Sunday, June 13, 2010

Libby in Austin Style and Humble Beginnings

This is Libby, she is dressed in Austin style. She will be at The Primitive Gathering tomorrow night. I hope you can join her their and check out all the other WONDERFUL Artisans.
I thought you might enjoy seeing the humble beginnings of a doll maker. These dolls are some of the first cloth and mache dolls I have ever made.
I started my doll making in 1991, but I did not start doing cloth and mache dolls until 1993. I was inspired by Gail Wilson's Primitive Molded Doll kit.
These dolls have been living with one of my sisters for the past seventeens years.
This is Mary, Her title is, A time to Quilt, She about 14" tall. She was made in 1993.

This is Emily, her title is A time to gather, She also is about 14" tall and was made in 1993.

This is my very first large cloth and mache doll made in 1994 and she is 24" tall, and I did not name her, Not sure why. She was inspired by the antique paper mache head dolls Greiner and Superior dolls. I used to make a lot of these large dolls and the smaller dolls.
I made my first Queen Anne doll in 1997 after seeing one in book about antique dolls. I was looking for inspiration and I fond one that would stick with me and continue to influence me today. The doll I saw was made with a wooden hands and legs, but had a paper mache head and torso.
I still have my very first Queen Anne doll but she lives with my other sister and as soon as I can I will post pictures of her.

A Closer look at her face.
Enjoy!!! and God Bless!!!
Julie

11 comments:

Doreen Frost said...

Good morning Julie. I just LOVE Libby..she's stunning.

How wonderful to look back at your humble beginnings :) LOVE all your ladies!!!!

Hugs, Doreen

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

Libby is absolutely divine!
The earlier dolls may be humble but they are each sweet in their gentleness.
Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.
Susan x

Robin's Egg Bleu said...

Stunning work, as always! I love seeing your earliest work. It's apparent from the beginning the character you embue in your dolls and your raw talent.

Some people were just born to make dolls, and you can always tell from the first attempts! Awesome!

Julie said...

Doreen, Susan, and Robin,
Thank you so much!!! But I have to tell you it took a lot to post those earlier works. At the time I thought they where the greatest things I had every made. It was about three months or so ago, I was sitting a my sisters home and actually took a good look at them, and thought they aren't as good as I remembered. I really had to humble myself to publish them for all the world to see. But these humble little creatures are what have made the dollmaker I am today.
Back then there was nobody I new who was doing this or teaching it so I had to wing it. These ladies sold like hot cakes, and I know they got better over time. One of these days I will have to do another of the larger ladies.
Thank you again!!!
Julie

Julie said...

They are wonderful - their faces are full of character and their clothing seems so "true"... I love your dolls - and it's terrific to see where you started from!

Julie

Julie said...

Julie,
Thank you so much!!!
Julie

Finegan Antiques said...

Julie,

What a lovely family. Each one is unique and wonderful. Thank you for sharing.

Donna

Suzanne said...

Libby is quite lovely! Your early work "humble" or not is wonderful too. Thanks for sharing!

tiptoethruphylsgarden.blogspot.com said...

Thank-you so much for your kindness on commenting on my kitten,you give me hope.
I just became a member of cloth & clay dolls too,haven`t put up anything yet.
Your dolls are special,each & every one of them.It`s amazing to me how God takes our talent & refines it so much that it`s our own special gift.Libby is beautiful,as all of your dolls are,phylliso

Debra said...

Hi Julie-
I hope you and your family and fur babies are all fine.
I really loved seeing your early dolls-you shouldn't have been ashamed to show them-they're really good. I love the life you put in them.
Love, Debra

Daryle and Katie... kindred spirits said...

Julie... I appreciate, on every level, the posting of your earliest dolls. They DO represent the fact that we are "becoming" in the gifts we use and the talents that we have. And you, have so many! Thank you for reminding me of that "thread" that binds together where we have been and where we are going! Daryle