of refined charm, and novelty, consistently, and beautifully.    My creative engines are geared to be somewhere in the middle.

  My creations do consist of methodically chosen anatomical landmarks, that evolved over experience, and as I am reaching my creative comfort zone, I have sculpted some maquettes to maintain a consistency in my interpretation of form.   I don't know how important those will be, but I do have them to aid me in the creative process.   This topic deserves more attention in future blog entries.  So, for now I am just introducing a concept, and stating the point, that creative comfort zones are part of creative activity.

 In this blog entry I am also sharing my work from my creative comfort zone as an Artist, as well as an earlier creation prior to reaching my creative comfort zone.   Both of these were commissions I didn't hesitate to create.  Both of them are portraits of Sharon Tate, the movie star, and model.  The most recent creation is inspired by the actress in the classic Polanski film Fearless Vampire Killers.  The first Sharon Tate portrait doll was her as an angel, but created during the time I was experimenting, learning, and establishing knowledge to improve my creative habits, and working consistency.    At the time the first doll was commissioned I received a message through ebay, and I corresponded with that individual after watching Valley of the dolls, and said I would create the doll, as I did and list her on ebay since that is where I received the request to create the doll.  The most recent version was a commission from someone who had seen the first doll I made.   I understand the fact that most people can't separate the movie star from the tragic and senseless murder.  I've seen documentaries, and even the gruesome crime scene photos, and I personally am not fascinated by any of that, and it saddens me that her magnetic charm, beauty, and talent is overshadowed by the event of her murder.  I was moved by the innocence of the characters she portrayed on film, and based my decision to create these portraits exclusively on the merits of her absolute beauty, and presence on film.

I made the shoes from real leather.

Art Philosophy : Being aware when unfolding new spacial dimensions !

I shared a photo of a Maleficent project I am working on, well that is a new scale that I've set the intention into motion of creating in regularly for the rest of my life.  All of the philosophy I've studied the past few years, has lead me to being very observant of the mechanism of my own functioning.  Our brains are malleable, no belief, no habit, no conditioning for that matter is absolute.  Writing the metaphysical language of your own existence, is something we're all capable of.   Being very observant of the process as it's occurring in real time, this is where the Zen master tries to embed awareness.  In someways it's individuated consciousness becoming aware if it's own vehicle (the human body), and the processes therein.   If you can do it within your own being you can certainly outline the path in another.  Ultimately this leads to greater expansion of awareness.  I am not a guru, a zen master, or teacher by intention of being those things.  I choose to demonstrate that there is a place for expanded awareness, a place that leads to knowing your potentials, and limitations as well.   Both those potentials and limitations are woven into human biology.

Back to the topic, related to art. This goes back to how one trains their own brain, which is not separate from them.  Here is another portrait, that I've been working on, but because it was a new scale, about the size in the middle of what I had worked on before, my brain needed to calibrate the form of a Human Being in this particular scale. So anytime one adds new spacial requirements for a creative outlet, depending on the priority assigned in the initial decision; which translates into how excited, determined, and resolved you felt to begin in the previously unfamiliar scale.  All that plays a role in how you will embed whatever knowledge you gain from setting that intention into action.  Keep in mind your first attempt is the one in which your brain is still creating spatial dimensions, and determining things like what an average mouth will be like in that scale, ears, eyes, nose, all those things are embedding themselves as you're working.  Even if you have prior experience in the medium you are working in, and knowledge of the subject matter, the first effort in a new scale is also training the brain to familiarity with those spacial demands your intention set into motion.  Here are two examples attempting to do the same portrait, which was a commission, and although the first one satisfied the client, I wasn't satisfied, because it fell short of the results I intended on producing, and I became aware through keen observation of the learning curb in the process itself, which as I mentioned in the past is my meditation.  Below the painted bust is the first attempt, where my brain needed to calibrate and ratify all the spacial demands my intentionality set into motion.  The second work is yet to be painted, but the spacial demands of working a this scale have been satisfied,  I have created the bust with the torso extended down about 1/2" below the breast, this will eventually help with shaping the bodice of the dress for this doll.

The point here is I observed a limitation in how my brain operates when it comes to new spacial requirements, and the advice is if your creations are mostly creating in one particular scale, and you decide on working in a larger or smaller scale, it is natural that your first attempt regardless of all prior experience is also a retraining process for your brain.  The preceding outcomes from working in a different scale will follow after an initial calibration of the new spacial demands which the first attempt will be dedicated too.
Final note; say a person who is a master at painting miniatures, decides one day to paint large wall murals, the first effort, presents a learning curb for the brain.  Technology can re-scale an image or three dimensional object perfectly, and it's wonderful we live in the age of technological wonders.  Our brains are not perfect machines, and all though some of the process in creating is mechanical, it is the malleability that is part of human nature which is the water of life, and it can play a role in attempting something new, you don't drown when you are water, so as Bruce Lee famously said "Be Water, My Friend."

