Imaginary Friends: New Dolls

"A Green Tea Drinker"
by Jennifer Gould

You'll see most of my new dolls in this series in my just previous post about Synchronicity Art Gallery in Glen Arbor, Michigan.

One that especially made me laugh is "A Green Tea Drinker" on which I put a empty packet of green tea with a long label entitled "Evidence of a Tea Drinking Obsession."  I do love green tea and mint tea.  Also, the base fabric is a yellow mesh polyester knit that's sheer enough to have done rubbings from leaf plates.  Very bright green tea leaves sprout from her shoulder and above the tea bag.  She was lots of fun to do!

New Dolls at Synchronicity Gallery, Glen Arbor, Michigan

"Woman in Striped Halo"
by Jennifer Gould

"Woman in Striped Halo"
by Jennifer Gould

"Woman in 3D Flowers" by
Jennifer Gould

I sent off my newest group of 15 dolls to Synchronicity yesterday and look forward to them coming out of the box into the light, again.  I try to develop a new series each year for this gallery and, although I have used this design before, I've never used embroidery pieces on them.

I call this new series my Imaginary Friends because of the quirkiness of their individual characters.  When I find myself laughing as I make one or when it's finished, I know I've done a good job.  I often have people walk into my booth at shows and start laughing--- definitely a good sign!

"Purple Spotted Sister #1"
by Jennifer Gould

"Blue Faced Woman with
Yellow Legs" by
Jennifer Gould

"Pink Woman with Green Leaves"
by
Jennifer Gould

I decided to use a lot of my little hand embroideries in composition with their odd bodies.  The faces are all from a piece of Nuno Co. (Tokyo) sheer fabric I bought there in 2005 that has 20-30 different faces.

Synchronicity Gallery is in Glen Arbor, Michigan, (6671 Western Ave, Glen Arbor, MI 49636

(231) 334-4732) and open for it's summer run on Mother's Day, May 9 and is usually open until the end of October.  Glen Arbor is a lovely little resort town on Lake Michigan almost due west of Traverse City that has many wonderful galleries and stores for visitors.   Visit their website at www.synchronicityartgallery.com.

Woman with 3D Flowers by
Jennifer Gould

GROVE GALLERY, East Lansing, Michigan

Barefoot Sister with Fish

I'm in the process of becoming a member of Grove Gallery & Studios in East Lansing, Michigan.  This is a fabulous co-op gallery of many textile artists as well as ceramicists, printmakers, and so many more.  It's the only place, other than my booth shows, where I sell  my fabric.

Click here to visit my page on the Grove Gallery website and here for my photos of sample work from dolls to embroidery to handprinted fabric.

There will be a "New Member/Artist Exhibit" from June 25-August 7 and a Welcome Party and Opening Reception on June 25, Thurs., from 5:30-8pm.  Hope you can attend!

Barefoot Sister
in Kimono and Obi

Discharged arashi shibori (left) and printed
discharge squares and circles.