Appalachian Folk Art by Kentuckian, Rebecca F. Miller Campbell. Featuring handmade One of a Kind (OOAK) signed, numbered, primitive art dolls, paintings & bits of whimsy from the hills of Eastern Kentucky.
This should be a ton of fun! Visit Little Sandy Lodge on July 18th. Over 60 vendors will be present with a variety of work including folk art, fine art and crafts. Some of the vendors include:
Minnie Adkins
Bonita Skaggs-Parsons
Pam Oldfield Meade
Rebecca Miller Campbell
Ron Gevedon
and many, many others.
In addition, some gallery collectors will be present with past works available for sale. This should be a fantastic event for folk and fine art enthusiasts!
The first weekend in June just might be my favorite time of the year. There is for sure a lot to see & hear if you happen to be in Morehead, Ky. I could tell you how amazing, dynamic and interesting all the art was, how nice it was to see artists explaining their work to enthusiasts and to see collectors acquiring pieces by their favorites, but I think I’ll just let the photos speak for me. If you’re interested in what you see, make plans to attend next year’s Day in the Country at Morehead Conference Center in Morehead, Ky. You won’t be disappointed! (Visit the links below the photo gallery for more information about participating artists.)
This time next week, I’ll be toting my creations to Morehead, Ky and setting up my space for the 2015 Day in the Country at Morehead Conference Center. This is my 2nd year participating in the event which was originally conceived of and put forth by well-known folk artists, Minnie and Garland Adkins. Eventually A Day in the Country, held at the couple’s home on Happy Gizzard Hollow, became so well attended Minnie asked the Kentucky Folk Art Center to manage it. In recent years, the Morehead Conference Center has become the home of A Day in the Country. It is Kentucky’s premiere folk art fair and brings together more than 50 folk artists from around the state. I am honored to have my name listed as a participant and to have my work offered at this event. As a lover of folk art, it is truly special to me.
AND…this was the show I couldn’t get out of my head last year. I think I talked about it all year long to anyone who would listen. The quality of the artwork was astounding and mesmerizing and all those descriptive terms you try to think of when looking at really moving works of art. If I had to recommend one show to the truly passionate (folk) art collector, this is the one! I say (folk) art collector — because even if you’re primarily a fan of fine art, the pieces that can be found at A Day in the Country, just might broaden your idea of folk art. And if you already love the grit of folk art, you’ll love this show. PLUS—there’s so much more that will be happening that day! You’ll have the opportunity to bid on pieces of artwork donated by the participating artists (including moi!) during a silent auction and during a live auction. All proceeds benefit the Kentucky Folk Art Center. Trust me, this is an amazing opportunity to pick up some artwork at sometimes a steal and feel good about supporting a center committed to representing local self-taught artists. There will be music, food and an outdoor craft market in addition to a private area for collectors to sell or swap pieces from their current collections! In addition, June 6th will be the first day of the Kentucky Folk Art Center Museum’s summer exhibition titled, “Come We to the Summer”. I am happy to announce that I will have a piece in this exhibit and that this is the very first time my work will be exhibited in a gallery show in Kentucky. Make sure to check out the Event Schedule below for more details about the happenings going on in Morehead on the 6th! I guarantee it will be a fun day!
See photos from A Day in the Country 2014.
There is one post in particular on my blog that is more popular than any other page or post. And it has absolutely nothing to do with my dolls or artwork. This post, a story about growing up searching for morel mushrooms at the feet of my Dad, is the most visited post on my blog. Even now, years after I originally published the story, comments are active.
In my web statistics, I can see that lots of folks are still interested in searching for morel mushrooms in Kentucky. Traffic to my site begins to pick up in March & continues through April & on into May.
What can I say, lots of people love morels. And lots of people love the search for the morel. By this time, after a couple of searches I sometimes close my eyes and see the texture of the morel mushroom. They’re hard little buggers to spot.
With heavy leaf fall and lots of similar textures on the ground it is sometimes very hard to see these little things. It’s no wonder that some mushroom gatherers carry walking sticks with a morel mushroom carved into the wood. Rather than identifying shape, it’s more the texture that you’re looking for. In fact, when I spot a mushroom, the best way to describe it is that my eyes accidentally “bumped” into it. Amongst all the leaf litter my eye just happens upon something more substantial.
