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Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Show and Tell

It has occurred to me that I have only given a little glimpse into my art world.
I started making Art Dolls twenty five years ago. Over the years, I have used different mediums, and as the medium changed, so also did my style.
I have often been told that my figures are not dolls. This of course is understandable, as what most of us think of when we hear the word doll, is our favorite play doll from childhood. This is a big discussion in the Art Doll world, as our work is often misunderstood and underappreciated. There are numerous doll artists that cannot get into major craft shows, galleries, group art shows etc., as there is not a category for dolls, in many of these venues. One prominent doll artist was asked by a gallery owner, to dress her doll in clothing made from the same material as her doll, not cloth, as she had done in the past.......in essence she was being asked to make a figurine and not an Art Doll. There is light on the horizon, however, as a few galleries, major craft shows, group art shows etc., will accept us, if we call our dolls, figurative art, three dimensional multimedia art or some other name alluding to what we do. A few have educated themselves about the world and the art, of the Art Doll and will promote and accept it as such, in their venue. I could go on and on, on this subject, however, I fear I would loose you into boredom, rather than peaking your interest.
So instead, I am posting photos of a few of my pieces, to show what I have done over the years. Thank you for looking.

I made this cloth jester in 1989


I call this piece "The Maskmaker" he is part of a three piece scene, with a Lion and Lioness. He is giving the Lion a choice of the masks he made for him, for the masked ball. This piece was made in 1997. He was seen on the Carol Duval Show,in an episode where I was a featured artist. Medium is paper clay and cloth


In 1989, I was all into the jumping jack form and used that form, for my cloth pieces.


This little lady "Princess Papillon" is made from a two part clay called Apoxie Sculpt, over a gourd. I clothed her in paper and cloth embelishments.


Last is my favorite piece called "The Awakening" Made of wood, Apoxie Sculpt, polymer clay, paper and mosses. Made in 2002

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Posted by Mo'a :: 3:18 PM :: 2 Art Connoiseurs

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Monday, November 21, 2005

The Piano, Serendipity and Family Moments


Our upright piano is lying on it’s back, on an interesting contraption made for lifting heavy items off the floor. I was amazed, as I watched the piano tuner raise the piano up to working height, with one hand on a lever. I am in awe of what human beings, have devised over the years to make life easier and more interesting.
I have never seen the inside of a piano before, it is fascinating to see.
I was interested in the fact that there were all sort of disclaimers and advertisements inside,( you may have to use a magnifying glass, to be able to see it in the photo) that only the piano tuner would see years later, when the piano is in need of repair. The pins on our piano is being glued, with a special glue made just for this purpose, in hopes that it will keep it’s tune longer.

We wanted to have this work done before Christmas. In my minds eye, I see the family standing around the piano, my husband is playing the piano, we are all wearing red and green with smiles on our faces and singing Christmas Carols........or was this a scene from “White Christmas”?
One thing for sure we will give it a try, in our three family languages, English, Danish and Icelandic. We will have fun and laugh about the fact, that reality and the Hollywood version of reality is not the same, and come to the conclusion, that we like our reality.
As a child growing up in Iceland, one of my fondest and most treasured memories are of family and friends singing together at every gathering. We all knew the words and most all, could carry a tune. This past summer three of my cousins from Iceland came to visit and one evening after dinner, we went out to my Mother’s Gazebo to see the sunset , to have a conversation in our native language and say a skal (her is to you) or two. All of a sudden my male cousin started singing, my Mother, my two female cousins and I joined him, in the blink of an eye. The song we sang is about riding over the sands, as the sun is setting behind a mountain, hoping to be able to avoid highway men, that are probably lying in wait, and having fear of meeting the Queen of the Elves, on her night ride. We all love this song, as it is fun to sing, the first part is fast in the tempo of a man riding a horse, then there is a part where we almost whisper and in the end we raise our voices again, with the hope that we have almost reached our destination. Our voices blended in many songs that evening and my Father and Husband were charmed and talk about how magical the evening was. This, I think is what life is all about serendipitous moments, and the feeling of connection and love.
Our piano, it will be tuned and ready for Christmas magic. Sometimes one has to give serendipity a nudge.

One last, seldom seen, view of the piano.

