April 2007 - Ruffing’s Artist Dolls and Toys

Posted on April 13, 2007January 30, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Original Angel Cat Acrylic Folk Art Painting on Wood by Max Bailey

This is “Terence the Tomcat”. With his roguish good looks and feline charm, he is surely an angel, even if, at times, he may be thinking less than angelic thoughts.

Terence looks out from a rich warm background of browns blending into black, which gives the effect of Terence having just emerged from the darkness. He is painted in acrylic on solid poplar wood. I coated the painting with clear gloss varnish to give it depth, and to protect and enhance the color.

Posted on April 9, 2007January 30, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Banks Miniature Horse Farm

I had the best time last weekend at Banks Miniature Horse Farm in Clayton, NC. Bill and Pam Banks allowed a group of us to come photograph their adorable miniature horses, and one very friendly miniature donkey, Dixie, who was especially envious of my straw hat.

Bill and Pam breed, sell, and show miniature horses, and have the largest miniature horse farm in this Southeastern part of the country. Their horses become pets, companions to race horses, and even seeing-eye animals. They are wonderfully gentle, curious, and sweet creatures.

There were several new foals to see, one only a few days old. Bill was telling us how a couple of the foals were playing “King of the Mountain” on a pile of soil in his barn one time, and he managed to get a picture.

Linda Vassilion took this one of Dixie the donkey, and Sunny giving me a kiss. Sunny and Dixie had a plan worked out, I think, to get that hat off my head.

Jay Massengill took this one, and the one at the top of this post, of me and Dixie and Sunny, still hoping for a straw hat. Bill wanted to cut two holes in it for ears!

Bill and Pam were not only nice enough to have us over, but they also have buses of school children, and handicapped children come for visits to the farm. The animals are very well-behaved with children and are a real treat to spend the day with. Bill and Pam are fun too!

Special thanks to Bill and Pam Banks for having us over, giving us the tour, and answering all my questions! I always have a lot! Special thanks to Jay Massengill and Linda Vassilion for allowing me to use their photos!

Please be sure to visit the Banks Miniature Horse Farm web site too!

Posted on April 9, 2007January 30, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing — 2 Comments

Spring Fairy Art Doll in Progress

I am getting my hands dirty now…

First, I thought Plastic Wood would be a good modeling compound to use on my doll, just for a change, and it might have been. Unfortunately, I had no recollection of its ability to bond with, well…me. After much grumbling over my encrusted palms and fingers, I finally got it off with nail polish remover, the kind with acetone in it, which stung a bit. I was quite relieved just the same. At least I didn’t bond one hand to the other!

I also relieved myself of the Plastic Wood, which is now in the trash. No offense to DAP…I’m sure it’s great if you mind the warnings not to get it on your skin. Mea culpa.

So, I am back to Creative Paperclay, which cleans up nicely with water. I also used some carpenters’ wood glue (Titebond Original Wood Glue, which also cleans up with water) to attach these big green flower petals to the head of my fairy art doll, and then made a cap and stem from the Paperclay. Her be-petaled head reminds me, for some reason, of those funny flowered bathing caps my grandmother used to wear to keep her hair dry while swimming. She and her best friend Lottie used to have a humorous assortment of them. I can still see them, perched on the edge of the pool, cooling their feet in the water, tucking their hair carefully away, talking whispering talking talking whispering…

Posted on April 6, 2007January 30, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Bleuette Doll with Bluebirds, Original Painting on Poplar Wood by Max Bailey

I’m so excited about “Bleuette”! I just finished her and she is gorgeous! Her big blue eyes and sweet smile were inspired by the ever popular Bleuette antique dolls who were first introduced in France in 1905 in La Semaine de Suzette magazine. Little French girls learned to sew making the patterns the magazine offered for Bleuette’s extensive wardrobe. The premiere Bleuette was a Jumeau style doll, and was offered for free with a one year subscription to the magazine. Little Bleuette was so popular that she was offered in many, many incarnations until 1960. Today, she is still incredibly popular, and both the original dolls and their reproductions are widely collected.

This is an original painting done in the American folk art portrait style, with Bleuette emerging from a warm dark brown background that blends into black at the edges. Here Bleuette is shown as an angel who watches over bluebirds, two of which rest calmly in her hands and on her shoulder. She wears an old-fashioned blue dress with lace trim, and an ecru apron with a burgundy stripe.