As a board member of the Dutch and Belgian Institute of Doll Artists DABIDA I am very proud to announce that Brian and Wendy Froud will be our special guests on the 3rd DABIDA Day in Essen (Belgium) on April 5th 2009. Brian and Wendy surely are a source of inspiration for almost everybody who is making fantasy dolls. Years ago I have met Brian and Wendy in Santa Fe, NM at the legendary Santa Fe Doll Art Shows
Brian looks like one of his own characters and also Wendy with her long waving red hair looked like one of her own faery creations. I am looking forward to meeting them again. They will make the 3rd DABIDA Day a very special one.
A couple of years ago we were in the U.K. for our family holidays and there I saw the typical landscape and the weird knotty trees. I could understand where Brian gets his inspiration. It is easy to believe there in faeries and goblins.
Book introducing DABIDA members: http://marlaineverhelst.com/bookdabida.htm
Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog! Take a second to peek around and check out some of my previous posts. Of course, I would love to find out what you think as well, so make sure to comment. See you around! More ...Author Archive for Marlaine Verhelst
Two new pieces
Just finished two new pieces:
Livestock: marlaineverhelst.com/livestock.htm
and
One horse, six fishes: marlaineverhelst.com/onehorse.htm
Paris Workshop 2008
My yearly workshop in France was a party again. From The Netherlands we had Ans, Erica, Ineke, Marie and Tosca. Ans and Erica were there for the 5th time. From Australia Sharon, from Belarus Kristina, from Canada Marla and from the USA Gayle and Leslie. Several family members were joining the workshop participants and had a great time in France as well. We had a colorful and inspiring group and the weather was good (and so was the French wine). We even had some Summer days. The results of the workshop are awesome:
Pictures 2008 workshop.
The next Paris Doll Holiday and Workshop will take place from October 24th – October 31st 2009.
Jurying again
Yesterday I started the jury process for the National Polymer Clay Guild
I am a juror for the section ‘Sculpture object’ in the yearly Progress and Possibilities challenge. I don’t work in polymer clays but I was asked to judge the work based on my own experience, background and knowledge. Although it is going to take a lot of time (over 100 entries) I enjoy it very much. The quality level is amazing and I see so many beautiful things that I feel like a child in a candy store. On the weaker pieces I try to give my honost but positive comments knowing how much love and efforts the artist has put in it. Having fun,
Marlaine
Together with my fellow DABIDA members Ankie Daanen, Yvonne Flipse, Nel Groothedde, Tine Kamerbeek, Ana Salvador and Gerda Schaarman from The Netherlands I am invited for an interesting project in Lithuania in the last weekend of June. Together with local Lithuanian doll artists and doll artists from other countries we will work together with Lithuanian celebrities (politicians, actors, writers, musicians, business people). The doll artists have to bring one of their pieces for an auction and one piece that is half done. The piece in progress will get finished working together with one of the celebrities. On the picture my half done piece. I tried to come up with something that could have input from a second ‘artist’ (the Lithuanian celebrity). We will have to paint and decorate the boxes and put something inside. The theme of the project is ‘Love’.
I hope to post a picture of the finished piece later. Fall 2008 there will be a big auction on Lithuanian television with all the dolls that were finished in Lithuania. The project is a charity event for children with cancer and will have a lot of publicity.
I am looking forward very much to the trip to Lithuania.
Marlaine
Las Vegas Class
‘What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas’ but better not my suitcase. It didn’t arrive when we came back from teaching our ‘Meet the Dutch Touch’ class. Fortunately I got already a phone call from Delta Airlines that my suitcase will be back home today.
We had a great time in Las Vegas. And our hostess June took us for a trip to Zion National Park the day before we left.
A few windy days but mostly beautiful weather and I won 25 cents in one of those machines. I just was disappointed that the money didn’t fall down but came as a ticket. Who wants a ticket?
On the picture the group of the Las Vegas doll class.
More pictures on: http://marlaineverhelst.com/lasvegas.htm
just playing around
This has nothing to do with making art dolls but from May 30th 2008 I will have another online class called ‘Totem Fun’. It’s just playing around and building some fun stuff (totems) with simple sculpting using air drying clay like Creative Paperclay.
More details: marlaineverhelst.com/announcement.pdf
It was so much fun making this class that I hardly could stop playing around with this subject to finish the class. If you select ‘online classes’ in the menu you will find the URL of the site where this class will be running.
Flax Paperclay
Finally I found the time to start working with the new clay that was waiting there for me: Flax Paperclay. It is a porcelain with fibers in it that has to be fired. I am having quite a hard time with this clay: it is sticky, hard to smooth and it gets porridge-like easily when I try use water for smoothening. If anyone has more experience with this clay, I would appreciate some advice.
Marlaine
DABIDA doll award
In 2006 DABIDA was founded: The Dutch and Belgian Institute of Doll Artists. I am an artist member and board member. On April 6th 2008 the second DABIDA day -with an exhibition and demonstrations- will take place. 
And everybody is invited for the 2009 DABIDA challenge. More info on www.dabida.eu (in the menu on the DABIDA site select Doll Award 2009). The English text you will find below the text in Dutch.
The closing date is February 1st 2009 so it will give you plenty of time to come up with something really special. If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
If you select ‘events’ in the menu you will find more info on the 20th anniversary of this puppet theatre festival in Southern France: Festival International de la Marionnette in Mirepoix (August 2008).
