Flying into the Light

Some of you might, or might not... remember a work in progress which I shared with you mid November of last year. It is called Into the Light. I had started to work on this Bird sculpture/artist Doll in 2010, as a response to a piece of writing I had been working on: "Shadows of an Invisible Octopus". Someday I might share the story with you..., in short, it is about growing up, my great grand mother, living with M.E., writing and birds....
Confused yet? :-)

Anyway the sculpture developed into it's own being over the months I worked on it. The making of the bird started in my old shed, which, at the time, tried to function as a studio. Then the new, proper, gorgeous studio The Garden Room was build and the first piece I worked on was Into the Light. But as other 'creatives' might experience as well, there is a time and place to work on a particular project. The conepuppets took over creative control in December, followed by the wood sculptures early in this year. After the recent prolonged relapse I slowly made my way back to my studio, and the piece that "screamed" for my attention was the bird and the half made doll. Suddenly I realised that even with half an hours work every few days, there was a possibility that I could actually finish this Artist Doll. What a lovely experience to have. For months nothing seems possible anymore, even the most mundane tasks took their toll on my energy and well being. Suddenly I could see an end to something, an accomplishment, I could 'fly out of the shadows and into the light again....' How appropriate a title I had given it months before I was to finish it.

Here she is:

If you like to read more about the references made in this post, please follow the links:
First introduction of Into the Light
The studio as it was 
Studio the Garden Room 
Conepuppets
Wood Sculptures See here  and here

ps... As always it is lovely to know that you stopped by to read my musing and follow my creative adventures. It would make my day if you leave a comment... 

if at all possible, please comment on this blog as I am not spending much time on facebook, due to limted time spend on computer.

 Many thanks & Lots of love Corina

I am of Ireland

One of my birthday gifts was ordered from the UK (Thanks John) from a company called "I am of Ireland". As it happens Emma, who runs this company lives not to far from me, and my gift, a gorgeous pair of my most comfortable woolly, Connemara socks (truly, find them on the site and buy yourself a pair) was delivered to my door. While Emma waited for me to come to the door, she spotted the second bell with the name "Studio - The Garden Room written underneath.
Emma googled me, and I received the most exciting email from her  "... I looked at your blog; your puppets and hand weaving 'Healing' are just beautiful, your books, website etc. and was immediately caught up in your world of imagination."
Since this time, my handmade book Flying on Little Wings, is now on her website. Please bring this exciting collection of Irish Arts and Crafts a visit.
Emma's story about the website starts with:
Nearly 20 years ago, as a young woman venturing through the Irish landscape in my Volkswagen van for the first time, my heart was captured by the various terrains and what emerged from them. Mountains loomed large and purple, grass fired out of the ground, giant ferns bowed at roadsides, the turquoise seas were simply breathtaking against the bright and rich greens of the coastal headlands. All the while the wind whistled in my ears, singing a history I had never heard.....
and finishes with: Much of the work you will find on this site are simple objects and can be seen in many of the homes across Ireland in everyday use. That is their proud charm - the functionality combined with a sensitivity of design - work that is hand-crafted, often one-off. Much of what is shown here make wonderful wedding, christening and anniversary presents or a unique and special gift gift to mark an occasion. Like so much craft, you can intuit and appreciate it so much better when the actual object is in your hand.

Having held all of these objects in mine, I endorse each of these makers completely as being justly able to say "I am of Ireland.

What more can I say.

ps... As always it is lovely to know that you stopped by to read my musing and follow my creative adventures. It would make my day if you leave a comment... 

preferably here, on the blog...Am not on FB right now.

Many thanks & Lots of love Corina

MEme

Ever heard of a Penguin, having it's own Blog... well, you have now!

A decade after I send my "Alter Ego" MEme (M.E. - me) into the world, I have finally found a way to bring her most entertaining and at times educational diaries to other readers. 

A blog! See MEme's Travel Blog

In 1998 I became ill with the chronic and debilitating illness M.E. (in the US called CFS). 

Within a very short space of time, I became more or less housebound.

