Hello! Long time since I posted here on my blog, I hope you have been well, enjoying the marvels of spring! This past week issue 5 of the Huts Magazine, an indie artzine, was published and I am honoured to be one of their featured artists! A five page interview “Viewing, Like Reading” can be found in it, plus also a little step by step progress story “Once Upon a Making’ which takes you through the creative process of making one of my larger doll sculptures ‘Persephone’ The Huts Magazine is an independent initiative, shining their bright light on beautiful…
Rains of Creativity by Milena Spasojevic
Dear reader, Today in this blog post I wanted to point you to the article Rains of Creativity by Milena Spasojevic, published on the Fourline Design blog, in which I share some of my ideas and thoughts on art, life as an artist and how it all started out for me. It was published a wee while ago already, but I hadn’t come round to posting about this publication, but… “Better late than never….” is what my nan would have said I hope you enjoy the read! Sending hugs x P x
The Cursed Sea Captain on Grimm Gardenia podcast
Good day to you all dear readers, As the summer approaches and her garden of blossom blooms in fragrant colors to our heart’s delight, a little specter has lured me into another garden; fog heavy and of a more under-earth quality …The garden of Grimm Gardenia… ‘T is a new podcast by a Petit Phantom called Hope Stockton. Besides being a little ghost, Hope is also an incredibly wonderful Voice Talent, with whom I am delighted to have started a fruitful collaboration. Today she has released the very first episode of her podcast featuring my tale “The Cursed Sea Captain” The ambient…
The Cursed Sea Captain
The Cursed Sea Captain When he was but a young boy, he lived on the mainland. But his feet were landsick and his soul longed for freedom. So when the lad was old enough, he built himself a boat. He vowed loyalty to his ship, promising her never to set foot on land again. In return his ship made her promise keep her captain safe at all cost. For many a day the young captain sailed happily and content, until he noticed a small island lying peacefully on the horizon. His curious mind overcame him and he decided to take a…
Making Persephone
Hello dear reader! In this here blog post I wanted to open the curtain a little to show you my process of dollmaking, in particular, the making of my new large “Persephone” doll It all begins with fabric… The doll’s body (including head, arms and legs) is cut from calico which is an inexpensive medium weight unbleached cotton/pitjes katoen) and is sewn on the machine. It is then turned and firmly stuffed with a mix of poly fibre filling (for volume) and recycled cotton stuffing (for firmness and weight) The face and neck are sculpted on top of the stuffed…
Art Studio Time Travel
It is six years ago now since I first took some cut out letters from a hat and arranged the word Pantovola, Dada style. I lived on a canal boat in London at the time, and had swapped painting and printmaking for making dolls with fabrics, needle and thread, partly due to the limited space I had available to me, partly because of fond memories of making cloth dolls with my mother at home as a child. Six years and so many travels, adventures, dolls, sculptures and stories later… I thought it would be fun to share some ‘behind the…
The Young Gustavia
She comes from a long line of women. They all came in different forms, in different times, for different reasons. They always went in the same way; as a ghost, into thick mist, traveling back and forth, from this side of the veil to the other. They call her ‘The Young Gustavia’ but that refers not to her true age. For she is as old as the oak that stands firm in the fields, hugging the forest. Old as the words that are sent on thin air from the Gods to the poets. Old as the love felt between lovers…
Pollock’s Toy Shop exhibit
Dearlings, I hope you are all settling into the new season, wherever you are. I wanted to share some exciting news with you, which is that I am showing a special piece this autumn at a secret window somewhere in Covent Garden, London. The show is hosted by the marvelous Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Shop, who have also stocked a limited collection of my Pantovola Petit figurines. These little creatures are available to their shop visitors only at the moment, so if you find yourself to be in London town, then they would very much like to meet you. The art…
“LA LOBA” Dollmakers VII FolkTales at Cactus Gallery LA
Hello Dearlings, It has been a while and I hope you are all well, changing into your autumnal dress if you are, like me, in the Northern Spheres, and into your spring gear, if you are in the Southern Spheres. I wanted to let you know about the upcoming Art Doll show at Cactus Gallery in LA, CA, curated by Anima ex Manus Art Dolls (Ioanna Tsouka) and Sandra Mastroianni. The theme for this group show is Folk Tales, and each dollmaker has taken it upon her to tell a tale of their choosing, through the art of the doll….
Les Sorcières d’Été
Summer is in full swing, and the three witch sisters Peregrine, Floreal and Sage have collected their herbs in the glorious sun drenched fields. Peregrine, the oldest of the three, is often referred to as La Gardienne Des Âmes Perdues (The Keeper of Lost Souls) This is due to the fact that she always collects little keepsakes wherever she goes. She calls them her ‘little lost souls’ They are memories of places and people lost in distant histories of an older world to which these things once belonged. She stitches them all onto her skirt so they will never be…