"There is evil in this world, hatred, revenge." & Maleficent

I started a new doll project, so I will reveal at least my initial sculpt of Maleficent, this will eventually be an 18" doll, not including her horns, but here is a preview.  The photo on the top is close to what I'll be curing in the oven, towards the final doll, below is the rough draft of the facial features.   This is inspired by Maleficent, as portrayed by Angelina Jolie. I can't wait to see the movie. I do enjoy working in this scale, and it's kind of a joy ride for me.
Maybe, I speak for many artist as well, but it's definitely true of me nevertheless, that creating is my Zen, my meditation.  I've invested about 10 hours to get to the more refined version.

Two New to Share, Peace Babies Dallas & Magic Born Pearl !

I've been busy with projects, and while I do listen to my playlist here, when I am working on things.  I haven't written up a blog in a while, but I finally got some more creations to share here.
 The first piece is from a series I am calling the Peace Babies, this is Dallas a 33mm miniature fairy baby girl, tenderly sleeping in a butterfly bed.  In miniature scale she would be about the size of a premie, her head is only about 9MM so the following photos are greatly enlarged.    The base is made of wood, decorated in various ribbons and trims.  Most of the fabric is silk, Her hair is also silk. I love silk because it is user friendly on miniatures.  Baby Dallas, is removable from her base, and can easily be displayed in a miniature setting.  Below the photos of baby Dallas, is Pearl the first in a different series called the Magic Born, and her name is Pearl.

 Pearl is a unique Child bust, she is the first in a series of mixed media Sculptures, and art dolls.  Pearl is an expression created with unique fabrics and findings, I have delicately sculpted her torso, and arms, in polymer clay.

Just introducing Rowan & Officially Opening Venus Gaze !

This piece is a business card holder, which I've named Rowan, and I quietly opened my Etsy Store last week, so it's appropriate I share the photos of this piece now.
 I am not offering this piece for sale, but I would create a business card holder if commissioned.

Rowan is holding just one card for now, which reads "One touch of Nature, makes the whole world kin." —Shakespeare

I had an experience a few years back in which the absolute truth of that statement became rather apparent to me, and I have written enough about the experience in my reflections on other blogs. I will add a small banner on the sidebar that links those, and I plan on continuing at least one of those blogs, but my number one passion is creating.  This piece Rowan, sat on a shelf unfinished for almost two years.  I got caught up, as a matter of choice into delving, into occult subject matter, which is where all theology, cosmology, theosophy, and philosophy eventually lead to.  I am the type of person that must follow through until I am satisfied with the answers or the outcome of any endeavor, my creative pursuits are no different.   In many ways I reached the horizon of knowledge related to spiritual matters, but enough said about that on this blog.   The main objective here is showcasing my creations on the internet.  Rowan named after the tree is one near and dear to my heart.  Inspired by the mythology and folklore of Fairies, linked to the Rowan tree, some which date back to the ancient Greeks.  I sculpted the base late last year it was inspired by some of the illustrations in the Brian Froud and Alan Lee book Faeries.  I finished the piece last Month sometime.

 I do find inspiration in illustrations which could lead to new creations.  I don't feel that I need to ever copy an illustration exactly as drawn originally, to be inspired into creating something new, and illustrating itself is something I am learning as I go.  The key in creating anything for me is to narrow everything that inspires me into a point of focus, as concentrated as the amount of concentration it takes to create any of it.  And, whatever emerges is from that branch of Human creativity, imitation of nature, and nature itself that inspired me, coming up with completely new ideas is not as authentic for me, as cherishing and celebrating the things I already love in the world.  That is what the process of creating is for me, a celebration of beauty, nature, and everything that has attracted my loving attention.  Whatever I create will always be unique in that my style of creation, choices in interpreting forms, choices in colors, materials, etc, all that is original, and that is where the signature of individuality exist.  For instance, if I am ever commissioned to do a portrait, it won't be without that signature of individuality. Some of that can be seen in the work below, and it carries over into all my pieces.

  I understand human anatomy, and forms that make up the Human being enough that I don't need a reference picture to sculpt a face, limb or body for that matter, but at this point in my budding career, I do plan sketching, even rough sketches of everything prior to creating, in some cases those sketches are to serve as templates too.

Thomas: The Fawn Faery-scapes #1 1/12th scale Miniature !

Just introducing new available art work, here is Thomas a one of a kind fawn, he is 3.5" seated, and with him I really when as far as I could with hair giving him real mohair eyelashes, and eyebrows, honestly it took me about 45 minutes just to match and create a second eyebrow with the grain of the hair going in a complimentary direction to first one I did.  Once you've done something, repeats are always easier, and eyebrows on any doll made of real hair is something I can wing. Of course I'll execute judgement as an artist as to which of my figures, applied eyebrows is appropriate.   Anyway this is Thomas, and He'll be available on etsy, this week, in fact these are the pictures for that listing.  

Unique View of the polymer clay sculpture prior to paint, hair, and finishing details.