It is with profound sadness that we announce Anne’s passing in April 2020. We send blessings to her family and loved ones.
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After recently retiring from my post as professor of archaeology at a Hudson Valley college I decided to pursue my lifelong love of folk tales and mythology. Although folklore and myth are as ancient and common as humans themselves, the creatures that arise in that realm of imagination take on local forms. For me, the local is the Hudson River region, especially the Catskill Mountains. But in my case the local also includes places I have lived while doing my research as an archaeologist, such as the caves, ruins, and forests of Europe, Central China, and Tasmania. Hence the creatures I make are generated by my enduring love of folk tales, childhood and recent memories of exploring forests and river valleys, and a desire to replace fear with wonder.
Each character is my original creation. I do not use molds, casts, or patterns, so each one of my works is entirely unique.
I hand sculpt the heads of my puppets and the heads, hands and feet of my art dolls in polymer clay, then paint them with acrylic paints. The bodies of the dolls are made of wire armatures wrapped in cotton quilt wadding; the clothes are fabric, faux fur, leather and feathers. They range from 9” (23 cm) to 12” (28 cm). The bodies of the hand puppets are sewn of the same materials and adorned similarly. Each work is signed.
