These Ancient Luminous Art Dolls from Texas’ Tricia Dewey transform modern glass bottles into icons from ancient cultures.We looked at Tricia’s luminous polymer beads some months back and now she’s incorporating the technique into her sculpture.
She reveals that, “Growing up with my mother and grandmother as artists, I did not personally begin working artistically until my mother’s death in 2002.” Polymer clay and digital imagery were her first explorations with later ventures into encaustic wax. You can track the zigs and zags of her explorations on her Flickr site.
Ponsawan blends
Ponsawan Silapiruti offers yet another variation on the Skinner blend which she uses to create her free Mini Roses tutorial.
Based on overlapping rectangles of clay, this method is good for those of you who, like me, have trouble cutting triangles. Ponsawan has a gift for simplifying that makes every trick look easy.
Susan Detwiler ,
Those dolls are so lovely! And leave it to Ponsawan to come up with a new, innovative twist on a familiar technique. Those mini roses are very pretty and how generous of her to share the tutorial.
Melinda Hayes ,
The bottles are fun.
Ponsawan’s mini roses are just what I was looking for!
Randee M Ketzel ,
I love Tricia’s work and her fabulous color sense–she has a real gift.
And yes, saw Ponsawan’s tutorial about a week ago, and smacked myself up side the head–of course!!! I never have been one for the triangle method–I simply roll fat logs and butt them up to one another–but this is just as simple and it blends faster. Again, Ponsawan, thank you thank you.
Ponsawan Sila ,
Thank you , Cynthia. I had to teach basic bead making to non-clayer and want to include the blend. Not everyone has pasta machine and teaching Skinner blend is a class by itself, so I came up with this idea and it wored well in class. I was using Fimo.
Tricia’s luminous beads are so interesting, I might have to try that next.
Barbara Briggs ,
Love the subtle colors and the matte finish…very elegant!
Deborah Groom ,
Tricia’s faces are just haunting but in a very positive way. I love the aged and romantic orientalism of the pieces. I think of Arabian nights with an almost ghostly twist. It makes be think of bottles of hope and how wonderful something like this would be for that.
I also think Ponsawan’s idea is really marvelous and what a good heart to hunt for ways to help beginners and those who can’t afford all the tools.
It would be so nice to go claying without having to lug along a pasta machine!
Thanks so much for sharing all of this.
Jackie ,
What a great idea I love those art dolls the faces are just beautiful and so serene!
What a neat tutorial sweet roses!
suzanne ,
ponsawan’s rose tutorial, with the easy Skinner Blend is wonderful.
also i am not one for triangles…
i love Tricia’s dolls!!!! i am thinking of making a doll with a glass
bottle. may i ask you how the clay is attached to the bottle?
does it stick by itself or does it need a special base?
thanks a lot
Meisha ,
There is a lovely sophistication to these dolls. Really, very nicely done.
Ponsawan Sila ,
View the whole tutorial for the Mini roses at http://www.polymerclaybeads.blogspot.com
Thanks