Tulsa Association of Doll Artists: January 2018

1/07/2018

January 2018 - First Show & Tell of the Year!

Brrrr! Happy January! (?)
It seemed appropriate to start off Show & Tell with Janis' cute draft stopper!

Laurie had everyone share their goal for the year. She said her goal is to complete some works (that have been) in progress, like this dwarf woman:

Check out the wisp of beard and clay shoes!

We love Shauna's originals! She has an entire story to go with this piece. It was wonderful, but we'll let her tell it when the time is right.

Our newest member, Almond, sculpted this exquisite head, complete with "moths" flying around her hair. There must be an interesting story to go with her, too!

Almond also won the lovely door prize, made by Sharri.

Just a few show & tell items, as many of us have pieces on display this month at The Artery.
The meeting was well attended. Almost all of our regular members were there, our newest addition, a couple interested guests, and a returning mom & daughter team we've missed the last few years. We discussed workshops and programs for the upcoming year. Lots of things to look forward to!

1/04/2018

Tulsa Artery Winter Doll Show

One of the goals for TADA this year was to participate in an Art gallery show. We were invited by Tulsa Artery to contribute to their Winter Doll show. The show is currently at the Artery gallery until sometime in January. Here are pictures from the reception:

Laurie's Eostre doll tucked away in the back of the big display.

These are the works of a talented young man who lives in Tulsa County. Hopefully he will join the club.

Unknown artist.

These are repurposed dolls in gothic design. Unknown artist.

Here are Jennepher's beauties!

Shirley Harwell's lovely dolls.

Connie's lovely Pas de Deux pair.

Shauna Henry's pink lady tucked away in a corner.

This cutie in a basket was designed by Andrea Luliak.

Connie Poncel's dolls on faux mercury glass base. A window in the base shows a snowy tree.
So cute!

Connie Poncel's doll on the same style base. This one sparkles!

Some amigurumi dolls. Artist unknown.

Cute fluffy dogs. Artist unknown. A felted mouse in the corner.

We met the artist of this incredible piece (it has lights and everything). Hopefully she will join the group! Artist Chandra Hall.

Chandra Hall.

This piece was made with Barbie faces. Very unique. Artist unknown.

Artist Chandra Hall

The lady in pink is Andrea Luliak and next is Laurie's Earth Goddess.

Back side of Shirley Harwell's Princess and the Pea doll. She's the centerpiece of the window display.

Cool yoga dolls. Artist unknown.

Laurie's Aztec Death Goddess doll.

I'm a big fan of Shauna Henry's new works. This one I believe is called Heart Strings.

A pair of adorable dragon candle holders.

Shauna's Three Fates.

Another of Jennepher's creative pieces.

I don't know who did these two interesting pieces. Love the Audrey II.

Another shot of Audrey II.

We almost couldn't see this piece by Shauna Henry. It blends into the wall. But it is so creative and fun!

Outside window shot of Shirley's Princess and the Pea.

New member Almond Eastland from Oklahoma City. It was hard to get a good shot of this really amazing bust!

Artist unknown for this little cutie.

All in all the reception was nice. We met two new local artists who have been invited to join our group. Over all, I'm pleased with the club's efforts and excited they were willing to try something new! Here's to an exciting 2018!

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! We are a group of people who love to create beautiful, whimsical, personalities from fabric, fiber, found objects, sequins, jewels, and embellishments of all sorts. In addition, each of us explores other art mediums, such as quilting, beading, embroidery. Most of all, we love to get together and have fun -- while making art! New members are most welcome.

We meet the first Saturday of the month at Hardesty Library in Tulsa, OK. However, due to covid-19, we have switched to virtual meetings. Follow us on Facebook @TulsaDollArtists, for more information or email dollartists@gmail.com.

Scraps 'n Threads

Our monthly meetings are held the first Saturday of the month, 12:00 noon (previously at Hardesty Library, located just north of 91st St. off Memorial in Tulsa; meetins are now held online) We always have lots of fun, share good information, and have a great display of our members' creations. You're welcome to stop by & visit, but we hope you decide to stay and create with us!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Jan 4 - First meeting of the new year!

