If you ever read Julia Cameron's book The Artist Way, you might remember her suggestion to have an "artist date" with yourself. This is necessary to access your creativity and to refill the well so to speak. She recommends to do this once a week, setting aside a couple of hours to do something creative, playful and fun.

I have decided to make a bit of art once a day, a doll, a drawing or a collage and to record it here, inspired by another artist who asked me to create a doll for a project of hers. This is quite an extraordinary honor, and challenging as well. This little Spirit Doll (her name is Jewel) is to have long curly hair, free standing and flowing skirt, the colors are teal and purple but the hair needs to have tones of rainbow...with the dragonfly and butterflies for totems and some crystal chips and beads as means of adornment.

Jewel is supported by a wooden dowel so she will be resting on a bottle or another surface when she gets home. I had several faces made so my client could have some choices, once this was agreed, the rest was easy...that is, until I got to the flowing skirts...well, that did not work at all, the doll would not let me, it almost sounds silly, but for those of you who make art dolls, I am sure you understand what I mean, the doll directs the way it is going to go once you get started.

So, I decided to weave the cloth and that works fine for her, I feel it flows with a gentle energy now and I just had to fasten the elements used for the doll, with wire and yarn. This happens often if I try to force the doll to look like I think it should, I encounter many problems, I've learned to let it be and allow the process to guide me in an intuitive manner.

Along the way her hair got shorter, I think it looks better now.

New Year Altered Porcelain Dolls

The new year, holding the key of abundance and prosperity. The blushing doll, colored with the rusty red of passion and creativity. The dark shadows doll symbolic of things passed and memories remembered and the new year spirit...painted green for hope, with new adventures and full of possibilities.

New Year customs and traditions that are followed today have their roots way back in the ancient societies where the number of harvests determined the number of new years they had. The Creek Indians celebrated New Year in July or August when the corn was ripe, which symbolized the completion of a year and the beginning of another. It was also encouraged to wear new clothes and to change the interiors of their houses as a symbol of renewal. The Iroquois, celebrated the New Year in January, February or March and they were the ones who started the conventional masquerades, the noise-making to welcome the New Year. It seems to me that the customs we follow today are modified versions of other ancient practices from many traditions all over the world.

Please come to visit my eBay Auctions!


gristello

EASY GIFTS... from $1.59 to $9.89

YULE ORNAMENTS Ornament (Oval)

I have prints, cards and gifts available in my CafePress Shop, please come to visit.

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade awesomeart.etsy.com

I hope you enjoy my playlist...but please don't try to make any sense out of it. I like this music for many reasons... :)