Wax and Sculpey

Delicious, yummy, amazing wax. Getting ready for another weekend of teaching in my studio. Clean paper on the work tables. Packets of collage materials. Last minute tweaks to the lesson plan. It keeps getting better if I do say so myself.

These are sample boards that I prepped this week for the new students. I don't even want to make paintings. I just like to see all the things the wax will do.

So while I had a friend and houseguest for a few days I got to putter in the studio more than usual. I was actually able to sit still and get something done. Sometimes you have to fill the moat and stay away from the computer. (yes you do)

I've been reading: Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. The books have my head swimming in English history and the middle ages and so it is no surprise that the doll that came to my studio over the weekend was a woman from that era.

This is Ysabella. Well, her head anyway. She'll get a body soon enough.

She is an independent noble woman from the 14th century, has inherited her father's money and refuses to marry. She's quite full of herself.

She shows a strong aptitude for business and carries on the family trade of import export. She owns a fleet of ships that criss cross the oceans to exotic places returning with luxury goods.

She has a penchant for good wine, rich food and little dogs.

She absolutely refuses to mingle with the other girls saying that she's from a different time and place and has no interest in making friends with these lot. Her little dog's name is Fancy and he's her only friend.

Sheesh, now I gotta make a little dog.

Getting through winter. Playing and inventing. Thinking of how creative we human beings are to use our imaginations to soothe and console ourselves and how that gets us through times of stress.

I hope you are cozy and enjoying all the lights that are appearing on the streets in the northern hemisphere. Time for me to go back to the studio. Here's a link to a cool video that will give you goose bumps.