Noodling Ideas

Brainstorming, noodling, doodling, sketching, journaling (whatever you want to call it) is necessary if you want to be creative in your work. Over the past couple of days I've been doing just that. I always draw or sketch - sometimes it's just a quick note so I don't forget that "great idea" I had. Today for inspiration I used a magazine. Stampington and Company puts out some great selections. One of my favorites is Art Doll Quarterly. I don't collect dolls but have had a fascination with them since I was little. Now I look back at their ability to express the times we live in and I'm shocked at the social commentary or mimicry of society they portrayed.

Okay, maybe there IS a story here. When I was little my Grandmother thought I should appreciate Madame Alexander Dolls. Uh, I didn't but I had a bunch of them. They were probably better for us than what came along next....Barbie! I didn't have one for quite a while and that wasn't all bad. I still didn't want to play "dolls" but I did enjoy designing clothing for her - and GI Joe (I lived in a neighborhood full of auto workers/ and Warrant Officers). After that Cabbage Patch came along. Come to think about it there have been some interesting "milestones" in the history of dolls since I was a kid. Who can forget the stir that Chatty Cathy caused, babies that wet themselves (what a mess they were), and then babies that were anatomically correct. Firestorm!

I like the possible narratives that dolls can bring about. You can use a facial expression to convey all kinds of emotion that might otherwise be considered a taboo. Today I found my inspiration on the cover of Art Doll Quarterly. The Fall and Halloween season have come and those pumpkin dolls just trip my trigger. Hopefully what comes out of the kiln will be half as cool as that cover is.