DOLLS THIS WEEK--JULY 13, 1999
NEWS
REVIEW OF THE SUMMER FESTIVAL IN BILLINGS, MONTANA
by Jane Darin, from Jane Darin's Gallery of Soft Doll Art http://www.janedarin.com
The Summer Festival in the Rocky Mountains at Billings was wonderful; here are just some of the reasons it was such a great festival to do for dollmakers:
First: Roxy Carper, the organizer is a marvelous person who put on a marvelous event. She planned and executed a multidimensional event that included many disciplines outside dollmaking. Classes in painting, dying, quilting, etc. all under the same roof. Here was a chance for dollmakers to expand their horizons by learn other disciplines that added to their doll making.
Second: I loved teaching my dollmaking class (Creating Faces for Doll, Quilt, and Wearable Artists). I had a wonderful group of students who were eager to share their thoughts about facial expression, the pictures and examples of dolls and relatives which they shared and the techniques which they had learned. They worked with each other and mirrors to see how expression occurred on the surface of faces and laughed good naturedly throughout the process.
Third: My husband, Joe Darin, loved teaching his photograph workshop. He had a great time with his students, discussing ways to improve their work and his own. He had to be a bit inventive in showing his slides, as did I, so he created a wonderful "theater" in a dark storeroom for this purpose. He was able to set up a studio in the same room for the practice part of the workshop which enabled his students to control the light most effectively. They also were able to step outside through a roll up door and use natural lighting for some of the practice so it had all the elements he thought important to include for the students to get good results. It was also a practical example of how to be inventive in doing photography of art work.
Fourth: I was most impressed with the quality and diversity of the pieces entered into the doll competitions. Joe photographed them for Roxy and we have been sorting through the slides he took and admiring the various pieces. It will undoubtedly grow into a major competition in the coming years, one of the few with prizes. The dolls were displayed on a long table in the center of the space and people spent a lot of time examining them closely for their techniques. If you were not able to enter this year, be sure to do so next year.
Fifth: The people who attended seemed to be mostly from the northern middle west and western states. They were warm, friendly and talented and we really enjoyed meeting them and sharing ideas. They seemed so appreciative to have an event so accessible from their homes and of such a wide scope.
Sixth: The attendance was over 100 students, which is fabulous for a first time event. The classes and the students represented quality rather than quantity.
Seventh: There were also sales booths. We had a booth to sell some of my pieces and also our Eros, art prints and note cards. On Wednesday evening, Roxy had a "grand opening" of the competitions, exhibits and booths. Vendors were very pleased with the displays, booth space and sales.
Everything I heard from the attendees was a hope for next year's event being also being in Billings and continuing with an expansion of Roxy Carper's plans. Joe and I felt really privileged to be part of this new beginning with such promise and hope to return next year. If you have a chance next year be sure to be there. With such a great start, it is bound to get better still.
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Thank you very much, Jane, for that wonderful review!
DOLL EVENT REVIEWS: Have you recently attended a doll show, class, auction, or other doll event? Have your report or review of the event appear in "Dolls This Week!." Just e-mail your report to me at collectdolls.guide@about.com; you will be credited for the report, you will have my undying gratitude (since I can't attend them all!), and your web site link (if you have one) will appear as well.
UPCOMING DOLL EVENTS
SUMMER SCHOOL FOR DOLLMAKERS
Doll Summer School at Crafty College ( http://CraftyCollege.com) started
this week! Each of the current doll classes are being offered once during the summer, which gives participants a great chance to take any classes they missed last year.
The classes include the following: For detailed information and pictures, please see:
http://craftycollege.com/academics/):
3 Classes started this week: Registration is Still Open:
- Cloth Dollmaking for Everyone! by Judi Ward
- PATTERN MAKING - COSTUME DESIGN by Cheryl Leone
- Pattern Drafting A Cloth Doll by Cheryl Leone
Classes Starting in July and August:
- "Design Your Own Doll" by Judi Ward
- Advanced Cloth Doll Design by Judi Ward
- "Kaitlyn" by Gail Kellison
- "Galen" by Gail Kellison
- Cloth Doll Face Painting by Judi Ward
- Doll Hair! by Judi Ward
- Pattern Making - Doll Clothing by Cheryl Leone
- "Shy Kids" by Gail Kellison
- Creating Fabulous Footwear for Cloth Dolls by Mary Ann Kaahanui and Bonnie B. Lewis
Submitted by Katie Kangas. Thank you, Katie!
UFDC NATIONAL CONVENTION, Washington Hilton and Towers, August 1 to 6
Yearly doll collector's convention; over 2,000 attendees, doll show, competition, seminars, workshops, banquets, and yearly business meeting. Look for live, daily updates from the convention on this site! Doll show is open to the public on Thursday, August 5. . Also in Washington DC at this time is the NIADA convention at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bethesda MD which opens its salesroom to the public on August 1. Finally, the ODACA show is at the Washington Hilton on Sunay, August 1, also at the Washington Hilton in Georgetown.
Barbie--Look Who's 40! Exhibit, June 1 to November 1, Denver, Colorado
At the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys, 1880 Gaylord Street
D.A.G. Oneonta New York Doll Show and Festival, July 15-17
Yearly convention of the Doll Artisan Guild
Previous Weeks in Dolls:
Austin Powers Doll, Barbie Legs as Amputee Fingers, Jill Barad LA Times Interview
The Tarzan and Butterfly-Art Barbie Controversies
The Year 2000 DAG Convention is Announced
Theriault Duet Auction
Loss of ODACA Artist Kathryn Williams Klunsman
Review of Anaheim Dollmaking Show
