SUSAN'S . . . PLAYING AGAIN!

I went on a small trip for the past two days to visit a close friend,  Joel Sharp . He   and I played with dolls. Not the typical dress-up  with Barbies, but deconstructed old dolls to create little wonders of art.  I know many voiced last year from my Frayed Show , that you were  a bit creeped out by my little dolls, but I just love them! And I have  2 solo shows the latter part of the year, which will include dolls  with my pastels. So above are just 2 of my little ones  . . . still in a state of progress . . .  and below are 2 of Joel's little wonders.  Click on Joel's name above to see some more of his art & gallery!

FRAYED DECON + RECONSTRUCTED DOLLS & PASTELS  Just two days remaining and this is a show that must be seen!  The premise is there's a sliver of hope upon the horizon during catastrophic times, which I feel is quite apropos for today's times.   The work can be viewed at Ray Street Custom Framing + Gallery , 3807 Ray St, San Diego  from 11 AM to 6 PM.

PROTECTED HEART DOLL PARTS, FABRIC, WOOD + CLAY  PRIVATE COLLECTOR The exhibit, FRAYED can still be viewed at Ray Street Custom Framing + Gallery in San Diego till August 11th. Check out an eclectic assortment of dramatic pastels and decon / reconstructed doll art.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11AM to 6PM.  Please phone #619-255-2022 for additional information.

FLY... TO A BETTER DAY deconstruct / reconstructed doll porcelain doll parts, fabric, feathers, metal, tulle + boa $225 + $10 insured priority shipping A reminder that Ray-At-Night is this Saturday, the 10th in San Diego and there is still time to see my show, Frayed at Ray Street Custom Framing + Gallery from 6 to 9 pm. And the little baby dolls are still waiting for a new home. Or you can stroll, daze and loose yourself into the pastel skies. So much to see and so little time - see you there!

SUNSET OF FIRE 20"h x 16" w pastel $1,300 + $25 insured priority shipping Frayed, my collection of deconstructed / reconstructed dolls and pastels will still be on exhibit at Ray Street Custom Framing + Gallery during Ray-at-Night art walk on July 10th from 6 to 9 pm. Additional information can be obtained from Ray Street Custom Framing . Hope to see you there!

BARRIERS, PROTECTED HEART, HOLE IN MY HEART Okey, as you can see these are dolls and not girls. But not just ordinary dolls - oh no! There are deconstructed / reconstructed baby dolls. I started with used baby dolls which I dismembered (sorry everyone, but that's true). And these little girls were made by use of found slabs of wood, wire, a balsa box, tree bark, fabric, tail reflectors and rusted tin cans. Each is an unique piece of art that hangs on the wall. The three pictured are part of the collection in my exhibit Frayed, at San Diego's Ray Street Custom Framing + Gallery . The art can be viewed Tuesday through Saturdays from 11AM - 6PM. Additional information is provided on their site. Hope you stop bye for every doll needs love!

SHRINE + SCREAM fabric, hand-print, acrylic, wood + gold leaf SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR At times I play with my art and attempt to go outside of the box. Not only is it to push out of my comfort zone, yet find it is also an extended means for self-expression that I am unable to achieve with my pastels. The premise of Frayed is that there is a sliver of hope on the horizon during catastrophic times. I feel this is so true today with many experiencing rough times. Life seems bleak for many people are unemployed, loosing homes or facing medical traumas. How many times have you heard - It could be worse or Someone always has it worse than you - which I have found never did cheer me up one bit. So instead I sit and play. And I find building with my hands is very soothing. Shrine is a pencil and acrylic portrait embellished with gold leaf on tri-fold wooden panels. It is mounted on a raw slab of wood with a cross of 2 sticks wired together. Scream is a hand-made sheer dress, with a 2-...

2 + A HOLE 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel 8" square white archival matte, glass + gold leaf frame PRIVATE COLLECTOR It's been a long week getting everything together for the opening of Frayed , so decided I needed a sweet treat to chill out. Nothing like a frosted donut which is always so yummy! When I was young my Mother used to make homemade donuts, which is indescribable. At that time my sister and 3 brothers fought over the "holes", which were a perfect one-bite affair that always melted in our mouths. Those were the days!

BARRIERS mixed doll's body parts, wood, wire, pencil, tree bark, car reflectors $225 The opening on Saturday is rapidly approaching and think I've harnessed all those body parts on my dolls of art. A few people have commented they thought my dolls were scary. And someone said they would call it my therapy (Hi Kelley!). Know what? I just love playing with found materials and seeing what I can create. Almost like playing dress-up with dolls or building model airplanes, yet starting from scratch. And for the faint of heart, I'm also having a wonderful selection of my pastel sunsets. So please don't forget the show is at Ray Street Custom Framing & Gallery at 3807 Ray St, San Diego. Additional info can be obtained at http://raystreetcustomframing.com . Hope to see you there!

BABY DOLLS, THREAD, WOOD + WIRE The body parts are flying, so say good-bye as the pieces fly off to heaven. Truly believe I'm creating memorable pieces of art, so please forgive me for the masacre. Also included will be pastel sunsets of all sizes. All of this destruction is for my show, Frayed , opening June 10th at Ray Street Custom Framing + Gallery in San Diego. The reception is on Saturday, the 12th from 6 - 9PM in conjunction with Ray-at-Night.

BREWING 11"h x 14"w pastel The other day as I was listening to the radio while painting, overheard a commercial from an office supple store. Blew me away for they claimed clouds were scary. As you all might guess by now, I love clouds. After all if I didn't, I wouldn't be tripping over my feet all the time as I gaze upward while walking. (Sure could have saved me some skinned knees too!) Anyway, back to the clouds... they are as unique as people. A cloud could be skinny, wispy, chunky or puffy and range from white to black and every other color in between. No two are alike and are so fascinating. And they move quicker than you can spit! You really notice that when you try to paint them for they never sit still. So lately I have been plugging along creating art for my solo show, Frayed , opening June 10th at Ray Street Custom Framing and Gallery in San Diego. (This is where I will be also exhibiting the baby dolls, which I promise will show you at a later date.) The pr...

CLOAKED NIGHT multi-media - 7" doll / 8" cape - wall mount Above is one of my dollies for the upcoming show, Frayed . The doll's head and arms are mounted onto a block of wood with a sunset executed in oil pastels. She is adorned in a sheer cape embellished with miniature silver crystals and will be mounted on the wall.

DOWNFALL pastel- 11"h x 14"w SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR Believe it or not, I have been painting even with all  my racing around - hard to believe, but true. I usually work simultaneously on about 9 paintings mounted on a wall  easel, with different due dates for each. May be a delusion, but I feel  I do not overwork the pastels when I work on many. Much of my current focus is work for my solo June show, Frayed , to be held at Ray Street Custom Framing and Gallery . The work will be a collection of reconstructed baby dolls and pastels, with the premise that there is always a glimmer of hope on the horizon. This sunset Downfall, is one of the pastel pieces to be included. Hope you enjoy the view!