Blog

  • October 2020 Newsletter

    In the midst of what can only be called surreal times, I hope you are doing as well as possible during this global pandemic. These are some difficult times, and I sincerely wish you the very best in staying healthy, happy and safe. As things have been shaken up, much of my time as been focused on adapting and restructuring how I create art and how I teach art. It's been a big learning curve, but I've embraced it and I've actually been able to create some new work and am also able to share some exciting news with you.

    First things first - my Elf and Christmas line. Although I haven't made as many new pieces this year, I do have 12 new elves and 6 new Santa's available on my website. As a big thank you for your support over the years, you get an early peek - they are available on a first come, first serve basis. Before they all disappear, please visit https://saracinocollection.com/collections/frontpage
    If you can't find what you are looking for here, there are 12 more elves that are being released exclusively through DOLL CASTLE NEWS Magazine on November 1st. The cover of the November issue of this magazine features a portrait commission vignette I created during lockdown - I can't show you any photos until the magazine comes out, but it's a complex vignette that took months to complete. It's accompanied by a feature article on the subject as well as on the artist (me). I'll be posting the cover on my social media pages once it's released, but if you are interested in getting a copy visit their website at www.dollcastlemagazine.com
     
    Teaching is a big part of what I do and I really miss the personal connection with my students. With this pandemic I can't hold in-studio classes, so I've refocused and am developing more online content, in particular a series of video lessons which were introduced at the Art Connection Summit this month
    (www.artconnection.gallery)
    A 4-part video series called Sculpting Studies and a whimsical Fantastic Beasts workshop is available on this site until the end of October.

    As well, you can find some of my other workshops at www.aforartistic.com
    Coming soon . . ."My Little Elf"
    learn how to make your own unique Christmas Elf.

    As always check out my website at www.saracinocollection.com where you'll also find a little gift - a FREE video workshop on the Beginners page called How to Make a Pendant and Ring Bowl Set.
    I think you can tell from the photo how excited I am to share the new packaging for Sculpey's Living Doll Polymer Clay. Two of my original sculptures were selected to appear on the packaging and I couldn't be more thrilled. You'll find my little baby girl on Living Doll (Baby) and my fairy on Living Doll (Light). Living Doll is one of the products manufactured under the Sculpey brand and it's no secret that it's my favorite clay, especially for gallery, museum and portrait commissions. Look for it when you visit your local art or craft store and if you are experimenting with different clays, give this one a try.
    Pigtails and Braids

    This summer a collector from Texas commissioned me to do this touching father/daughter composition. 
    It was also entered in a figurative and portrait art competition by
    Contemporary Online Art Gallery.
    Recently it was announced that
    "Pigtails and Braids"
    won the Gallery Choice Award in the 3D category.
    A great addition to the provenance of this sculpture.

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  • Star Searching

    I'm hitting the new year running and kicking off 2019 with a new exhibit at the Orange Art Gallery from January 9th to the 27th. A sculptural collaboration called "Star Searching". 

    This exclusive exhibit unites two artists of different mediums— Metal Artist, Chris Banfalvi and me, Figurative Polymer Artist, Maria Saracino, in a cohesive theme of space, fantasy and time travel. While Chris creates the solar system and the vessels of space travel, I create the people who dream of exploring them. From dreamers to steam punk time travellers, I had a lot of fun putting this collection together. I hope you enjoy it too. 

    Opening reception, Thursday, January 10th from 6pm to 9pm.                      Orange Art Gallery, 290 City Centre Drive, Ottawa, ON

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  • The Legend of La Befana

    Like children everywhere, Italian kids look forward to the arrival of the red-suited Babbo Natale on Christmas Eve. However, this relatively modern tradition pales in comparison to the anticipation generated by the arrival of an old witch in early January. On the eve of the Epiphany, the old, tattered and soot-covered Befana flies around the world on a broomstick and comes down chimneys to deliver candy and presents to children who have been good during the year. For those who have fallen a bit short of model behavior, la Befana will leave lumps of coal.

