Longefellowes Designs

About the Artist

Bev is one of those annoying creative types who is into everything. Once upon a time, that was called being a 'Renaissance Man' (or Woman, as the case may be), but these days she's just accused of having a short attention span, or alternatively, having ADD. Frankly, Bev has never met another artist who doesn't have ADD - too much creativity and too little time will do that to a brain. And when we say she's into everything, we pretty much mean it. Over the course of time, including grade school (hey, it counts!), she has tried: painting (watercolor, oil, acrylic), drawing (crayon, pencil, colored pencil, ink, chalks, pastels, charcoal, etc.), sewing, costuming, beading, quilting, millinery, needlework (embroidery, cross-stitch, punch-needle, goldwork), leather work, metal work, wood work, faux-finishing, gardening, herbology, floral arranging, the list goes on, and on.

Bev definitely qualifies as a knowledge junkie. Now, granted, some of those forays lasted only a brief while, until the novelty wore off and something else caught her attention, and some things have stuck around (like lampshade making). We're quite sure she will always find new things to explore (we see furniture making and upholstery in the future)...but let's not forget sculpting.

Bev got into sculpting quite by accident, or maybe it was Fate, we're not sure. The only time she had tried sculpting before (not counting Play-Doh and the obligatory pinch-pot in third grade art class) was in art school. When the beginning level sculpting class began with subtractive method sculpting on a piece of marble (basically, students were told 'go pick out a rock and start sculpting, and oh, don't forget to pay for your rock'), Bev, along with many others, dropped the class like the proverbial hot rock. She hadn't given a thought to sculpting since. Fast forward to October 2006, when she wound up taking a doll-making class with Jack Johnston, and discovered Art Dolls, polymer clay, and a hidden talent. Although Bev had re-entered the world of cloth dolls in 2001, and was fairly happy in that world, the Art Doll world offered something extra, and she's been hooked ever since.

People are always accusing her of being 'scattered' or 'unfocused', and some get a bit frustrated and suggest (with all good intentions) that she could do very well if she would "settle" on just one thing and just "do that". Ironically enough, though, being 'scattered' is perfect for dollmaking. In the world of Art Dolls, Bev can use all of what she has learned, and apply it using her creativity and spontaneity, and most importantly, have fun while doing it. And of course, if in the process of making a doll, she needs to learn something new, well, what a shame!