Stuck in bed and wishing to visit my friends in their homes, I came up with the idea to send a 'representative' to them. First I thought to use one of my Artist Dolls, but these would be to big and to fragile to send by post. As I liked penguins at the time and had this cute little one, I settled to have her as my 'alter-ego'. (I did check with my friends if sending my alter-ego into the world would be a good thing to do, or had I truly lost my mind at this stage....)

Well the rest is history, as they say.

MEme started her travels on the 8-8-2001 and travelled for many years, (and has great plans for more adventures). On her blog I will share with you abstracts of pages written, and photographs taken, by very brave and creative friends and family.

Thank you all of you who participated. 

When the diaries landed in my house again, I truly felt that I DID go on a holiday and that I was looking at my holiday snapshots.

Hours of fun!

If you'd like to read the updates of her travels, please be sure to sign up as a follower on her MEme's very own Travel Blog

ps... As always it is lovely to know that you stopped by to read my musing and follow my creative adventures. It would make my day if you leave a comment... preferably here, on the blog... (am not on FB at present). 

Many thanks & Lots of love Corina

Inspiration

Been absent from cyberspace for a while... long story, maybe for another day. In short, health severely compromised. Anyway...

While resting on the outside bench a few weeks ago, I spotted this bee (or is it a hoover fly??)

tumbling on the pathway.

It couldn't fly.

On closer inspection, I realised that one of it's wings had broken off.

But this resourceful creature

decided it could still walk!

For the next twenty minutes or so, 

I watched it climb up the stems of flowers, until it reached it's desired object.

It made small jumps from leaf to leaf,

or climbed down if the distance to the next flower

 was too great to jump.

Resourcefulness.

A true inspiration.

ps... As always it is lovely to know that you stopped by to read my musing and follow my creative adventures. It would make my day if you leave a comment... preferably here, on the blog...? Many thanks & Lots of love Corina

Penelope's weaving

Weaving bug continues... And I must say that I am enjoying it more and more. Can't wait to start the next one!

"Healing" Tapestry © Corina Duyn '12
12 x 14 cm

"Healing" took me about 5 weeks to weave. The first part, the blanket, went fast enough, but then I just wasn't happy with the rest of it. I wove part of the background, the hair, and started the face. Felt that the blanket should be higher up on the left... the shoulder needed to be bigger, the hair, for which I had used rope was to ridged... 

So, I took all that out again. 

A brave step, as I was worried that I accidentally cut the warp threads, (the long ones on which you weave). I thought that at this rate, I never get to finish this tapestry as I was taking out more than I was adding!

My ever knowledgeable weaving teacher pointed out that Penolope took out her weaving every night so she could wait for her husband... As I had no idea who Penelop was, she enlightened me: "Penelope wife of Odiseus of the Greek Iliad Mythology. When Odiseous left for his travels another man came to the Island where Penelope lived. He said he would  marry her when her weaving was finished... (to make a long story short)... she unwove most of what she did during the day in that way advancing slowly. Odiseus came back and reclaimed his wife and land. The moral of the story being that unweaving bring good things: a better tapestry to begin with!

(For more about Penolope see here )





So I began to weave again, and changed the background. For the hair I tried about 4 different yarns, wool, doll's hair until I finally felt that it was right. Of course Penelope's story stayed on my mind. Wondering what goodness will come my way when I finally finished the tapestry. A lovely Princess?
:-)

ps... As always it is lovely to know that you stopped by to read my musing and follow my creative adventures. It would make my day if you leave a comment... preferably here, on the blog...? 

Many thanks &

 Lots of love Corina

Quintuplets

My latest "babies" 

Quintuplets in this case!

These 5 Conepuppets are so new that they don't even have names yet!

If you happen to fall in love with one of them, 

and would like to be it's "parent",

please email me and I will reserve her/him for you

(please mention the puppet's position in the group photo)

Three of these are going to Ardmore Pottery and Gallery in the next few days.

.... so be quick, if you'd like to have first choice!

You can also purchase the puppet here

Then again, maybe you'd just like to look at them here!

A family photoalbum!

For  their older sisters see: here

for a "life action", see here

ps... As always it is lovely to know that you stopped by to read my musing and follow my creative adventures. It would make my day if you leave a comment... preferably here, on the blog...? 

Many thanks & Lots of love Corina