Indy Art Doll Makers

Sunday, May 4, 2025

May 2025 Newsletter

2025 Upcoming meetings

May 10 - Joint meeting with Doll Circle of Indianapolis

June 21 - Dot Llewelyn - Gourd dolls

July 19 - Katie - armatures

August 16 - Barb - face sculpting

September 20 - Andrea - making accessories

October 18 - Challenge Dolls and Show planning

November 15 - Annual Show and Sale

December 20 - Christmas Party

May Birthdays

Happy Birthday this May to Virginia! Have a great one!

Meeting Minutes

Present for the April meeting were Anita R., Ann C., Julie W., Jude, Leslie, Katie, Deb, and Julie G.

Show and Tell

Several members had attended the recent "Beast" class with Barbara Schoenoff and brought their completed beast head for show and tell. Deb completed hers and also brought a Barbara Willis book "Cloth Doll Artistry" with a section that fascinated her about using a paper doll head to make a two-dimensional cloth doll.

Deb's "Beast" head

Deb's Barbara Willis book

Two-Dimensional Cloth Doll pages

Katie also completed her "Beast" head and brought a stand she made to display the head.

Katie's "Beast" head and stand

Leslie has been cleaning out her stash of stuff and brought some books to give to members of the group.

One of Leslie's books

More of Leslie's books

Julie W. completed her "Beast" head

Julie W.'s "Beast" head

Jude was close to completing hers and brought it in with pins ready to finish.

Jude's semi-completed "Beast" head

Katie's "Beast" head

Deb's "Beast" head

The "Beastie" Boy buddies

Meeting Minutes

As our President was absent (off at John C. Campbell School) only a brief business meeting took place. Bookmarks were handed out with the upcoming events for publicity. Ann C. also had gotten the postcards with the 2024 In the Woods Challenge winner ("Faelwyn and Eldris" created by Katie) and passed those out.

The 2026 spring class may be Amy Felske teaching a Wise Woman or Goblin focusing on her technique for face sculpting. Confirmation and details will be worked out. Amy taught our dragon class in 2023 and our whole group loved that class.

Indy Art Doll Makers are having an exhibit in Greenfield at the Hancock County Arts Center with the IN Fiber group the month of May.

Visit Twenty North Gallery - 20A N State Street

Greenfield, IN 46140

2025 Open Gallery Hours

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 11 AM - 2 PM

Artist Reception, 2nd Fridays 6:30-8:30 PM

Program

Leslie presented our program on "Not exactly gesso". She shared a recipe for "Miracle Messy Mixture" which is a blend of equal parts Liquitex Acrylic Gel Medium and Liquitex Modeling Paste. She applied three coats sanding between each coat when dry. She did find that it was less expensive to purchase Acrylic Gesso which she felt worked very well. The doll body is then painted after the gesso has dried.

gesso products

One of Leslie's dolls created with gesso

Doll with head, arms and legs with gesso

close up of gesso doll painted

gesso legs and shoes each done with a different technique

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is a joint meeting with the Doll Circle of Indianapolis on May 10, 2025, 11:30-3:00, at the MCL Cafeteria 2370 W 86th St., Indianapolis, IN 46260. We will have lunch then share dolls club members have brought. This meeting is in place of our regular May meeting. We will NOT be meeting May 17.

Future Events

April 30-May31 - exhibit in Greenfield with IN-fiber group

May 10 - Joint meeting with Doll Circle of Indianapolis

October 18 - Challenge Dolls due (character from book, movie, or play)

November 15, 2025 - Annual Art Doll Show and Holiday Fair

Check list for May meeting

Nametag

Show and Tell

Lunch money

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Beast Class

The Beast Class

with
Barbara Schoenoff

Barbara was inspired from the story of "Beauty and the Beast" to create her interpretation of a prince with a beast head and shared how she did this with the Indy Art Doll Makers in a two-day workshop. The Beast makers had a fantastic weekend putting the head together. Final pictures of the creations will be in a future post.

Here are some pictures from the workshop.

Beast Makers at work

Show and Tell

Amy's Unicorn dragon

Amy's 'Belle"

Amy's "Sakura" dragon

Barbara's sweet doll

Virginia's dragon

Sue's dragon

Andrea's dragon

Jude's spirit doll

Sue's troll doll

Katie's Magnificent Moth

Katie and her Magnificent Moth

The Prince's face

Barbara has her own unique way of sculpting and drawing faces and showed us how she does it.

