Inspiration

About the Author

Di McDonald

Di is well known in the doll world for her vibrant creations, her wonderful website and her support of other dollmakers. Check out her work click here

More about Di McDonald

One of the most asked questions of designers is "where do you get your insiration"?

I have just arrived home from another trip to USA. I was involved in a wonderful Mixed Media seminar held in Kentucky.

One of the best things about my trip was staying with my friend Annie Hesse. Annie is a mixed media figaturative artist, here website is www.anniedolls.com, I am sure you will love her work. Her house is full to the brim with amazing dolls and figures and art, now this is the way to inspiration.........just to be able to drink in the visuals is enought to "fill the well" and make you want to create.

Also staying with Annie was Pam Grose and Pearl Moon. Both are fantastic artists and what fun it was when we got a little time to play. Pam taught us how to make some wonderful jewellery pieces, which then inspired us to spend mega bucks at Michaels on beads. Pearls work is based on making textiles then applying them to figures or dolls. She uses nearly every tecjnique known to man in these textiles from free machine embroidery to crochet and knitting to painting and using expanding mediums etc etc. Her figures are very colourful and very visually exciting. Pams figures are quite gothic to look at.....her gifts include painting and 3 dimensional work...she has been using canvas's to create 3 dimensional figures on and they are truly incredible.

Inspiration also comes from seeing what students create in class. I love to encourage them to use their creativity and "go with the flow". This is when people really go outside the box and create what is in their hearts. I love to see the outcomes of classes like this. The students reach a little outside their comfort zones and come up with ideas and creations they never thought would be possible. This brings more confidence and then you have to really watch out to see what they can create!

What fun we had and now that I am home I must use all this inspiration to see what I can do.