 ;) Although I've never known a time when I wasn't doing some type of art, my "serious" education began in the mid-eighties when I wondered into an art shop where oil painting lessons were offered, and without hesitation, I signed up. Without any formal art degrees, I started to study, and learn through weekly lessons, seminars, videos, and books. I was fortunate to be able to study with some of the master artists, including Daniel Greene, John Howard Sanden, Thomas Nash, Gorden Wetmore, Wende Corporele, and others, to numerous to mention. I worked for, and was mentored by my first oil teacher, Jo Hollingsworth, and taught several weekly classes for her for the next five years, while I continues to paint and attend art fairs. At present, I'm teaching just one class a week. In the early nineties, I also published "Painting Packets" (how-to directions with photo for other painters) through a distributor in Los Vegas, named Jay Sharpe. He also published a magazine called "Creative Painting" where he featured one of my paintings on the cover. At present, I'm working on finding a distributor for some prints that I would like to publish. In the past, I've sold my work mostly through art fairs, and, of course, word of mouth, but, now I'm ready to settle down and hope to find some exposure through galleries and other avenues.
The polymer clay art dolls came into existence after I took a polymer clay workshop with an artist friend of mine, who also painted oils. She taught me some of the mechanics of making dolls and gave me direction in selecting some of the tools. Several years ago I was able to study with a master doll artist, Jack Johnson. Since I had sewn for years, designing the clothes was fun. I even get to play with make-up. After I designed a collection of Father Christmas dolls, I was juried into the Craft Guild in Ridgeland, MS, where i have five on display and for sale. In the future, I see some smaller dolls in the making of some faries and fantasy figures. I so enjoy both painting and making dolls that I can't choose between them, so I continue to divide my time between the two mediums.
Commissions are welcome in any medium.
Member
affiliates :
Ms. Painters Society,
Northeast Mississippi. Art Association
Mississippi
Craft Guild |    Father Christmas is an original Polymer
Clay Art Doll---all hand sculpted, no molds, the clothes are sewn and
designed by Linda. |