So far this year we’ve only found a few mushrooms. One of the most thrilling experiences I’ve ever had was when my husband and I found over 150 in one spot! I was like Gretel, picking up pieces of candy from the Kentucky hills. I followed a whimsical, twisted path, plucking mushrooms from the ground every few seconds. If they had led me into the deepest darkest valley I would have followed joyfully and never made my way back out.
There isn’t much that can beat a warm, sunny spring day in Kentucky. Redbuds in bloom are often breathtaking and bloom about the same time as many other native trees, including the dogwood. This almost always coincides with the mushroom hunting season. And I swear, it can be breathtaking!
The most common search terms for today & yesterday! I love this!
For a limited time, a select number of my handmade creations are priced at 50% off. Click the banner below to be taken to my Etsy shop. Items available at discount can be found in the SALE category located to the left of the page. These items will be available at the discounted price through April 27th. Have fun perusing the pages! This is an excellent time to pick up a handmade creation at a steep discount! If you’d like to be notified about sales like this beforehand, please consider joining my email list. It’s a simple process and I will never share your information. Thanks for visiting!
Sometimes you find that inspiration is staring you in the face.
Literally.
Every morning this is the face I am greeted to when I walk into my kitchen, wiping sleepiness from my eyes. This little face peers through the back kitchen door and as soon as she spots me she begins meowing sharply. Food. She wants food. When does she want it? NOW!
And so I feed her and sneak a pet while her head dips into the food bowl.
It wasn’t always like this.
Around this time last year, this little lady showed up in our neighborhood. From where she came is a mystery. I just noticed her one day outside my studio window, perched atop an old table on my porch used for holding ferns and pretty flowers on my porch. It’s typical to see wandering cats in on our street. Like most places, there is an abundance of homeless critters or perhaps critters with homes who sometimes wander the streets.
Before long this little feral lady had a batch full of kittens. I found them in June nestled under my azaleas and promptly took them to my porch for protection. Little Mama did not like that however and soon moved her kittens. I felt bad for trying to intervene….my intention was to tame the kittens and find them homes. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it.
But, this little lady has stuck around the neighborhood winning hearts and earning tasty nibbles with her sweet, delicate face. This past year has been a time of getting her healthy, getting her comfortable with the human voice & touch. Yesterday, I watched her come to my husband for petting and soak it up. She’s still a little standoffish at times but we can sneak in neck scratches when she’s eating and she’ll come really close to me for treats. There has been a lot of sitting with her while she eats this past year. I think this spring will be great for her! And I think little by little she will learn to trust although I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to pick her up and cuddle.
Although this little lady doesn’t have an official name yet & is still a neighborhood cat as I suspect she visits lots of us regularly, she is the inspiration behind my doll for this month’s PFATT Marketplace.
I’ve named my doll Mittsy, but I suspect our feral gal would think that’s too cutesy.
Mittsy is available on PFATT Marketplace today at 1 PM EST. Click here to purchase.
I love designing new dolls. I love drawing the idea on paper, making the pattern. My most favorite part of the design process though–is seeing my idea actually come to life. I know a design is a success if the outcome is even cuter than I could have imagined. I feel like these four new Little Critter designs, inspired by all things farm, are better than I could have imagined (Yes, I know…a crow isn’t really a farm animal..but, I’ve never known a farmer who didn’t battle crows or seen a farm absent of them.)
These little guys are available for the month of February on PFATT Marketplace. Take a look and while you’re there, check out the rest of the art created by small business owners like me.
Here are some close ups of my new designs. Let me know what you think!
These little fellas are currently available on PFATT Marketplace for $40.00 per + $5.00 for shipping via USPS Priority Mail. Click here to purchase and if you are a regular customer of mine & don’t do Paypal, email me for details. Thanks so much for looking at my latest work!
My current show calendar for 2015 has been updated with this year’s dates. There may be more shows added during the course of the year and dates that are not listed now will be listed as soon as that information is available to me. And, there is always the possibility that I will add some shows to the calendar throughout the year. My calendar can always be found on this page! Below are the places I’ll be with my little treasures in 2015. Make plans to come to one of these art fairs! They’re always so impressive. Make sure you say hi!
