Joy Spirit Worshippers!

Spirituality is such an inspiration for this series of Art Soul dolls I am creating called the "Spirit Worshippers". They are art healing dolls inspired from Camilla La Mer's Art Soul Doll workshop I attended in Denver, CO last year (see The Journey: Dolls for A Soulful Purpose for more details).

Because of what is happening all over the world, Haiti, the economic crisis in the US, the frustration of the snow in the Maryland, DC and Virginia area, I created this doll series to speak to comfort within ourselves. These dolls are designed to bring joy in times of sorrow, love when there is hate. Each doll calls on whatever spirit you believe in or that brings you joy. Hands are raised to worship and harness the spiritual energy to keep us moving.

I am trying to decide whether or not put clay faces on them. They are a work in progress. Let me know what you think?

East of the River Newspaper Endorses Sankofa Dolls as Great Holiday Gifts

Sankofa Doll Artistry is mentioned for a second year in a row in Washington DC's December 2009 issue of the East of the River Paper.

Sankofa Studio is listed under "Shop Local: Holiday Ideas for the Season" Check it out.

Thank you East of the River for the wonderful mention!

Highlights from ARTPARK in Columbia, MD!

I had a lovely time in Columbia, Maryland at this years' ARTPARK. We had a lovely booth and met very nice people. I may do it again! I am totally exhausted...

Next Exhibition: City of Fremont California Doll Show

I have been selected to participate in the 2009 Exhibit titled “Olive
Hyde Art Gallery, The Doll Show”. This is a show highlighting local, regional and national artists who hand craft original dolls. Work ranges from the traditional to the contemporary.

This exhibit runs from May 1, 2009 through May 30, 2009. I will feature several past works and new work at the gallery during the show.

The Olive Hyde Gallery is the only public fine arts gallery in the east San Francisco Bay Area between Hayward and San Jose. The gallery is a scenic historical redwood building surrounded by a beautiful garden and art center. The gallery has about 1,000 square feet and 200 running wall feet of exhibit space. There are three gallery rooms and they typically show the work of two or three, within a related theme, at one time. The goal of the gallery is to support and bring the work of local and contemporary Bay Area emerging artists to the Fremont community.

The gallery is located in the Fremont foothills, directly across from the historic Mission San Jose and one block away from the Gary Soren Smith Center for Fine and Performing Arts at Ohlone College.

For more information about the show contact:

OLIVE HYDE ART GALLERY
123 Washington Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94539
Hours: Thursday through Sunday, 12 p.m.to 5 p.m. (during exhibition run.)

Gallery Arts Administration contact:
Recreation Supervisor II
Irene Jordahl 510-494-4228
ijordahl@ci.fremont.ca.us

LAST WEEK FOR EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED EXHIBIT!

The Expect The UnExpected Exhibition is currently on display from January 19, 2009 - March 20, 2009 at The Gallery @ Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20010. Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. ID is required.

Please stop by to see the Sankofa Mixed Media dolls on canvas being displayed there before March 20th!

SAVE THE DATE: Columbia Festival of the Arts- June 13-14, 2009

Sankofa Doll Artistry is thrilled to have been accepted in the Columbia, Maryland Festival of the Arts, ArtPark LakeFest 2009!

ArtPark is part of LakeFest, a three-day celebration of the arts which is free to the public and is scheduled for Friday, June 12th, 5 – 11 p.m., Saturday, June 13th, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. and Sunday, June 14th, Noon – 7 p.m.

We will participate in the ArtPark covered garage at 10200 Wincopin Circle, which will be open to the public during LakeFest on Saturday, June 13th & Sunday, June 14th, 2009 from Noon – 7 p.m. both days.

More information to come!

Join Sankofa Doll Artistry on Friday, February 6th As We Celebrate Go RED Day: Awareness of Women and Heart Disease

On Friday, February 6, 2009, I will join millions of women by wearing my red on Go RED DAY, the American Heart Association's campaign to bring awareness of women and heart disease. I am honored to do this for my ancestors and women all over the world who are fighting one of the top killers of women, heart disease.

