Gufobardo interview

Gufobardo is the name of my shop ,"gufo"(owl) as a symbol of longevity and wisdom,"bardo" (bard) coming from the longbards,people that crossed the regions of my origins, Friuli and Puglia.My passion is the unwelded weaving of copper and silver thread (and silver wet with gold),and the use of semi-precious stones....
Go to read the interview...
Thanks Etsyitaliateam!

The emotional Art of Hannie Sarris

Questions in This Interview presented by italian correspondent, Stefania Morgante (Summer Issue 2008)

How did you get started in Art?

I was a very creative child, I loved to paint, sculpt and make drawings.

At that time already I knew this was the thing I wanted to do for the rest of my life. But I wanted to become a paintin artist. Dollmaking came by surprise!

What artists/themes inspire you?

I love the dreamy fairy atmosphere. From my childhood on I am inspired by the work of Sulamith Wulfing, her work evokes the feelings of strangeness and innocence.

What is a doll for you?

First of all making is what I have chosen as a medium for myself to work in as an artist. I could have chosen another way of expressing, but making a doll is what I love. It is emotional art. It is beyond the 'figure' as it gives me the opportunity to add materials as I like. Dollmaking is the metamorphose of an idea into a doll with the assistance of any material you like. It is not tied to a concept, it mean freedom.

A doll is also like a journey for me. I have an idea in my head and the clay in my hands. This idea is more feeling than a clear image, and during my travel I often change direction. For me making a complete working plan for a doll is not the right way to work. I do have an idea but it is still lur, during the sculpting I slowly 'remember' what I really want.

Do you have a favorite technique?

I love to work with air dry clay, and I am experimenting all the time with techniques. I love to change techniques and to keep searching for new ways. Dollmaking is an artist's choice of materials and one idea. It is one of the opportunities that an artist has to transform fantasy into a visible form-for a gallery, a doll shop, or on the internet shop, or doll classes.

What is the situation in Europe from your experience?

In the eighties and nineties dollmaking was a very popular hobby in my country, many people were making dolls for a hobby and many were attending doll shows to show their works. Dollmaking was a hype. This gradually changed during the years. The hype is gone. The ones that recontinued, explored their art and for them it developed into much more than just a hobby. They can call thmeselves Doll Artists.

Do you think is there a good business in Europe on dollmaking?

I do believe there is good business in dollmaking, expecially if you combine it with for example a gallery or a doll shop, and internet shop or doll classes. To have an income of only making and selling dolls, in my opinion, is hard to do. Maybe if you work for a doll factory as a doll designer, it is possible.

..the rest of the interview into the CDAA Newsletter, thank you Hannie!

CDAA website:www.dollartists.ca

Hannie Sarris: www.hanniesarris.nl

Sulamith Wulfing: http://wulfing.artpassions.net/

A European view View on Dolls and Doll-making

Stefania Morgante in conversation with Ankie Daanen and Marlaine Verhelst (interview from the CDAA Newsletter, March 2008).

We understand that dollmaking is not generally known in Europe as Art. And yet, within the new Dutch and Belgium Institute of Doll Artists Association there is an enormous amount of talent in just those two small countries.

S.M. Do you see it this way from your experience?
M.V. There are not many new young doll artists. Dollmaking around the world seems to get most interest from middle-aged women.
A.D. Good thing that when there is a great show such ad the Art Doll Show in Sevres, near Paris (2006) and the Dutch and Belgian Institute of Doll Artists (DABIDA-2007) there is a lot of interest from the public.

S.M. What is a doll for you?
M.V. Because a doll is a reflection of a human being, a good doll should be able to touch your soul. And what I try to achieve is to bring a smile with my dolls and to tell a little story.
A.D. I work hard in trying to create a dream world... to create pieces that people enjoy looking at and pieces they want to have as their own.

S.M. Why dolls? How did this passion develop?
M.V. I like it that so many techniques are involved:sculpting, painting, sewing, embellishing, and of course collecting materials. I love collecting stuff and visiting stores and flea markets. On top of everything It's so much fun. Dollmaking also allows me to travel and meet people all over the world.
A.D. Even as a child I was always searching for an outlet to express my artistic abilities, and much of childhood I spent seated beside my mother's sewing machine waiting for leftover scraps of fabric. My mother made children's clothes, and I copied her on the floor creating ballroom dresses for my Barbie dolls.
My dream was to follow a professional artistic career ad a ballet dancer, opera singer or designer. But when the time came to choose a profession, my parents did not share the opinion of going to an art school, as at that time they thought it did not garantee a living. Instead, I went to an educational academy and became a teacher.

After 5 years of teaching, I began searching for an avenue in which to direct my creative energy, and my love for music made me go to the conservatory to study musc. I became a music teacher. About this time I visited an exhibition of doll makers and it was overwhelming! I went back three times. It was at that point that I was sure my mission was to become a dollmaker and so I did! That was 20 years ago.

