DADA ANGEL

When I created this piece, I was feeling my father beside me.  Dad passed away over a year ago,

and when Mom wanted his workshop/garage cleaned out, I went through a lot of my father's stuff.

Dad always was working on some project.  He had a lot of artistic talent, and created some fun art, though

he didn't officially call it that.  He would of called it tinkering.  He was  great about saving things, so I have a lot of fun objects that I acquired.  The copper leg on this angel is from Dad's collection.He shaped it into this loop and hammered it flat, for what purpose I don't know.  I found it in a small bucket of  assorted copper wire that he saved, and now here it ends up in one of my art pieces.  So I know Dad was standing beside watching me assemble this piece.  I could really feel his energy.  And I could feel him smiling.  Because I know my need to create is greatly inspired by Dad.  It's nice to have that fire in your belly passed down from your parent, and a nice way to remember my father.

So this Angel title is appropriate and is partly created by my Dad.  Thanks Dad...

ta
ps I have no idea what the "head" was.  Just a strange piece of metal, and I am not even sure where it came from.  Will have to ask my husband, he might know.  The body of the angel is river driftwood, the wings are old pages from a book that I machine zigzagged with  blue green thread and then covered with beeswax. 

NEW DADA DOLL ART

This dada bird flew into my studio this morning.  She was full of pine needles in her body cavity (an old metal can found in my wanderings in the woods).  When I was shaking out the needles, I thought surely with such a small opening to this can - about the size of a quarter, surely weather couldn't just pack all those needles inside, there was nearly 1/2 a cup full.  I decided it is more likely that a small mouse? might of packed in all that for a nest to keep warm in.  But who knows, it's the bird's secret.

The head of this bird, can you guess what it is?  I especially like the wings.  One is a piece of weathered

drift wood that is so perfectly shaped like a wing and the back wing is a piece of bark off an Aspen tree.  The tail feathers are cut from an old metal decorative plate that was embossed with a design was highlighted blue.

I liked the color and decided my bird could use a fancy "feather" muff around her neck. 

  Did you guess what the head is made from?  It's the back part of a wooden shoe stretcher, the part that wedges into the heel.

ta..

ORGANIC DADA DOLL

Just finished this 2nd piece. Today, I worked for an organic idea of nature.  I thought about the ancient people living in nature and how it was such an enormous part of their lives. I thought about the Chaco Canyon people. The elements of weather, changing of seasons and how their lives were often dictated by that force.  How nature and elements possibly forced them to move away, though there are several theories on that.  Compare that to our present world and how we as humans often think we are above that force, and then when typhoons and hurricanes and earthquakes hit, it quickly reminds us of the power of nature.  I know even on a basic level, the absence of sunshine can pull down my spirit if I allow it.  Wake up to a cloudy day like yesterday, and how it compels me to nest inside and my ambitions seem tampered down.  Then wake up, like today, to a beautiful blue sky and the sun bursting into the studio, gets my energy flowing and I am ready to tackle anything.

I did no face.  Sometimes the general head shape speaks more than features of a face.  Keeps it more
of a broad representation. 
ta

WHO'S YOUR DADA

BIG NEWS!

I have been PUBLISHED in Linda and Opie O'Brien's new book

WHO'S YOUR DADA?

When I created this art doll, I knew she was destined for good things.  I placed her in a local art show
but alas she did not sell.  Trust me when I tell you, when your expectations do not turn out the way you thought, stay true to your beliefs.  I brought her home,  where she happily hung out in the studio.  Later, I decided to list her on ETSY one day, oh maybe a year ago?......  And lo and behold, was contacted by
 Linda O'Brien
yes, the one and only...
inquiring if I would be interested in sending this art doll to them for an inclusion in their upcoming book

Who's Your Dada?

YES!  I WOULD BE HONORED!!!! Now know this:  I answered with true awe in a calm and well mannered voice.  But on the inside, I was doing backflips and dancing the waaa-hooo dance.

Because I had their first book,

Metal Craft Discovery Workshop
which I love!  It is a great source for cold fusion, and I learned a LOT!  I have long admired
their work.  They are big into re-purposing  and re-cyling objects into their art, of which I too love to incorporate into my work.  Here in my studio, I am setting on an old typewriter that I am planning to take apart.  I have done one before and let me tell you, it's HARD WORK.  But boy howdy, can you ever take out a lot of frustrations taking apart an old typewriter.  Makes you thoroughly believe that the old stuff was well built, unlike some of the JUNK they sell us these days, but that's another story.

I made this doll out of an old book.  Her body is cut from a stack of  book pages and assembled together.  I used my pop rivet gun (oh I love this tool)  to put her together and it worked great.  The background is made from 4 small frames that I was using up, a happy accident really.  Her wings and head I cut from an old rusty

 lantern fuel can I had found in Utah at a mining site.  (think about the "fuel" to energize your dreams.)

The title Road to Love?  It was the name of the old book.  And it inspired me to think about all of our

self loves we have as humans.. good and bad.  SELF love, SELF doubt, SELF indulge, etc.

 I haven't got the book in hand yet, but it is availabe on Amazon. I am really excited.

Can you tell?  If I was 15, I would do a cartwheel.  I have been sitting on this news for awhile,
but being cautious to make the big announcements till I was certain I would make the book.
You know, final cuts, etc.  You just never know.  But today, I was able to go online to Barnes and Noble and scan through the book and WOWIEEEEEEE I was there.. pages 114-115.  The view is too small to read but large enough to see the art.  Cannot wait till I get the book in hand..  today received the notice the book is on it's way!!!

ta-daaaa!!!!!!