In another life I (AKA Years ago) I made an old fashioned ceramic bed doll complete with historical costume and handpainted face. My cousin, Tammy and I lived like sisters most of our lives and she was living with me at the time. She watched as I cleaned and painted her. She helped me design her historical gown and underclothing. I went all out on this doll because I am a hound for details. Tammy fell in love with her. She was gorgeous and although I enjoyed the process tremendously, I never had an opportunity to do more.
That following Christmas, I packed the doll up carefully and shipped her off to my dads wife. Tammy was devistated. Although I did all the artistic work, she felt as though she helped give birth to a Victorian beauty and I had just taken away her parental rights. Not only had I given away our baby, I gave her to the mortal enemy who had never had a nice thing to say to or about either one of us. I promised that one day, I would make another and it would be hers to keep for the rest of her life. Alas, as I stated before, I never had an opportunity to do another. The shame of this violent act has haunted me for nearly 13 years and Tammy makes sure I remember to feel bad about it. Like I said, we are practically sisters.
Tammy has been watching the progress on this painting and she is falling in love with it. By all laws that unite us in sisterhood, I owe her this painting, so she hints every time I talk to her on the phone. The story of the doll has come up several times since I started this painting in an effort to spark the guilt I should be feeling. "Sometimes saying I'm sorry isn't enough Anna!" She likes to remind me.
She doesn't watch my blog, so I am fairly safe talking about it here. The learning experience remains the same no matter what wall it ends up on. I am picking through this blog, in particular his post on Glazing. His article on Renaissance layering seems very informative as well. Since my back layers are dry to the touch, I am hoping to put on that first thin layer of color. In the meantime I will ask anyone that reads this.. What do you think? Should I give this to Tammy? Or should I just let her squirm?
2 Comments