New Year, New Directions

So I've had a lot of time to think about where I want to take my art in the upcoming year and while I love to make ornaments, I miss spending the time on the larger pieces. (making all those little guys takes so much time) I will continue to make my little elf doll ornaments, they are ideal for the times when I overuse my thumb smoothing paper clay, but I'm hoping to spend a little more time in 2011 making larger pieces like the White Rabbit and even the Mad Hatter ornament.



Literary characters are actually very intriguing to me. Before I had my wee tot, I used to love to read. Mostly I loved Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Edgar Allen Poe and the classics. Imagine some of the characters that could be sculpted from, say, "The Great Gatsby". The material is ripe with images. My mind conjures up all sorts of colorful characters as I read.


Old Movies also are intriguing to me. Especially some of the old classic Christmas movies. My first project for next Christmas (or maybe sooner since I just love "It's a Wonderful Life") is "George Lassos the Moon". How cute will that be? A little sculpture of George lassoing the moon. (an engineering challenge also)


Let's not forget Alfred Hitchcock movies (my favorite!) or how about the old Vincent Price movies. (I loved "House of Wax" and "Twice Told Tales"). The "Wizard of Oz", "Sound of Music". the list could go on and on. So many fabulously creative works that could be translated and memorialized in artwork.


And lest we forget about classic TV. Ahhh....the good ole' days. "Bewitched", "The Adaams Family", "Munsters", "I Dream of Jeannie", again the list goes on and on. (and these I can see being one of a kind Christmas ornaments)

The "Twilight Zone", "Outer Limits" and "Tales from the Darkside" would also be cool especially for my other focus in 2011: Dioramas.

It all started when I made the Ice Skater Ornaments and then the "Wizard of Oz" ornaments. I wanted a way to remember them after they sold and my friend, Rebecca from "hoffee and a nuffin", told me she took photos of her finished sock monkeys in different appropriate settings. I loved this idea, and to take it a bit further I decided to create little 'store window displays' that could be hung on your wall or set on a mantle. Just over the top enough to be uber cool. I also hope to delve into cut paper a little more this year and incorporate it into these dioramas. The subject matter could be anything: a scene from a movie, a Christmas window idea I would love to see, even an interpretation of a favorite photograph. The possibilities are endless. I love details and I love drawing but I find I love the challenge of *drawing* three dimensionally. I love the engineering aspect of the creative process. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I engineer something lovely.

I also plan on not doing as many shows next year. I may do one or two if they work into my schedule but this year was too hard when child care fell through at the last minute. It wasn't fair for my little one, customers or me. In 2011, I hope to get my website up and functioning they way I had always planned. To really focus on my Etsy shop until I can do everything from my website.

In the meantime, I plan to organize my studio better than it has ever been organized; to create a workspace instead of a storage space. To destash all of the supplies that I can't see myself using.

On a personal note, I look forward to going back to school in 2011. I hope to get a degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering and eventually a Masters in Environmental Engineering. Been brushing up on my mathematic skills (it has been an awfully long time since I had to use those muscles!)

So now I have everything written down so I can reflect on it over the next twelve months.

I wish you all a Very Happy and Prosperous 2011!