After a bustling year and holiday season, I am so happy to finally sit at my desk and reflect on 2010 and make plans for 2011. Last year at this time, I introduced Mannequin Cafe, a collection that took form as I dreamed of a Paris workshop, followed up with Studio Assistant custom dies in the fall, and had some very fine adventures in between, including a treasure hunt at the puces of Mt. Dora with Barbara Smith. My life thus far has been quite an adventure and I am supremely fortunate and grateful to all of you for your continued friendship and support.
This year I borrowed a sweet title from a tongue twister I loved as a child, She Sells Seashells by the Seashore, which also happens to be the name of one of my favorite shell shops on Sanibel Island. I grew up along the Florida shore in a coastal community and it has influenced my life in countless ways. As children, my sisters and I were fascinated with mermaids, particularly the Weeki Wachee mermaids. During the summer of 1970, while I was visiting my grandparents, my little sister Laura sent me a Giant Post Card from Weeki Wachee, addressed to the wrong street and zip code, but somehow it not only managed to find me, but I still have it! (In her post card note, she apologized for being too busy to write sooner -- were we always so busy?) Along with that postcard I also received a Florida Pictorial booklet from Weeki Wachee featuring an entire cast of beautiful mermaids. I am surprised there is anything left of this booklet as we studied it endlessly, imitating the mermaid underwater poses in our backyard wading pool. Bringing this new collection to life has been a lot of fun and a little like being in the splash pool with my sisters on one of our mermaid adventures!
Adopting the She Sells Seashells title for my collection has had me wondering about the origins of the tongue twister. As luck would have it, I received a call from a kindred spirit this morning, Maliene Wajer. We met in Balitmore, Maryland a few summers ago during a weekend workshop at The Queen's Ink. Maliene discovered my new ad for She Sells Seashells and called to tell me about a book by Tracy Chavalier (Girl With the Pear Earring), entitled Remarkable Creatures. I had actually read this book a couple of years ago and was reminded by Maliene that the story of remarkable creatures is based on the life of Mary Anning, a fossil hunter who lived in Lyme Regis, on the coast of England. The She Sells tongue twister is believed to have been written about Mary. So, for those of you joining me on mermaid adventures this year, I highly recommend this book.
To get your mermaid adventure underway, slip into your favorite scallop shell bra top, pick a tail from the book of mermaid couture, and relax for a little longer. You have made it this far (merci), so please sit down and enjoy this slide show compliments of one of my very best friends and mermaid artist extraordinaire, Nancy Gene Armstrong:
"Wow" what a lovely posting,I enjoyed every word shared.
I just adore Nancy Gene Armstrong,her art work is so magical.I love the slideshow, just fabulous...
What beautiful creations, so unigue every art piece.
Thanks for sharing,the new Mermaid collection is out of this world "Awesome"
Hugs,Laura.xoxx
Posted by: Laura Haviland | 19 January 2011 at 02:51 PM
It made all my Mermaids look so beautiful. Thank you for putting them in a slide show. This is such a fun collection so unique. I have looked for years to find Mermaids like this. They are lovely.
Posted by: Nancy Gene Armstrong. | 19 January 2011 at 03:47 PM
I am in love with these new girls too! Love the slideshow.
Posted by: Shelley Overholt | 19 January 2011 at 10:14 PM
Love the wonderful collage at the top and can't wait to view the slideshow! Nancy Gene has such a way with your stamps and I am constantly inspired by her work!! Thanks for the book recommendation, and I love the story about you and your sister. So cool that you saved the postcard too!! I've already completed a second card (just have to photograph), and have some ideas for more. Looking forward to having some time to play!!
Posted by: Barbara | 20 January 2011 at 10:30 AM
LOVE the slide show! Nancy Gene is doing inspiring work with the new stamps.
Posted by: Maria | 20 January 2011 at 10:09 PM
I THOUGHT I had left this comment a while ago...opps, I must have done something wrong as it never posted. If it had, you would know that I loved learning how this BEAUTIFUL new collection is wrapped around so many cherished childhood memories. A slideshow of the fabulous and prolific Nancy Gene's work was a stunning grand finale to these wonderful stories! BRAVO to you both!! xox
Posted by: linda warlyn | 06 February 2011 at 04:13 PM
I've begun watching the 2003 movie "The Republic of Love" on PBS (recorded on 1/30/11) starring the ubiquitous Bruce Greenwood and the heroine (Emilia Fox, the British actor Edward Fox's daughter) is working on an exhibition of mermaids! Occasionally they show an old fashioned movie clip of a mermaid.
I had to get back to your mermaids after seeing this.
Posted by: Gabrielle Wanner | 20 February 2011 at 03:20 PM
Love the mermaid table scape!
Posted by: Claire Selby | 06 June 2011 at 01:01 PM