I started taking a few classes from well-know dollmakers, but soon I began to teach myself. I did not want to copy dolls from others. I wanted to have my own style. In every new collection of my dolls I try to grow.

Approximately 5 years ago, after 15 years of sculpting dolls from stoneclay, I started to work with porcelain. I love the charm of the smooth skin you get from porcelain and, of course, the longer life cycle of the doll. After a while you develop your own techniques and processes. After finishing the basic model I create the molds, and after the doll comes out of the mold, I sculpt the doll again. This multi-layered process means that every doll I create has something unique.
My grea love for fabric, laces and trims and all my inspiration, imagination and fantasy, which is always available, goes into costuming the doll.

S.M. Do you remember how and when your passion for dollmaking transformed into a career?
M.V. It is soooo long ago. I think ir started when a fried opened a little shop with handmade gifts. Two friends of the owner of this shop had little galleries. One step leads another. I had the advantage that tere was nobody in Holland making dols at that time.
A.D. I sold my first doll at age 10. I pulled a balloon over a play ball and glued a face on it... and from wire I made a body and dressed it. I could sell two dolls for 1 Euro each. For a 10 year old, a lot of money in those days! When my father and I had put the dolls in the trunk of the car we went to bring the dolls. BUT, it was over 30 degrees and when we got out of the car to get the dolls out of the trunk to deliver them... the balloons were melted!!! I now have galleries and collectors around the world. I am a happy dollmaker!

S.M. Tell us about the 'Dutch Touch' Theatre workshop
M.V. Ankie and I have already started preparations for this workshop, covering stryro-foam eggs with Darwi clay as base for the heads, cutting and sewing the basic doll costumes and designing the wooden parts for the theatres that a carpenter will make. The materials will be shippend to Canada in advance.
The workshop is for all the levels. For Ankie and me It is the first time that we will be teaching together in Canada. I was teaching before in Ottawa a couple of years ago. We are looking forward to meeting old friends and to make new friends.
A.D. Together with my collegue Marlaine, we teach two or three times a year an International class.The Master class goes by the name: 'The Dutch Touch' and is designed to teach international students some of the creative and unconventional techniques that Dutch dollmakers are renowned for. The classes are taught in, an outside the Netherlands. For the next year Salt Lake city and Tucson in the USA are on the list.
For the moment I'm working to fulfil one of my dreams. My husband and I have built a new house in Spain, with an atelier and a guesthouse. It's situated near the sea, in a beautiful wine-valley.
There I like to teach dollmaking during the beautiful season periods, as Spring and the early Summertime. The students learn how to make dolls, in combination with the good things Spain has to offer. But that's next year.

S.M. Is business good for dollmakers in Europe?
M.V. The market for doll art is not very good in Europe nowadays.
A.D. It's so nice to get inspired by doll artists all over the world.


S.M. What advice for developing artists?
M.V. Practise, practise, practise.
Try to learn as much as you can from doll artists you admire by looking at their work, buying their books, CD, videos, or taking lessons. It will be important at some point to find a personal and unique style. Start a cuttings map for inspiration with pictures from facial and body parts, hair style and make up, facial expressions, colour combinations, poses, fashion styles etc.
A.D. Practise and develop your own style!


Marlaine Verhelst http://marlaineverhelst.com/
Ankie Daanen http://www.ankie-doll-art.com/

On doll making in Europe:innovative papier-maché artist

This is an interview made by me for the CDAA Newsletter. I'm the reporter from Europe on dollmaking.

The papier-maché artist is Nives Cicin-Sain. She lives in Split, Croatia.

Listen our voices...

What is The Doll for you?
-N. For me as sculptress who is interested in human
form and figurative art is just one more way
to express myself

What do you think about European
dollmaking?
-N. There are many different styles and materials
that dollmakers are working in, so I cannot have
opinion in general. I prefer doll as artistic object
and I can say that there are much artisan (craft)
dolls than really make art dolls. In ethnological
museums you can find some art dolls

Do you think the American dollmaking
is different from the European dollmaking?
And if so, why?
-N. I know only the best dollmaking artists work
and all of them (who I admire) are the NIADA
(National Institute of American Doll Artists)
members. For me art piece has not nationality,
and the best is if the art piece isn’t traditional

What is the situation in Europe from your
experience?
-N. I’m a freelance artist and I don’t belong to any
society or group, so I’m not following situation
enough. My experience is expressed in first answer,
I look for original and new art expression
in dollmaking

Tell me about Croatia and the Croatian
Arts
-N. My country is very small, 4 million inhabitants
only and a lot of talented people for sport,
and art too. Region where I live is Dalmatia, the
town is Split near the sea area and it is 1700
years old. It was built on Diocletian (Roman
Emperor) Palate and it’s today a Zero Monument
of culture under Unesco protection. We
have many artists in my region, a good middle
Art School and Academy too. We have Art
Academies in all big cities

