I want to make things that move. By Li Hertzi, Art Doll Adventures

I want to make things that move, move your mind, your heart, your hands and your perception.

I want to make waves, interrupt your static view, slide, spin, sashay, I want to make things wiggle and shake, I want art to make me jump back, I want to suddenly become motionless and breathless in front of it.

I want to run from it. I want to be humbled and still before it. I want to stretch forwards, shrink from, and walk around and around art.

I want to grow out of it, and sink into it.

I want art that reaches in and pinches me hard. I want it to slowly nip at my beliefs until they scamper to a new place.

I want to be seriously moved by art, to swim in color and texture, to be removed, misplaced and skid in a dust cloud of delight to the finish.

I want to make things that move.

I live with my folks now and we are in the process of cleaning out the ICV, i.e. "the Inky Cluttered Vastness," also known as the garage. It is full of history, my parents' paintings from the 50s, moldy quilts from the 20s, dust from the 70s, hats, airless balls, leaves, car parts, toy parts, and pot shards, more and more and more and more... and under all of that... between a piece of an old piano and the floor, was this piece of paper.

Ah! Finally some of MY history! This wasn't the exact beginning of my "move" fascination or my sewing adventures, but it was close. You are talking about a girl who started swinging from things at a very early age!

Though we didn't find any actual puppets, this little price list, replete with hand drawn illustrations, press-down type and a layer of memory, thick and sticky, was all that was left of those movers and shakers.

They were made out of felt and the seams were on the outside, and even then, my favorite thing was the embellishing, the ears and eyes, that 'gators spine and the butterfly, yummmm... We had a little stage and my sister and I put on shows for the kids at the craft faires we went to that summer, and the local TV station.

And did I make this stompin' and stalkin' menagerie on a Bernina? Ah, I regret to say... "no" ... Imagine having such finery as my 630 at age 13!

Voila! Exhibit One

The Spartan! At the time, this seemed anything but spartan. I loved the sound of it and how substantial it felt... and compared to my grandma's machine which was actually attached to the table, and her feet were usually happily attached to the pedal, it was marvelously portable.

Voila! Exhibit Two

Me and my 630 - my, what a couple of decades can do for use sewing fanatics!

I am still doing puppets and loving things that move, including machines, thread and my texture-loving heart everytime I revel in the cloth.

Create Stuff, Be Happy and Play! Li