I talk with my hands...

I teach art classes to young people here at the studio. This fall I have had a girl who is deaf taking classes. Auna reads lips very well so her mother thought it shouldn't be a problem. Mom hung around during class just in case Auna needed an interpreter. So, I have had to learn a different way to teach- I don't know sign language. We were getting along very well- I spoke distinctly so Auna could read my lips- but then as she got more into the project and I got more into the flow of teaching I started "talking" with my hands. What can I say? (interject a shrug of the shoulders and hand out palms up) I'm Italian! Poor Auna. She didn't know if she should read my lips or watch my hands. Finally Mom came in and helped us get back on track. Auna is teaching me a few words and phrases in sign. So far my favorite is "way cool".

The Leather Skirt

So I am one of those thrift store junkies. I get excited when I find a garment that still has the tags on it from the original store. That is like the ultimate find! So I came across this leather skirt- black leather, fully lined with a kick pleat in the back. Skinny is back so this skirt is still in style. Now, I just can't buy something like that without DOING something to it. I decided it needed to be painted so I am cutting a stencil of Chinese characters that spell out "Hot Babe" to run down the left side of the skirt in gold. Not sure what I want to put on the other side down by the hem to balance it out but what ever I come up with will be in red!

Water Goddess

The cool thing about making my own dolls is that I am not tied to any ethnicity or culture. They can wear anything from anywhere and be whatever they are.
How's that for abstract art terms?

Spirit Dolls

I've been making dolls for years. In fact I was still playing with dolls when I was in 5th or 6th grade. I wasn't playing house or anything like that- I was dressing the ones that I had or I was making new dolls out of anything I could find. My sisters and I used to make these flower fairy dolls out of hollyhocks and toothpicks. I made dolls out of yarn, paper, sticks, socks...the only thing about the word doll is it makes you think of blonde haired blue eyed baby doll- and that's not at all what I make. I wish I had a different word for them.

"Math is Hard!" ~barbie

"Let's go shopping instead!"