Do you know other Croatian dollmakers?
Tell me in your language - ‘dollmaker’
-N. Only dollmakers (Lutkari) that I know are
employs from puppet theatres. In my country
doesn’t exist doll scene

Tell me about your projects: when you
create...what is your procedure?...
you think...you draw...? and the inspiration?
a book...a discussion..a color...tell me the
way of your creativity
-N. I work everyday and sometime it’s a project
or topic for international doll exhibition or
something that I have to express because idea
was mature enough to be born...anyway I work
everyday, whole day, as possible. I have a
very good condition to work at home. I haven’t
childrens and my partner is also dedicated
to his work. He understand my commitment
and support my need to create. I am inspired
with life and communications with people, from
good movie or book, and also from travelling in
other countries and meeting new people

Do you think there is good business in
Europe on dollmaking?
-N. Some of them are selling very good and
people like to collect sweet realistically made
porcelain dolls

In Italy, the dollmaking is a ‘work for
childrens’...or we have thousands of porcelain
dolls - NOT an expression of ART, like
sculpture...and in Croatia?
-N. We do not have doll scene here at all. No
competitions of any kind. I saw it for the first
time in Germany and start exhibiting there at
Doll Art Exhibitions

In your Country is there any tradition on
dollmaking?
-N. There is a tradition of dollmaking in folklore
costumes - it is something that tourists like to
buy as souvenir

Your customers...are they Internationals?
-N. My customers are from all over the world.
My art is not hard to understand...children
love and understand it as well as adults

Do you know European Dollmakers?
-N. Yes, I met many at exhibitions in Austria and
Germany

You exhibit at Art Galleries?
-N. I have my solo exhibitions in Art Galleries
and museums only

Tell me about exhibitions
-N. For the first time I exhibited dolls at International
Doll Exhibition -1987 Munich, Germany,
Bayerische Kunstgewerbeverein. Almost every
year I am exhibiting at International Art Doll
Exhibition in Neustadt by Coburg, Germany in
Museum of German Toy Industry. Few times at
Austria Zeltweg Castle Farrach at International
Doll Art Exhibition

Who is Nives?
-N. She is somebody who is trying to give some
love and cheer up people with my art because
there is a lot of sadness and problems all
around us and she is someone who is never
satisfied with achieved

The world IS competition. You are a rare
flower! No envy, no groups...interesting...
have you in your mind a preferred artist?
-N. I don’t have a preferred artist. In history of
art, I have so many teachers and artists I admire
and I can learn from. When I saw Van
Gogh in Amsterdam I was overwhelmed with
energy emitted from his art. It was twenty-three
years ago and I still remember that feeling.
Two years ago in Paris, Louvre, I saw original
art by different artists which left footprints in my
soul and I’m grateful to God that I could see it.
Also I can learn and get inspired by beauty of
the flowers or my neighbors lovely dog

Not influenced by Italy? Italy is so near
Croatia. Have you travelled in Italy?
-N. Italy is ‘meravigliosa’...I love Italy, Italian
art and design, music and food. I saw Venezia,
Milano and I spent two months in 1991 in
Trieste doing masks, costumes, stage design
and artistic props for ‘teatro de mati’. I even
learned Italian!

Is it your dream to be a NIADA member?
Would being a NIADA member change your
life?
-N. I’m not dreaming to be member of any society.
As freelance artist I prefer freedom. For
me, art is not a competition and I don’t compare
myself with anybody. Each artist must
have his/her own world

If you are part of clubs, mailings, forums,
associations - you lose freedom?
-N. I simply don’t like to have any labels or
trademark flags to protect me. I simply feel
citizen of the world and in art too, no boundaries
and no rules to follow.
I visited the USA for the first time and it was a
precious experience to promote my book and
to make a workshop. I was to my nephew’s
graduation. He now has a degree of Art from
Charlottesville University of Virginia. I visited
almost all museums in DC Washington - thanks
God! I also saw Baltimore and Alexandria

How important is your computer?
-N. Computer for me is a contact with the world.
I’m not into mailings. I don’t write at forums because
I cannot spend hours trying to explain in
English (which isn’t my language) things which
I can teach in person in one minute. That is
why I wrote a book. Everybody who is really
interested, can learn all my methods of work.
Also, who really wants to learn from me can
come at my home or organize workshops in
his/her country and I shall go there

...why dolls and not pottery or jewels?
-N. My interest is wide. I am making sculptures
and jewelry too, and illustrating books and
making art photography. I prefer papier-mâché
technique because of her endless possibility

What in the future?
-N. In 2008 I plan a solo exhibition and I will
write a new text book together with a professor.
This is a text book on papier mâché for
school and Art Academy. In two months there
is a workshop in England and Israel


I invite your opinions
regarding my interview.
Stefania Morgante

the site of Nives is:
http://www.nivescicinsain.com