March 3 – April 1, 2023
Children, arguably the most important people in the world and works of art themselves, represent what is possible — they arrive in this world filled with potential and beauty. By Hand Gallery is excited to celebrate the child by presenting Toys Made By Hand. Exhibiting artists have drawn from their memories and experiences of playing with toys and making them for those that they love — all made by hand and from the heart.
Sarah Nichols, an artist new to By Hand Gallery states:
I can remember as a child having my imagination take me away for long swaths of time. Days, maybe even weeks, could be absorbed by a single story I was creating for myself for the sheer joy of the ability to get lost in something of my own making. This tableau, A Picnic on a Spring Day is an ode to that child, a love song to the person who grew up to be me, still in awe of the world around me, still looking at everything with eyes that are full of wonder. I tried to follow the threads that inspired me and to not say no to any idea that struck, while using only materials I had on hand.
David Joseff Sloma shares:
When I answered the call to participate in an exhibition titled “Toys Made By Hand”, I felt the need to engage my own fiber arts with my inner child. I grew up in the mid-sixties and seventies in a very conservative household and at that time, as a boy, I was only allowed the stereotypical male type items such as toy trucks, toy cars, building blocks, toy models, and sport related items. Everything was boxy, hard and had sharp edges, and I craved things that were soft, malleable, and huggable.
As an adult, queer fiber artist participating in this exhibit, I created something I needed, something that would inspire play and imagination. I asked questions of my younger self what he wanted. We answered these questions together through the creation of a “Dandy Doll”.
Using my fiber art skills, I worked with natural textiles, hand stitching, embroidery, and needle felting to create the “Dandy Doll”. The doll body and clothing are of my own design. This doll is not intended for young children, just the young at heart; he’s here for all who value play and imagination as part of their lived experiences.
Dandy Doll is a stylish, fashionable, and strapping young fellow. His name is Baron Ludwig Flammulin the Fifth. He comes from an aristocratic lineage that is generations old. Fashion is everything to him, so he sold everything but his home in town and his country manor estate. With his small fortune, he spends it on his couture fashions and throws fabulous parties. On this day, whistling a happy tune thru the entrance hall of his town home, he opens the front door and steps into the sunny morning…
Whether you are a child yourself or simply young at heart, you will take delight in this exhibit — the artist-made toys will provoke playfulness and ignite a childlike heart.
Artists:
Sidney Bolam: mixed media Animals
Dave Cole: turned wood Tops and carved Magic Wands
Ruth Conway: ceramic Tick Tack Toe Games
Bonnie Gordon Lucas: Children’s Illustrated Books
Janet Helber: textile Dolls using rag-doll traditions
David Sloma Joseff: hand-felted Dandy Doll
Rebecca Lowery: ceramic primary-colored Chessboard and Pieces
Barb Lund: ceramic Fairy Houses
Sarah Nichols: Soft Sculpture ceramic and textile Tableau
Walt Schmidt: ceramic vintage Cars
Martha Secular: gourde Doll House and Dolls
Marc Tschida: wood Jigsaw Puzzles
Sue Westhues: gourde Puppets and Push Toys
Bob Wolanin: multimedia Stage Puppets
By Hand Gallery is a locally owned, cooperative gallery that currently has 12 artisan members. By Hand Gallery has been in the Bloomington community for over 30 years and has a reputation for selling art works that are of superior design and quality artisanship. Besides our cooperative members, there are over 70 artists who sell their work through By Hand Gallery.
The exhibit is free and open to the public.
WHERE:
By Hand Gallery, Inside Fountain Square Mall
101 W Kirkwood Ave, Suite 109
Bloomington, IN 47404
812.334.3255
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00am – 5:30pm