I believe there are a couple of reasons why people show up in your life. One is to stay there for a lifetime to serve some sort of purpose, to teach you something and to help you figure out who you are, as in Eddy, my husband who constantly tries to teach me unconditional love. (Still trying!)
The other, is people who come into your life for a "REASON"....It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be.
The other, is people who come into your life for a "REASON"....It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be.
I got to spend a week with many of those special people at the IDTS show in Asheville.....
Each one had a special gift for me. Some brought experience, friendship, some laughter and some were there to teach me something I needed to learn. Whether it was a lesson in sculpting and/or a lesson in social skills which I am known to lack. (thanks Debbie Weimert) I am becoming a "social bug" with your guidance. One extraordinary group of beautiful people.
Now, as far as the show.....
...it started on Thursday with an awesome class taught by my dear new friend, CEO of the Professional Doll Makers Art Guild, Jack Johnston. I think this was Jack's last class as he is retiring. Going fishing at the beach full time! So sorry I did not get to meet him sooner.
While in the class my "helper" (husband) set up the table at the Guild's booth for me and I was so pleased at how well everything looked and how he set it up using the beautiful wood stand he had built earlier for me. I had my own table and took 11 of my dolls to the show. It was so gratifying to see people and collectors stop by my table and admire my dolls. Many of my well-known artist friends came to see them and shared their suggestions and praise.
I was at the show as part of the Professional Doll Makers Art Guild.
The PDMAG's new CEO is Cherie Fretto, my Mentor and very special friend. (It is mainly because of Cherie that I have advanced so much.) Jack has also chosen Apryl Jensen of Sculpt University and Making Fairies for President of his business, Art Dolls.com. I was a member of the Sculpt University for a while and learned so very much from April. I also own many of her online classes
My table at the Guild's Booth
During the show I met face to face with my very first teacher Deb Wood, President of International Art Doll Registry of which I am a member of. I took my first online class with her on December 2014. It was her Mermaid Class and it seemed like yesterday. Can you believe it has only been 2 years????
She came to my table and we talked for a bit, brought tears to my eyes, it was like she was looking right through me and reached out and touched my soul. How awesome!!
I met Adele Sciortino, such a lovely person. It is through her site Aforartisctic.com that I take many, many sculpting classes from different artists. My dear friend Lori Pratt was there to cheer and encourage me as usual. I met Lori last year at the show. Her and Natalie Ruiz, always taking the time to stop by and discuss my doll making progress. Kellie Beckett making me laugh and making me feel part of it all. And all the other new friends I acquired, too many to mention. You don't know how much I appreciate that.
For the past few months I had been working with Cherie on a Guild project and was familiar with the names of all it's members. I had the best time putting faces together with the names! The Guild has grown so much and I am so honored to be part of it. Here is a group picture of all the artists from the PDMAG who attended the show.
During the show I met a very special lady (Sharon Ann Wells) who really liked one of my dolls and on the last day her mother bought it for her. Sharon said my doll looked like Kat Von Dee. I have to admit I did not know who she was talking about and had to google it, LOL.....
Her mother (Brenda Gill Wells Hartsell) is my friend and fellow artist at the Guild.
She was so happy it made my heart sing. Such beautiful ladies!
The culmination of the Show was the Banquet on Saturday night. I had a lovely time sitting with people I really admire and whom I owe a world of gratitude to. For it is because of each one of them that I have surpassed my expectations of where I wanted to be as an artist by now. Jack Johnston, Cherie Fretto, Linda Ehrenfried (who I look up to and told me Don Quijote was it!) and Debbie Weimert. Each one for a very special reason.
It was during the Awards presentation that I found out I had won two very prestigious awards for My "Don Quijote" doll.
Professional Doll Makers Art Guild Gold Award 2016 and
2016 Industry's Choice Award of Excellence sponsored by Dolls Magazine
Many of the artists in the PDMAG won awards. It is such an honor to be among them.
Congratulations to all!
Congratulations to all!
Here I am with Jack, and the President and new CEO of the Guild, Cherie. Thanks guys for making my dreams come true!