April 2025 Newsletter

2025 Upcoming meetings

April 19 - Leslie - "not exactly gesso"

May 10 - Joint meeting with Antique Doll Club

June 21 - Sue and Virginia - armor making

July 19 - Katie - armatures

August 16 - Barb - face sculpting

September 20 - Andrea - making accessories

October 18 - Challenge Dolls and Show planning

November 15 - Annual Show and Sale

December 20 - Christmas Party

April Birthdays

Katie, Sandy and Ann R. celebrate their birthdays this month. Happy Birthday to you all!

Meeting Minutes

Present for the March meeting were Mary, Julie G., Ann C., Jude, Andrea, Katie, Leslie, Julie W. Deb, and our new member Anita. We are so happy to have you join our group, Anita! Andrea was our nametag winner.

Show and Tell

Andrea shared a note from Dot of the former Guilded Lilies group in Ohio. Dot is now using gourds in creating figurative art and we are hoping to have her visit our group to show us what she is doing.

Dot's Gourd doll

Andrea brought a stump doll she had made in one of our classes several years ago using many techniques that Sandy had shown us.

Andrea's stump doll

Andrea had gone to the recent Bloomington quilt show and took a hand embroidery class. She brought a sample of what she had learned

Andrea's hand embroidery

Deb completed her Prince for the Beast class will Barbara Schoenoff. Great job, Deb!

Deb's Prince

Business

Details for our class with Barbara Schoenoff were discussed. Everyone is anxious to get started.

We will be having an exhibit with the IN Fiber group the month of May. Setup will be Tuesday April 29 and Wednesday April 30 from 1-4 at the Hancock County Arts Gallery, 20 N. State St. Greenfield, Indiana

Program

We did not have an actual program this meeting but did have a swap meet. Many members brought fur fabrics to exchange in anticipation of the Beast class

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is April 19, 2025, at the Irvington Branch Library at 10:00 a.m. Our meeting room is on the right upon entering the library.

10 South Audubon Road

Indianapolis, IN 46219

Leslie will be presenting a program on "not exactly gesso".

Future Events

April 12-13 - Barbara's Beast class

April 30-May31 - exhibit in Greenfield with IN-fiber group

May 10 - Joint meeting with Antique Doll Club

October 18 - Challenge Dolls due (character from book, movie, or play)

November 15, 2025 - Annual Art Doll Show and Holiday Fair

Check list for April meeting

Nametag

Show and Tell

Beast heads

Dolls to exhibit at the Greenfield event

Sunday, March 9, 2025

March 2025 Newsletter

2025 Upcoming meetings

March 15 - Swap meet

April 19 - Leslie - "not exactly gesso"

May 10 - Joint meeting with Antique Doll Club

June 21 - Sue and Virginia - armor making

July 19 - Katie - armatures

August 16 - Barb - face sculpting

September 20 - Andrea - making accessories

October 18 - Challenge Dolls and Show planning

November 15 - Annual Show and Sale

December 20 - Christmas Party

February Birthdays

Julie W. and Colleen celebrate their birthdays this month. Have a great day ladies!

Meeting Minutes

Present for the February meeting were Julie W., Ann R., Leslie, Mary, Katie, Jude, Joan, Andrea, Ann C., Deb , and Julie G. We were pleased to have Anita come as a guest.

Show and Tell

Deb completed the bunnies that had been given to her in pieces at the January meeting. She named them Carotena and Cabratoer. Great job, Deb!

Deb's Carotena

Deb's Cabratoer

Jude brought a little horse that she received from fellow doll maker Pat in the Illinois doll club. Very unique!

Jude's gift horse

Business

Ann C, our Publicity chairman, is looking into ways to promote our club. Andrea is checking on doing a display at the Central Library. In May we plan on a month-long display in Greenfield with the IN-fiber group. More info to come as details are worked out.

Our spring class with Barbara Schoenoff is coming up April 12-13. Participants have received their

patterns and instructions and some have gotten a good start on the Prince body.

Katie's Prince body

Katie's Prince with clothes started

Andrea's Prince with pants

Ann C.'s Prince's back side

Katie's Prince with a six pack

Thank you all for bringing your works in progress and tips on construction! It is an ispriation for the rest of us for sure!

In May we will meet with the Antique Doll Club for a luncheon and program. Members are encouraged to bring a show and tell doll. Andrea will give a history of Indy Art Doll Makers.

Program

February's program was Seating, Stands, and Staging our dolls. Several members brought dolls they made in the past to show how they had displayed them. So many unique ways. Thanks to all for sharing!