Sharon Mitchell: Dolls With 'Attitude'

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Sharon Mitchell: Dolls With 'Attitude'

Sharon Mitchell, cloth doll artist, pattern designer and tutor, specializing in needle-sculpting.

As a cloth doll artist, pattern designer and tutor, I have a three pronged approach that reflects my interest in creating expressions of attitudes in the figures I make. Drawing inspiration from music, story, productions, facial expressions and color, I apply my knowledge of anatomy, sewing and needlework, pattern drafting, writing, drawing and painting. This is accompanied by an understanding of

the technical aspects involved in producing, and the ability to pass on what I know effectively. I aim to evoke a sense of delight, and appreciation of how fabric can be manipulated to represent something in miniature form that ignites a connection to something experienced by the viewer. Blog: http://sfmclothdollswithattitude.blogspot.co.nz
page:https://www.facebook.com/sfmclothdollsnz/?ref=bookmarks
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/441906322845542/
CRAFTED Artisans Gallery : http://craftedoamaru.nz/
Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/nz/shop/SFMClothDollPatterns?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

07/07/2025

I have just completed this Mini Me of Wendy, for her surprise from Martin. Here they are together!

05/06/2025

What to put on a great piece of driftwood? A Seahorse of course! I have wanted to jske a seahorse for ages, and even though it has taken me a while to make this, everything about it flowed! I might try a different version of it, if I can get another piece of driftwood!

31/05/2025

My attempt at Susan Barmore pattern “School Guard”. ( as in school of fish….) I couldn’t photograph it at home. Not set up for that yet.

18/05/2025

It's been a long time since I have made anything, and it was a struggle to get this one made due to moving house and other drama's, that took my energy and inspiration.

This is my version of Charlie Chaplin as his classic 'Tramp'. I was reading that he liked to dress for a performance, and deliberately chose too large clothing and by the time he was dressed he had become the Tramp, which was so popular, he was launched into his career! Here's hoping I can be relaunched!

26/01/2025

Mallymkun, from Alice through the looking glass. She fiercely defended Alice, and saved her from being Mauled by the Bandersnatch, by stabbing it in the eye. She keeps the eye on her person, and eventually Alice gives it back to the Bandersnatch in exchange for the Vorbsl sword She needs to slay the Red Queens Jabberwock dragon.

23/01/2025

Something whimsical is fun to do when life is disruptive. Recycling scraps to make a little bit of art helps the spirit/mindset and feels like something is accomplished. Silly and meaningless, but fun!

11/01/2025

Well, I know how to make a coffin now! This is Dracula and his Deddy Bear. Karen Baker inspired me with her clay version, and I asked her if I could make it in cloth, because I liked the play on words. Hers looks great, but I am not unhappy with this one, and enjoyed the challenge.

09/01/2025

Needle-sculpting the Winemaker Bust doll.

I have shown pics of this before, but here is the video to go with it. Just a little project that might be helpful for those wanting to learn needlesculpting. This can be done on any head you have made, for practice. This one just happens to have the head and upper torso all together.

05/01/2025

I found inspiration in a picture of a clay headed doll that I had to ask permission to see if I could make it in cloth. Permission was granted, and so her is my progress so far.

First I drafted out a head pattern, made it up, marked it out and by then realised I should have made the forehead wider to show the hollowed out cheeks better. I re-drafted the pattern pieces, but have yet to make another head.

I wanted to see how this one would work, so kept on with it, to see how it would sculpt. I like the ears!

Wasn't sure how I would be able to work in the teeth, but having made claws before, I knew what to do. The rest was coloring with pencils, paint and pens, and adding needle-felted hair.

It would look better with a wider forehead, but this is also ok.

Now for the body.

22/12/2024

I know it’s been a long time between posts, but a few life changing events have caused a pause in my work in the last three months. I had three of these partially finished when the pause occurred, but yesterday, I was free enough to complete one! I have to get more clothing fabric to be able to complete the other two, hopefully tomorrow!

This is my design of The White Rabbit, as shown in my Exhibition of Alice in Victorian Wonderland, showing now in the Forester Gallery, here in OAMARU, NZ.

I am also fortunate enough to be invited to tell the story to children in the OAMARU Library on Monday the 13 January, showing the characters I have made!

23/11/2024

Sometimes you have to make something silly. Trying out different head shapes is fun to see what will happen!

05/11/2024

Part 3 The White Rabbit from my Exhibition at the Forrester Gallery.

Dolls have always been story tellers. What I like about making a series of dolls, is discovering their story.

The white Rabbit character represents the search for truth, which is always disappearing just when you think you’ve found it.

His constant worry about being late, shows how time can slip away and the stress of keeping up with what society expects. “Going down the rabbit hole” is like starting a journey into something unknown and complicated.

Address

Oamaru
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Telephone

0277371747

Website

https://sfmclothdollswithattitude.blogspot.com/, https://sfmclothdollpatterns.etsy.com/

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