MEMBER SHOWCASE

Barbara Griffin

I never thought of myself as being artistic.  I had always wanted to learn how to make porcelain figures.  One day I stopped by a ceramic shop and told the proprietor what I wanted to learn and that I new nothing about ceramics.  That was in 1964 and the beginning of artistic learning for me.  I attended seminars and earned certificates, including a teachers certificate from Duncan Ceramics.  I entered many shows and won a few ribbons for my efforts, but this was not enough for me.  I was becoming bored.  I wanted something more exciting than just casting and painting by numbers (as I used to call it).

I always dreamed of making a porcelain doll, so I decided to try my hand at it.  To be honest, I was scared to death of porcelain.  I had heard how easy it was to break a piece and, with my TREMORS, I could just see a doll head all crumbled in my hands.  In spite of my handicap, I decided to try it any way.  It was love from the beginning.  This started in 1984 and I have made and sold many dolls, modern and antique, but once again I became disenchanted with just casting and painting.

I wanted to try to sculpt my own doll.  So my search began on finding a doll sculptor woh lived close by.  My prayer was answered when Marilynn Huston came to our dollmakers meeting and told us about starting a sculpting class.  This was my beginning.  I knew nothing about sculpting and even less about polymer clay.  To my amazement, and Marilynn's, I sculpted a doll.  She wasn't perfect, but at least she looked human.  I have since taken classes at Elizbet Ney and from Louise Goldstein.  A New World was opened up for me.

I thank God for my knowledge gained from so many teachers and for Him giving me the courage to pursue my dreams in spite of handicaps.  I am 73 years old and believe that anyone can learn if they just have faith in themselves and follow their dreams.

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