Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Inspiration


Sometimes inspiration comes from outside the studio. This year my youngest graduated and we took him to Ireland and Scotland. Here we are kayaking on Loch Ness. The beauty and lore surrounding the Loch are infectious, you can't help keeping one eye on the water waiting for Nessie to appear.

Blarney Castle

Another inspiring place was Blarney Castle. This castle ruin is surrounded by lush gardens and hidden pathways. We climbed up to the battlements and kissed the Blarney Stone, then explored the gardens and paths for several hours. In the rain. With two 18 year old boys who had as much fun as we did. Fairies and dragons and witches were dancing through my dreams that night. 

Live music at the Guinness Brewery

Dublin

Dublin, Ireland is full of history. The Book of Kells and the Guinness Brewery share this city, as do the Leprechaun museum, pubs, restaurants, street musicians and people from around the world. We heard many different languages while walking through Dublin. Some were familiar, some not so much. Lots of inspiration to be had here.



Finally, for someone who is not a fan of flying, seeing that I am flying from Ireland to Scotland in a plan that has a propeller was... lets say not the highlight of my day. The inspiration came for me when we were in the air, a steady hum from the propeller, and a view that went on forever. There I was, flying over the sea, on an adventure. When ever I am feeling blocked creatively I look at this picture and think about how I felt at the start of that journey.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Journeys through Light & Dark: Dolls as Tellers of Stories -Part 3

The doll show was amazing. I was thrilled to be juried into it with my Fish Tales sculpture which was inspired by my grandfather.

The venue was top notch, the dolls that were on display were stunning. The workmanship and creativity exhibited inspired me to create more.

This was my first time in Petaluma and it is a charming town, full of character. Here are some of the images that I had to save...




and lastly, here are more pictures from the show:

Laurie Scott

Dustin Poche

Chris Walker
Kerry St. Pierre

Sam Koji Hale

Toby Froud

Sam Cass



Sunday, July 24, 2016

Journeys Through Light & Dark: Dolls and Tellers of Stories - Part 2

Here are pictures of some of our member's dolls on display at the show:

Created by Jan

Created by Sherrie

Created by Jan

Created by Lala

Created by Lala

Created by Christine Shively

Created by Christine Shively

Created by Debbie

Created by Valzora
Created by Jann S.


Saturday, July 23, 2016

Journey Through Light & Dark: Dolls as Tellers of Stories - Petaluma Arts Center - Part 1

Several of our members were honored to be included in the Petaluma Arts Center's show: Journey Through Light & Dark: Dolls as Tellers of Stories

Showcasing the Doll as an art form, the Petaluma show included artists from around the world.

Some Included Artists:

Toby Froud


Kate Church



Linda Yaxley (Clay Improv Member)

 
Laurie Scott (Clay Improv Member)

Christine Shively (Clay Improv Member)

Member's Dolls

Debbie 

Debbie

Sherri

Lala

Valzora

Check back tomorrow for pictures of more member dolls and our Clay Improv club table

Monday, February 22, 2016

Welcome to Clay Improv

Welcome to the inaugural post of the Clay Improv blog. We are an eclectic group of artists from across the United States, Canada and England who have found each other through the art of the doll.

Sherri  - Our Fearless Leader


Sherrie with Toby Froud

Christine with Kate Church

Debbie with Wendy Froud

Baba Yaga House by Shana


The Crone of Joy by Jan

Created by Sherrie

Old Man Face by Debbie

Created by Christine

Wendy and Toby Froud Figure Class