June 6, 9 AM – 4 PM | A Day in the Country Folk Art Fair | MSU Conference Center, Morehead, Ky
July 10, 11, 12 | Berea Craft Festival |Indian Fort Theater, Berea, Ky
July 18th | Minnie Adkins Day | Little Sandy Lodge | Sandy Hook, Ky
August | Morgan County Market in the Park | Old Mill Park, West Liberty, Ky
August 15 & 16 | AFB Woodland Art Fair | Woodland Park, 601 East High Street, Lexington, Ky
September 25, 26, 27 | Morgan County Sorghum Festival | Main Street, West Liberty, Ky
October 10 & 11 | Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Fall Fair | Indian Fort Theater, Berea, Ky
December | Appalachian Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair | Laughlin Heath Building, Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky
This…this is what I get myself into.
I begin by working on one small batch of characters. Then I think, “Hey, since I have the clay out and my hands are messy, why not start some more people.” Always, there are people wanting to be made. In this photo there are 23 clay creations all in the earliest stages. And these are just the paperclay creations. I would be embarrassed to show you my entire workroom. This is however, one of my favorite stages of creating–the beginning! The pop of an idea or a little doll that tells me it wants to be something different than I had intended. In this stage the possibilities are so endless. And just maybe, I tell myself, just maybe, these will be the very BEST dolls I’ve ever made.
I like plunging into that mess head on. Perhaps that’s why my work table ends up like this. Those sudden moments of inspiration are like fire and it spreads. I often come out of my work space, cheeks aflame, nose and chest flushed with red. It happens when I paint, when I sculpt, when I write, when I feel something intensely. It is fun to lose yourself in that.
And so, I’m ok that there are currently 23 projects waiting for my hands to finish finding them.
But for the rest of 2015 I’m going to work on focus, more targeted focus in my workroom. Beginning a project or a SMALL batch of objects & then seeing them through to completion until I start on the next set!
Right now, though, there are furry creatures and sweet storybook girls, icy snowmen, feathery crows, bearded santas and a few cackling witches waiting to be born!
This…
is how these little fellas
begin.
Just simple sketches on white paper which I’ve divided up into sections. One half of the sketch is always a little more detailed than the other side. The sketch above is what I’m working on today. In a few minutes I’ll cute each segment out then fold each character in half on the vertical line that runs down the body. I’ll cut my shape from the more detailed side and Voila! an ornament pattern is born. The vertical line allows the ornament to be symmetrical on both sides. To some this doesn’t really matter, but for me…I’m always so disappointed when I’m finished stuffing an ornament and notice the ears are way off or the cheeks are in different positions. So I like this method. It works for me…(usually). I still have to pay careful attention when I’m stuffing so that the curves are “right”. You would think that since the shape is sewn a certain way, you could just stuff willy nilly and all would turn out fine. Over the years I’ve learned that this is not always the case. I can control the shape with my stuffing fork.
A stuffing fork, you say? Whaaa?????
That little white instrument on top is my stuffing fork. Under that are long hemostats. These are two items I can’t live without. I have a back up stuffing fork, just in case I should ever lose the one I’m currently using. In the beginning of my doll making career I used whatever I could find to push fluffy fiberfill into doll bodies. A skinny long handled paint brush was my go-to. And I thought it worked fine until I saw a stuffing fork in a doll parts catalog. “Hmmm, I’ll give it a try”, I thought. It made such a difference in my projects. The tiny tines allow you to really control the stuffing in a way that I couldn’t with a long handled paint brush. It holds my stuffing so that I can direct the tiniest amount to sharp corners like tiny ears, hat tips and pointy noses. I think my work really began to improve when I purchased the stuffing fork. In fact, I wouldn’t even want to try to make painted ornaments without it.
Today I’ll be cutting out and sewing a large batch of these little guys for winter stuffing sessions bundled up on my couch while the temps dip outside! It’s nice to still be productive when it’s too cold to actually work in my studio. Oh the woes of living in an old farmhouse!
But I’ll have Netflix and my stuffing fork to keep me company.
Online:
Appalachian Fireside Gallery
Berea, Kentucky
Kentucky Folk Art Center
Morehead, Kentucky
Kentucky Artisan Center
Berea, Kentucky
Kentucky Historical Society
Frankfort, Kentucky
Locust Grove Museum Shop
Louisville, Kentucky
Indigenous Craft Gallery
Cincinnati, Ohio
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