Sunday, September 20, 2009


Hello! Here's a pic of Azalea after she fell in the river! It's really more of a creek where she slid in, but still amusing. Lately, we've been taking little excursions to go drawing out in the world, packing our 'action packs' (which consist of sketchbooks and pens) and some food. I'm really enjoying this new activity, sitting quietly together and documenting ideas and dreams. It reminds me of art school, a time when I was carefree and optimistic...not the jaded and overworked adult I became. I find this interesting, since I have more responsibility and more aggravations that should be burning a hole in my stomach, but it doesn't seem to penetrate my shield. Perhaps its the daily wonder of watching a child learn and grow that's forcing the rest into the background.


I am somewhat absorbed with organizing my art supplies until they are more interesting than the actual art. For example, blending, conditioning and forming these nuggets of clay took hours of work, but at least my travel clay kit is very tidy and complete. For me, my traveling art packs must be well-edited, yet containing everything I might need, should the inspiration arise. One of the most annoying things is to need a certain pen, or wish I had taken my watercolors! I tend to fixate.


Look at the new girl! A Fashion Royalty Misaki doll from Japan that I repainted. I love her. She's small, about the size of a Barbie, but so poseable and cute! Some of you may be wondering when I'm going to get back to the business of being a bead maker. Well, soon! I just have to get this doll painting out of my system. Its pretty much doing the fun part of a painting, combined with being a make up artist. I like it so much I did three more!


This is a different sculpt, a bigger girl ( 16") also from Fashion Royalty. Andrew said she looked super tranny glam before her makeover!


This doll is from Paris, from a company called Fashion Doll Agency. They are strange and rubbery and really posable, which I like.


This girl was a gift from Anne Choi, a 16" Tonner Doll, with beautiful mohair replacing her vinyl tresses. She was the first in my collection and the last I painted. I wanted to be fairly confident before I started her. This is an addictive hobby! She's wearing a piece Andrew made with green garnets, tiny rough diamonds and gold wire. Its fun to use the good stuff on such small pieces, a little goes a long way.
I'm getting used to this new schedule of rising early and having hours of quiet to make things. I'm learning how to budget my time so I can do things I couldn't normally have done, like having a friend over and socializing uninterrupted. I invited Kathy Van Kleeck over to check out my lapidary equipment and I had a great time showing her my collections of specimens and stones. I rarely meet other rock enthusiasts, so it was a real treat.
One thing that's challenging to get used to is the constant changes my body is making. Every day there's some new thing to adjust to, like nose bleeds or how my hips are stretching. That business is painful, so much so that some days I can hardly walk. Its a strange limbo I'm in, waiting for this new stage of my life to begin. I almost feel like another person, one I don't recognize when I catch a glimpse of myself. I wonder what life will be like when the baby is born, will I maintain calm? Will I recover my former self? I can't wait, yet I'm content in limbo, if that makes any sense. Well, I have till late October before everything changes.

14 comments:

Rosanne said...

Your dolls are so beautiful and exotic looking. I've never seen anything like them.

Andrew Thornton said...

That's Live Wire? I barely recognize her without her tranny glam make-up. With the Blondie wig she reminds me of Elf Quest.

The face-sculpt on the Fashion Doll Agency doll reminds me of Micah on Warehouse 13. And I like that she's sporting that necklace I started. Lord that was a lot of work.

The other doll looks good too. She looks like a princess. Very opulent.

I'm jealous that you got to hang out with Kathy Van Kleeck. Sounds like you all had a good time.

Well... I guess we all have decisions we make on a daily basis. Do we give into our natural dispositions or do we strive for something else? Being pregnant and being a mother has given you a unique perspective of what could be. It may be limbo now, but it very well could be a glimpse of paradise – a real paradise that you could have for yourself.

Cynthia Thornton said...

Thanks Rosanne! I love painting them! One day, I'll sculpt my own...

Cynthia Thornton said...

Hi Andrew! Yes, Livewire looks vastly different. Her sculpt is so pretty, it didn't take much to transform her.

I kept thinking the same thing about the Fashion doll! I thought of her as one of the Fey, with strange eyes and spindly limbs! I thought the chain you made looked good on her. It won't stay hers for long....

I know you wouldv'e had a good time if you'd been there, playing with rocks and telling stories! I told her about how you carried all the rough stones in your backpack that one year in Tuscon! I still laugh, thinking of us dragging all those rocks around.

yep, this is a weird time. I usually just shrug and deal with whatever, but sometimes its scary. Sometimes I'm afraid of everything: complications, pain,the baby's vulnerability, the world in general...I just have to have faith things will be ok. It is a balance between happiness and fear.

Alice said...

Azlea looks none the worse for having taken an uexpected dip in the creek.

When I was young my dad took us on Sunday drives to low-water bridges where we searched for fossils, shells, and the stray arrowhead--no bugs though, thank you very much. We try to keep up the tradition with our own kids so they know what it's like to dial down the crazy rush of daily life and just enjoy nature and the art of doing nothing.

Cynthia Thornton said...

Alice-
Sounds like a perfect sunday! Especially hunting for fossils!

Anonymous said...

Azalea looks cute as ever!
The dolls look nice. You should do before and after picts (like in the magazines) so everyone can see the improvements.

kate mckinnon said...

Cynthia, your writing is so beautiful. It's such a teetery time, isn't it, knowing that everything is about to change, having such hope and uncertainty.

I know that feeling of the calm before the storm, and how it feels so real, with every stone in place, every tree just so, that it's hard to understand deep down that soon, every single thing in your universe will be different.

Thanks for a beautiful post.

Jean Katherine Baldridge said...

Dear Cynthia--I think about you all the time! xox jean!

Cynthia Thornton said...

Sheila- that's a good idea! I guess its hard to visulize what the dolls looked like before.

Cynthia Thornton said...

Kate-
Thanks for your kind words! It is a srange time and I am already so set in my ways, in focusing so much attention to one girl...I can hardly see how I will manage! But, I will adapt, as we all do and I will look back at this time with wonder, how did I ever live so long without him?

Cynthia Thornton said...

Jean- I think about you, too!

gwen said...

Hi Cynthia,

I am Gwen, Azalea's art teacher. Your husband stopped by today and was very into sharing his talents with our students, which sounds wonderful! Your artwork is beautiful!! I have enjoyed reading your blog this evening while nursing my baby girl to sleep. She turns one on the 27th of Oct. Best wishes to you for your new baby! I can' wait to ask Azalea about working in the studio with her Mom and Dad.

Cynthia Thornton said...

Hi Gwen!
Greg is very excited to share his skills! He's very talented.

I love babies at one year, they are so sweet. I had the hardest time weening Azalea, she didn't want to stop, silly baby. Anyway, I look forward to seeing you at Art Space!