Won't you join me? To find out more about the campaign and how you can get involved, click here.

New Work

Above are some mixed media art pieces that I have been working on in the past few weeks. These have been recently submitted to a gallery for an opening. More on that later.

Hello/Goodbye -My New Year's Day- 2009- No Drama!

Peaceful Greetings- today I spent quiet and retreating in my "doll room studio" creating for the upcoming exhibitions and events. Reflecting on the last year and making solutions not resolutions for the coming year.

I am welcoming saying Hello to 2009 with much anticipation of dreams to be fulfilled. I am so thankful today to be able to work in quiet solitude in a safe and happy environment free from drama. As you see I am working on a few creations.

Here is to Hello 2009 and Good bye 2008!

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Double Visions Reception A Success!

Friday, December 5th at Space 7:10 of Kefa Cafe in Silver Spring, MD, was filled with much pomp and circumstance! The Double Visions Exhibition reception featuring myself and my twin sister Sharon J. Burton of Gemini Visions Studio was highly successful. I debuted the "Sassy Girls" collection along with the mixed media dolls on canvas during the exhibition. Bassey Ikpi, renowned Def Poetry Jam Poet, performed several selections and was super fantastic! The crowd, including members of the Prince George's Artist's Association (PGAA) was enthusiastically warm during a somewhat chilly December evening. Both Sharon and I provided an artist talk which featured our inspirations for the work shown.

All in all it was a wonderful evening and I would personally like to thank ALL of those who showed up and participated.

If you have not had a chance to stop by Space 7:10 at Kefa Cafe to see the exhibition, it is not too late. Our work will be shown there through January 3, 2009. The cafe is located at 963 Bonifant Street in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland.

Interviewed for "Not Just Rag Dolls" in November/December 2008 issue of Doll Castle News

Debbie Behan Garrett interviewed me for an article that has been published in the latest issue of Doll Castle News entitled "Not Just Rag Dolls". I along with several other African American dollmakers was interviewed regarding my passion for cloth doll making, process and advice for beginning doll makers. Because I am a beginning doll maker myself, I felt honored to be included as one of the doll makers interviewed. The other doll makers interviewed include: Lornal Paris, Brook Scott and Vista Scott. A photo of one of my dolls "Changing Woman" was also included in the article. Pick up a copy and check out the pages 20-21 and 44 for the full article.

Obama and Family Paper Dolls!

Dover Publications has created the Barack Obama Paper Doll collection which not only features the Senator but his wife Michelle Obama and their two beautiful daughters.

The clothes designed for the dolls are authentically displayed as the actual clothes worn by the family during the campaign.

What I found intriguing was included in the set is a "Election Night Scoreboard" which the user can score per state the number of electoral votes being cast for either Obama or McCain. How nifty.

This Collectible Campaign Edition Paper Doll Set is available from Dover Publications for only $7.99. Click here http://store.doverpublications.com/0486469786.html to order!

Doll Photos Published in Soft Dolls And Animals Magazine

Greetings folks! I recently submitted photos of some of my dolls for the Call for Dolls of Color for the November 2008 edition of Soft Dolls and Animals Magazine. The magazine shows beautiful dolls of different nationalities. I submitted three photos of my dolls and they all were accepted! Check out pages 44-45 of the publication to see the photos of the dolls that I submitted.

The Three Divas: Mixed Media Art Dolls

I decided to try out a little mixed media craft with my doll art. These mixed media dolls were submitted to a gallery for a possible exhibition entry. I call these ladies the Three Divas because, well they are little Divas! Aren't they cute? I love the little outfits and the abstraction quality about them. These come individually or as a set.

My Latest Doll Creation!

This is the first doll I have done in a long time that I actually placed a face on it. I am a bit insecure when it comes to faces, but because this was a commissioned doll and I felt the client would prefer to have a face, I decided to do one. My husband actually liked the face. He prefers my dolls be faceless but I took a risk on this one. The doll is called "Wanda" for a particular reason. It was named by my husband who has reasons for everything!

