Frida

 As you all know if you follow me, I am thralled with Frida Kahlo and never tire of making dolls in her image.  Here are the latest two made from an online class with Leslie O'Leary:

The older Frida:

Frida - Spread Your Wings

I am thrilled that I was accepted in the Summer/Fall 2017 issue of Art Doll Quarterly for my "I Am Woman" art doll, Frida Kahlo! 

 I love this magazine as it is dedicated to art dolls made by international artists in all media.  It is an honour to be published and to be able to share my art dolls with my peers and all art doll enthusiasts.  Art Doll Quarterly is available in all major book stores such as Chapters/Indigo.  

I would encourage anyone that loves to see the art doll format to either subscribe to the magazine (e-magazine subscriptions are available as well) or pick up a hard copy in your favourite book/magazine store.  You will not be disappointed and you will be supporting doll artists everywhere!

I am proud (and a little sad) to say that Frida is now in the home of a doll collector.  Frida was shown at the 2017 Sooke Fine Art Festival in Sooke, BC and she was snatched up during the first day of the show.  It was very rewarding to learn that collectors love my work enough to purchase my art dolls for their own home.  Thanks so much to the Sooke Fine Art Show and to Art Doll Quarterly for featuring my work.

Frida Kahlo II

2017 has started with a lot of sadness and sorrow.  In the span of two weeks I lost my beloved mom (aged 86) and a dear friend (aged 77).  I took solace in my creative life and I made a second Frida.  I call this new piece, " Embrace the Shadows"

In life to fully appreciate the light, we must embrace the shadows-the sorrowful, the dark can have great power.  But if we embrace the shadows and remember the light and joy that our loved ones brought us, then we can continue to celebrate life and our loved ones by embracing all the rich tapestry of our life and our surroundings.

I started with the candlestick, which I purchased many months ago during the Halloween season.  At the time I was thinking only of Halloween but now the candlestick symbolized so much more:

Time is precious and death is the final call for us all.

I used Arley Berryhill's pattern, "Candlestick Diva" as my starting point.  I wanted a larger head to emphasize the shadowy side of Frida.  I had purchased the fabric a year ago with a Frida doll in mind, and it was perfect for the skirt.  The iconic Mexican folk print celebrates life and brings hope to the piece.

Frida's hair is black yarn, braided in her typical Mexican folk art style.  I added crocheted flowers to the back along with black feathers to symbolize sorrow.  

Back of Frida's head showing flowers and feathers in her hair

Frida stands 25" tall and so has quite the presence.  I am very pleased with the finished piece and it helped bring joy back to this dismal year!  I hope you enjoy her.

The three crows are made from black velvet and her earrings are a nod to the day of the dead.

Frida Kahlo

I love making Frida Kahlo dolls as for me she is an icon.  She was born in 1907 just three years before the Mexican revolution and she has a physically painful life due to an accident that took her right leg when she was just 19.  Due to her accident she could no longer study medicine (she had wanted to become a doctor) but found art as her escape.  

Frida embraced life to the fullest, her pain, her joy, her love of art, her love of Mexico and Mexican folk art and her love of nature and animals.

My inspiration for this piece was  a photo of one of Frida's folkloric Mexican outfits and Frida's red prosthetic leg:

I used the technique that I learned from Shelley Thornton but with a painted face rather than embroidered:

I found the perfect Mexican folk art chair and went from there:

As you can see, I crocheted flowers for her hair and made her a black cat and a Milagro Mexican heart pendant.  I hope you enjoy her.