Now that the holidays are over I have time to relax and clean...maybe I'll even start baking (moustache) cookies and canning fruit. I also have time to start working toward my 2012 goals of expanding my business both virtually and in the brick and mortar realm. I have plans to make more art and sculptures. Like these cat sculptures... Dilly and Tiger, mother and daughter cats who past away in the past years. They were a gift for my mother.
These are orders that I completed this past holiday season. You can order them at my shop. Many of them were custom made, you can order custom made portraits and  necklaces (or art) of your favorite places personalized with a heart for Valentine's Day.

Snowy Early Spring

These are my new etsy favorites. They aren't very spring appropriate but it was supposed to snow today, right? I love to knit and I love Scandinavian fair isle knit patterns and textured cables and these amazing pieces of art have to do with that!! The two deer trophies on the left side are both by an artist named Rachel Denny and the Christmas Lynx on the right is by a London artist named Sandra Dieckmann. I hope you will enjoy my finds! Happy April Fools Day.

El Anatsui

I found the work of El Anatsui in the Met in the African art section and in the contemporary American art wing. I was captivated by it both times. The use of hard, unconventional materials to make woven like tapestries really intrigued me. El Anatsui is a Ghanaian artist who has worked mostly in Nigeria.

Etsy Spolight: Double Parlour

Ahh, what can I say about these? I think it's pretty much self explanatory (they are awesome). These sculptures are made by Double Parlour, but they are not the only thing that they have to offer in there etsy shop. They have beautiful drawings of cabins and animal people and more sculptures that are similar but different. Check it out for yourselves here.

Amazing Paper Cuts

The work of Danish artist Peter Callesen inspired me to make my own little paper sculptures. I was at a standstill with my installation for my thesis show in my last year of college and when I saw his tower of babel sculpture I knew I wanted to make a little paper village. And I've been making paper houses ever since.
See them at my website.



















Tall Tower of Babel, 2005

Here are some other enchanting works by him both big and small.


























































It's hard to believe that this is made of paper!

Elsita Mora is another very talented artist who makes paper cuts but that's not all. She also makes dolls and porcelain sculptures, jewelry and illustrations.























El Bosque de la Mente























Frida Kahlo Necklace, inspired by the self portraits of Frida Kahlo.

Dolls and Soft Sculptures

I've always loved this Owl and Pussycat (2002) flip doll by Kiki Smith. I first saw it at the museum shop of the Fabric Workshop in Philadelphia. Silkscreen on fabric.














I made these soft sculptures in college. Fabric, felt, plastic, wood and wax.

















Here are some beautiful dolls and soft sculptures that are being sold on etsy.

These beautiful lavender scented ravens remind me of the Kiki Smith dolls a little bit. You can buy them from The Diggingest Girl. Printed Cotton, polyfill, lavender beads and hemp.

















I love these "feltidermy" felted faux taxidermy plushies by Girl Savage. This one is a jackalope. Wool felt, wood and polyester fiberfill.






















These Russian Nesting Doll inspired soft sculptures are called Nest and they are a limited edition of hand screen-printed soft sculptures by Beside Herself.
Here is the description of the dolls and the concept behind them:
This series is an exploration of traditions; those that are learned in a particular cultural context and those that are learned in the home. It is about our relationship to our traditions and how this relationship and the traditions themselves can change over time, particularly in the context of migration. This piece is about both the comfort and burden of traditions when we find ourselves in new settings.
These NEST sculptures consider how the process of nesting is an ongoing one. We find ways of nesting in new surroundings as these sculptures will in their new homes.

















I also love these strange and playful monster dolls by Ninon. Linen, cotton, buttons, yarn, polyfil, faux fur, velvet and fleece.















And last but not least, these pissy fishwives by Charming Rosie's Bazaar give me the biggest kick. I think they are so clever. Digitally printed cotton, wool and polyester filling. The artist who makes these is also a talented animator see her animation here.