Sewall-Belmont Art Exhibition Reception, June 18th!

On Wedndesday, June 18th, the official reception took place for the Project 3: Empoerwered by Empowered Artistry which is an exhibition of a collaboration of arts organizations dedicated to social justice issues, making a difference, both locally and globally, through individual creativity and the fine arts. The venue, The Sewall-Belmont House and Museum is located in the heart of Capitol Hill in Washington, DC next to the Hart Denate Office Building. The exhibit features work from me which is a stamped doll that has been framed in a shadow box called Feminine Mystique.

Feminine Mystique
Artist Statement

This doll was created based upon the then controversial 1963 book of the same title by Betty Friedan which attacked the popular notion that women of that time could only find fulfillment through childbearing and homemaking.

The book argues that women are victims of a false belief system that requires them to find identity and meaning in their lives through their husbands and children. Such a system causes women to completely lose their identity in that of their family. I believe in many cases women today still fall victim by society to have a husband and children in order to be considered completely feminine.

This stamped doll describes the emotions and feelings of women today in relation to the various roles they play as business owner, wife, mother, daughter, sister, etc. It’s not easy to be all and still be yourself.

The doll is handmade- Pima Cloth doll, Dyed and stamped in Shadow box frame. If you are in the Washington, DC area, I invite you to stop by to see this striking piece of art.

My Newest Doll Creations

Hey all, I am showing off the latest creations from Sankofa Doll Artistry. All of these dolls are spoken for. But I am excited about all of them. These photos are a testiment of the true nature and spirit of the dolls. I am proud of the growth that I am moving towards. Now I have to create more. What will the themes be? How much time I am going to spend on the next editions? Who knows but I have several shows coming up in the fall so I need to get crackin!

Sankofa Dolls Represented by Echo Gallery

Echo Gallery in Washington,DC is representing Sankofa Doll Artistry for the first time. Two of my dolls in the photos above are being sold through the gallery.
This is an exciting time for Sankofa Doll Artistry!

About Echo Gallery:

Looking for eye-popping, contemporary, multicultural art, with a concentration on Afro-centric motifs? Look no further than Echo Gallery, located near B. Smith's restaurant in Union Station in the heart of downtown Washington, DC.

Whether it is local talents or craftspeople you are looking for, Echo Gallery has it all. Leather works from Niger, batiks from Kenya, figurines from Jamaica, and jewelry from India, and that is just the tip of the mountain. Their myriad of collectibles and unmatched "one of a kind" innovations appeal to novices as well as experts in the art discipline. So, regardless of whether you want to peruse their works of art, or are interested in expanding your cultural horizons, Echo Gallery is the place to go!

We are so pleased that the Gallery is interested in our work and we will continue to supply them with the best in our doll artistry! Please support us through Echo Gallery!

For more information contact:
ECHO GALLERY
Union Station - East Hall
P.O. Box GE168
Washington, DC 20002
WWW.ECHOGALLERY.COM

SALES:
Tel. (800)950-3932
Tel. (202)842-8400
Fax (301)459-1811

Designers Crafters & Artists for Obama!

Please check out and join Black Designers Crafters and Artists for Obama<https://mail.otherpeoplespixels.com/?timestamp=1206539019&md5=rDC64Ym9Vj9roIOVUArWxw%3D%3D&redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fmy.barackobama.com%2Fpage%2Foutreach%2Fview%2Fmaingroup%2FBlackDesignersCraftersandArtistsforObama> at Obama's website. The group is looking for a photo of an original item created by a African American designer, crafter or artist for the groups' page to replace the one currently there. This group is open to all types of creative African Americans from clothing designers to web designers, creators of toys and games to architects, visual artists to performing artists etc., who support Obama and believe we can do so in creative and practical ways. Here is the link to join the group.<http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/BlackDesignersCraftersandArtistsfo/rObama> YES WE CAN!