    psza619La Befana has been an Italian tradition since the thirteenth century and comes from Christian legend rather than popular culture. Although there are several versions of her story, my favorite is that la Befana was one of the inn keepers who turned Mary and Joseph away on their way to Bethlehem. Later she was approached by the Three Wise Men who asked her to lead them to the stable where the baby Jesus lay in a manger. La Befana was too busy cleaning her house at the time (that’s why she carries the broom), so she declined the offer to go with them. Very soon she realized that she had made a huge mistake, so she gathered up a bag full of gifts and sweet treats and set off alone in search of the baby Jesus. Though she followed the same star as the Magi, she was unable to find the stable. Undaunted, la Befana continues to travel the world over to this day searching every house for the Christ child, leaving gifts for kids along the way. On January 6, the first day of Epiphany, Italian children hold their breaths as they search their stockings for a sign that they have been good that year.

    Instead of milk and cookies, Italian families often leave her a glass of wine and a plate of sausage and broccoli.  The arrival of la Befana is celebrated with traditionnight_befanaal Italian foods such as panettone (a Christmas cake) and marks the end of the long and festive holiday season in Italy. In Italy there is a saying ” L’Epifania che ogni festa si porta via” which roughly translated means “The Epiphany takes away all festivity”.

    A beautifully illustrated new children’s book by Maria and Isabella Centofanti has recently been released that tells La Befana’s story. It’s available at http://www.italianchildrensmarket.com

    babushka_2And she’s not just Italian; in a similar Russian folk tale, an old woman who declines traveling with the Magi and then follows them afterward is dubbed Babushka. Although they look similar, the word babushka refers to an elderly woman. Babushkas in Russia seem to represent a totally independent part of society – they know everything and are good at giving a piece of advice whether you’ve asked for it or not. Here’s a beautiful portrait called “Babushka”, by Russian Artist Irina Gaiduk

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  • 2018 Sculpey Design Squad

  • Top 50 Polymer Clay Blogs

    Great honour to be selected as one of the top 50 polymer clay blogs on the world wide web. 

    Thank you FeedSpot. You can see the whole list at 

    http://blog.feedspot.com/polymer_clay_blogs/

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  • Riding the Rails

    A year ago the Orange Art Gallery challenged it’s artists to create works of art based on the theme “The Railway Crossing”. The Orange Art Gallery is in a 120 year old historic building that used to house the bank for the CN Rails and is now where the new light rail connects. The exhibit runs from July 6th to August 13th. I created two sculptures for this exhibit. One of them was inspired by a Canadian song from the Littlest Hobo television series, “Maybe Tomorrow”. This is my sculpture, “Riding the Rails”.

    Many people think of a Hobo as a homeless vagrant, but originally they were actually a man or woman who worked as they traveled. Hobos came from all walks of life and decided to ride the rails and live outside as an alternative. As a matter of fact, Hobos organized themselves and formed a union during the mid 1800’s as a way to catch rides with friendly conductors by showing them the union card.

    The number of Hobos increased after the Second World War and then the Great Depression hit. Hobos were then considered penniless wanderers. Without money men hopped onto trains and “rode the rails”, criss-crossing the country in a frustrating search for work and food.  Illegal and very dangerous, thousands of hobos were killed or seriously injured jumping on or off freight cars. Some hobos laid boards across the brake rods under the railway cars. They could ride on these boards hidden from view – a very dangerous, noisy and uncomfortable ride. Most rode inside or on top of boxcars on freight trains.

    Hobos carried a bindle, a stick with a cloth or blanket tied around one end for holding items. Supported over the shoulder it offered a comfortable grip and doubled as a weapon if needed. A stereotypical symbol for anyone running away from home, Norman Rockwell used it in his 1958 illustration “The Runaway”.

    The figure in “Riding the Rails” measures 16″ high x 14″ x 10″ deep. It’s sculpted from polymer clay and textiles. The whole composition including the Railroad Crossing sign is 25″tall. The sign is embedded into a cement base which is the resting spot for this weary traveller. His old weathered banjo case is plastered with stickers from some of the stops on his journey across Canada where he played for a meal or a place to sleep. In his left hand he holds a flask of heat to help him get through the cold nights.

                                             “Maybe tomorrow, I’ll want to settle down,                                           Until tomorrow, I’ll just keep moving on.”

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