Posted by Mo'a :: 11:37 AM :: 5 Art Connoiseurs

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Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Christmas Nostalgia

I am feeling rather nostalgic these days as it is close to Thanksgiving, to me that means Christmas preparations. Every year, I feel that I must create something just for Christmas. One year it will be making over a hundred Christmas cards, another year it will be crocheting snowflakes for the tree, then another year making fifty white origami cranes, and so it goes at least one big project each year. I think this all stems back to my childhood in Iceland, when my cousins and I would spend hours making Christmas cards and gifts for our parents and grandparents. Those were simpler days and a time I think back to with great fondness.
On my dresser, I have a photo of me holding my son, who was two at the time, at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, in front of the Icelandic Christmas Tree. I am wearing the Icelandic costume, and my son is wearing a velvet sailor suit, this was thirty years ago. Do little boys wear sailor suits these days? I wonder. I was a member of the Icelandic Association that created the the Christmas elves (Jolasveinar)and the Crochet Snowflakes.
I can’t resist showing you the photo of us, so here it is. My son is a young man now and I am more filled out and I noticed that I used to have two dimples LOL.
P.S. On December 12, I will post photos of my current Christmas project. I love a mystery :)


Posted by Mo'a :: 4:14 PM :: 3 Art Connoiseurs

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Friday, November 11, 2005

Grounds for Sculpture

One of my very favorite places to spend a day, is in Hamilton, New Jersey at the "Grounds for Sculpture. Each sculpture is shown in a setting that fits it perfectly. Some are in hidden places, so that when you find them, you are filled with delight. Somehow, the landscape designers, were able to design these hidden places, in such a way, that you are bound to find them. I try to get to the Grounds in each season, as the beauty of the landscape and the plant material is as impressive as the sculptures themselves. Their main restaurant is named “Rat’s”(from Wind in the Willows),is a wonderful place to recharge, with a delightful lunch in beautiful surroundings. J.Seward Johnson, is the founder of Grounds for Sculpture, many of his life size sculptures, inspired by the Impressionist painters, are exhibited at the grounds. If you ever wanted to step into a painting, this is the place for you. I am acquainted with two of the artists Toshiko Takazu and Isaac Witkin. It is always fun for me to visit their pieces and to remeber when, I saw Toshiko work on one of her pieces and the time when my husband, son and I visited Isaac's home and he gave us a tour of his studio. Here are some of my favorite photos taken on my last trip to the Grounds.
The photo of me and the sculpture, in my bio, was taken at the same time.



Here is the scene.


Here is the painting.

Posted by Mo'a :: 5:06 PM :: 0 Art Connoiseurs
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Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Nisse Class

I gave a Needle Felting Class, for the Newcomers of the Medford Area, this morning. I had four lovely ladies in the class. We had great fun and in no time we had four new little nisses. Nisse is a Scandinavian word for Pixie or Elf. Take a look at these handsome little fellows. Aaaaaw!!!!!
Here they are before beard and hair.

Here they join my little nisse, far right. Notice the way they look at each other.

Posted by Mo'a :: 4:52 PM :: 4 Art Connoiseurs

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Monday, November 07, 2005

New Jersey The Beautiful


I proudly announce, that I live in the Garden State, New Jersey, USA. I know that New Jersey has been the victim of many jokes, that are generally made by people who have not gone farther south on the New Jersey turnpike, than Exit 12. I live south, between Exit 4 and 5,in an area known as "The Pinelands".
Medford, my hometown, is next to Medford Lakes, a community that has the largest number of log homes in the United States.
My husband, Ken, likes to have photography projects. His current project is to take photos of Log Homes. With his permission, I am posting some his photos here.


Posted by Mo'a :: 11:10 AM :: 0 Art Connoiseurs
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Friday, November 04, 2005

Leikur og List

I feel that I should, explain the name of my blog, as the only part of it that will be in Icelandic, is the name. The translation of Leikur og List is: Leikur....play, og....and, List....Art. I got the idea for my blog name, from one of my favorite Icelandic sayings: Thad verdur hverjum ad list, sem hann leikur. Translation: Practice makes perfect.

Posted by Mo'a :: 12:03 PM :: 0 Art Connoiseurs
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Doll Maker and Artiste Extraordinaire


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