“Thoroughly enjoyable....Encompasses carving essentials, tools, techniques, designs and projects—more than 20—all brought to life with colorful, close-up photographs....A comprehensive, full-featured resource on the art of carving rubber stamps...destined to be a cornerstone in many a stamper’s library.”—RubberStampMadness.
I've come back to my art very late in life, and I'm determined not to waste another minute.
My current art studio is a renovated antique post-and-beam barn attached to our home. Out of every window I see a beautiful view of the New England small-town-neighborhood I live in--lilac bushes, pine trees, sugar maple trees, a small mountain up the street.
In my studio are bookshelves filled with books and magazines on art, craft, the business of art, and anything else that catches my interest.
I have a jewelry-making area where I store my bead collection (including antique African trade beads, vintage glass beads from Europe, China, Inda and Japan, beads in every color of the rainbow. Directly behind that is my sewing area, where I create art quilts inspired by prehistoric cave art. I have drawers full of vintage buttons. Around the corner, there's a small table where I carve stamps and do paper arts--cards, altered books and mail art. Here are small organizers with drawers full of old postage stamps, bits of paper, rubber stamps and pads, colored pencils and an old typewriter.
Across the room is a long table where I make my polymer clay artifacts. These look like real prehistoric artifacts made of fossil bone and ivory. I use these to embellish my wall hangings, and also use them to make jewelry and small sculpture.
Along one wall is my extensive fabric collection, a color wheel in fiber! I use vintage tablecloths, antique paisley shawls, recycled clothing, and fabrics from India, Africa, South America and China to make my wall hangings. I use linen, cotton, wool, rayon and silk, with the occasional "mystery fiber" thrown in.
Much of my art started with making toys and clothing for my children, and I have many playful things in my studio--a collection of Chinese "doll" pincushions, ethnic dolls, school maps, small colorful wooden toys and animal figures, dishes full of pretty rocks, marbles and sea shells.
My two rabbits are always underfoot, either sleeping nearby or tugging on my shoelaces, begging me to play.
In addition to carving stamps, sewing wall hangings and making jewelry, I also write. I write a regular column for Crafts Business Magazine. I also blog several times a week about the business of craft and my life as an artist.
