My first memories of learning started at age three and a half when I made my first doll dress. My Mother cut the pattern for me, showed me how to thread a needle and how to make a straight stitch first then a back stitch, after that I was on my way. I made a dress and wore it to school in the second grade. My Mother didn't allow me to use the sewing machine because she was afraid I would sew my finger. I took the opportunity to make the the dress while she was in the hospital having my brother, I was allowed to use the machine after that.
Most of my skills are self taught, In 1960 with 4 children under four and a half Years old, I started sewing, designing, pattern drafting, clothing construction and altering in my home studio. Later I had an alteration shop for a while in a clothing store as well. I taught
sewing and pattern making to teens and a few college students. I started making porcelain jewelry and dolls in the 1980's. I dearly wanted to paint doll
eyes so I took lessons from a ceramic teacher. The secret to paint the eyes is to use a tiny brush size 6000. You hold the brush straight up all the time you are working on the eyes. Paint only five to seven lashes on each eye lid. All the doll artists I have known paint their doll's eyes with their own eyebrow shape. I went to a department store to see how Royal Doulton figurine's eyes were painted. At that time all the eyes were painted using a medium Grey color China paint.
I am retired from the fashion business and have come full-circle in my design innovations by learning digital art. Now, I am digitally designing jewelry, jackets, skirts, dresses, jumpsuits, Shawls and decorator fabrics in a wide array of colors and prints. Some of the clothing items would never fit a real person but I have included them for the colors and shapes.
The cartoon type animals, birds, monsters and various other pictures like the elephant chairs, and the Garden settee etc. seem to just show up and when they do I am totally amazed and thrilled, these are my inspirations to keep on creating, I am never bored.
Need a Website? Very reasonable, http://www.1and1.com/?kwk=216736803
Mary Russell joined Fine Art America on December 11th, 2013.
