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As I look back 30 years, I see myself foremost as a busy mother of five young daughters. But I had that creative bent that surfaced now and then, and a traveling husband. Sometimes there were quiet hours. The day the idea came to me to make a collection of small figurines for myself, I welcomed it. Now - the little ones running around are my grandchildren and I've realized the "idea" into a three-decade reality!
I soon noticed that the unsuspecting models for my new little family were playing right under my feet! Here were real personalities for me to use at anytime. So along with the dollies and stuffed animals, I didn't ignore my sweetheart with "the attitude". For the boys, I gave them likely identities and my brothers' names. Over the years I've had to update my young family as pinafores faded, the women's movement and Title IX changed their lives.
After eight or nine months of working on the figures for my enjoyment, an artist friend encouraged me to show them to Flavia, who was in the early stages of her climb to fame with the greeting card genre. Her positive reaction was enlightening and it followed that my first sales were at her shop in San Pedro, Ca. From there we were accepted into the Disneyland Art Gallery. Neither place exists as such any longer, but they afforded me fabulous jumping off points.
A distinct advantage to my situation of sculpting small figures and using a clean oil base clay, was that I was able to bring my portable claybox, complete with tools and turntable, to sit with my children as I worked in the kitchen, or sometimes in front of the TV with Mr. Rogers! By then his observations were indelibly imprinted on our life.
One afternoon it seemed important to get back to him on that! I wanted him to know that I was using my own earlier lonely experiences of a shy kid in hand me downs, to add uniqueness to my work, creating a little melancholy with the fun. My philosophy, like his, was that all children are special and waiting for their moment to excel. I needed the full spectrum of emotions from my childhood to enrich my little people. Mr. Rogers understood, and invited "us" to visit his TV Neighborhood in Pittsburgh. I taped a segment, explaining my technique and the story of creating the figures. It still qualifies as an exciting and very special moment in my career.
My little people took on a new dimension when I began participating in outdoor shows. Proud parents and grandparents inquired first about simple things like changing hair color from blonde to brown, or adding a particular number to a baseball uniform. " No problem" - I said! Then they began taking snapshots from their wallets. Others arrived by mail. Now most of my work is custom orders, sometimes from cherished photos taken 25-30 years ago.
Over the years I have answered hundreds of questions when in public with my work as I met others interested in being able to sculpt without the encumbrance of dusty clay, heavy tools and an expensive kiln. Their curiosity encouraged me to write a book, Hands On Sculpting, a fundamental book on sculpting and containing many "get off the ground" projects from simple to advanced.
Walking into that art store 30 years ago was such a lucky happenstance! All those kids I've made! All those parents I've met! I've loved every minute of it. Thanks.
P.S. I still wear clunky brown shoes stuffed with insoles, tightly tied.
Dottie Erdmann
Phone: (209) 586-1566 - Fax: (209) 586-1732 - E-mail: dottie@dottieerdmann.com
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