Every Saturday in Jan - ribbon-jointed doll workshop

9-4 at Hardesty Library. No cost for the class; just the pattern & materials. Contact us if interested.

Feb 1 - Regular meeting & class on making polymer clay eyes.

Mar 7 - Regular meeting.

Apr 4 - Regular meeting.

Apr 18 & 19 - teddy bear workshop. Contact us for info. CANCELED

*****Below is the schedule we had planned for the remainder of the year. Obviously, it was dramatically altered by covid-19. In-person meetings, the library & state fair displays are canceled. Follow us on Facebook for information about virtual meetings and classes.*******

May 2 - Regular meeting. Bring your dolls for the display case to this meeting or before. We'll be showcased at Hardesty Library this month.

Jun 6 - Annual business meeting & luncheon plus a Sculpting class.

July date tba.

Aug 1 - Regular meeting & special workshop.

Sep 5 - Regular meeting.

Sep - we're planning a soft cloth doll workshop. TBA

We'll have dolls on display at the Tulsa State Fair. Dates to be announced.

Oct 3 - Regular meeting.

Nov 7 - Regular meeting.

Dec 5 - Holiday luncheon.

How it All Began

A brief history of the Tulsa Dolling Dames begins with 3 people who met at an elinor peace bailey workshop in May of 1999, and decided to start a doll club. A very simple beginning, but it has turned into a delightful 10 years of fun, friendship, laughter and an on-going knowledge of the art of cloth doll making. To some, a cloth doll is a simple “rag” doll made of left overs, or a bright redhaired Raggedy Anne or even a Cabbage Patch Kid lookalike. But to a seamtress, several pieces of cloth can easily become an art doll.

Jean Martin, Rae Sook and Scampy Rainey started the club and spent the first few months meeting in the back room at the Quilter’s Nook shop, wondering how to ever get the word out about art dolls. Jean finally made a small poster showing pictures of cloth dolls and information about the club and hung it up by the front door of the shop for all to see. One day a visitor [Daria Cash] who had seen the sign, looked in and asked “Is this the doll club”? Well, yes it was! And so it began.

Through the years those few have turned into an active club with up to 30 members at times. Mostly local, northeastern Oklahoma, but has included members from Texas and Arkansas.

We have well-known teachers come for classes and have gone to many out of state classes. But the very first class was held in Jean’s sewing room with the original three members and two ladies from her Dallas club.....the teacher being Anne Marie Brombal. We went on to have Diane Little and Gladi Alred from Albuquerque at Jean's house, stopping on their way home from a doll conference in Kansas City. A few members attended, as well as two more ladies from Albq. and one from Florida, all on their way home. Quite a group, and the laughter never stopped. As our club grew, we had classes at the quilt shop, then the local sewing machine center, and now at the library. Our teachers have included Christine Shively, Mary Tressler, Barbara Willis, Adele Sciortino, Barbara Schoenoff, Patti Culea, Angela Jarecki, Cindee Moyer and Arley Berryhill to name a few.

But mostly we learn from each other, as our club has many talented members who are willing to share what they know. We’ve learned beading, embroidery, quilting, paper art, marionettes, polymer clay, and cloth-over face molds. Anything goes where art dolls are concerned.

Some of our local projects have included displays at the libraries, booths at the quilt shows, with the added attraction of a trunk full of the Hoffman dolls each time, also a newspaper article with pictures, exhibits at the state fair, as well as a Christmas tree decorated with many small cloth dolls and donated to one of our art museums, to be sold at their yearly Christmas tree exhibit. These have proven to be a good way to educate the public on what an art doll really is, as many people have never seen this type of doll made from cloth.

This is only a few of the many activities our club has taken part in, but it will give you an idea of how something small can turn into a wonderful, fun filled life, “playing with dolls”. ~Jean