Our History
Elizabeth Sampson started Central New York Doll Is Art Guild as a means for doll artists in central NY to network, exhibit their work and educate the public as to what an art doll is. She set up a yahoo group and developed a web-site. The group was named Central New York Doll Is Art Guild or CNYDAG. (quite a mouthful.)
Our group was open to any resident of New York - maker of dolls in any medium. (even some larges --ha ha--sorry I love puns).
Our beginning membership was of those in central NY. We had meetings in Herkimer, Norwich, Binghamton and Syracuse and it was easy for most of us, since we only had to drive perhaps an hour. (A few were from the Catskills and had to drive farther , but they did make it to a few meetings.)
The group grew and the distance between members grew as well. When doll makers from all regions of the state joined in, we relied more and more on Internet posts. Fewer physical meetings were held, not because of the lack of desire to meet but because of travel constraints.
We still managed to orchestrate challenges and exhibits, and enjoy the cyber friendships and support the group offered but... There could be more...We could be more...
We could continue with the basics, but just as our doll-making continued to evolve so could our guild .
As our guild continued to grow, so did Elizabeth's family business, and obligations. There came a time when she, with much thought and consideration, decided to step down from the guild. She dearly loved her creation, but knew it was time for her to devote her energy to other matters.
With our growth and evolution, changes were needed; changes grounded in our foundation and set in the original vision of a very unique doll-artists group. We needed to accept all makers-of-dolls, no matter what medium they use -- no matter what genre they create. The only requirement would be that they love making dolls.There would be no judging of works but simply seeing it with the eyes of the one that created it.
(Hark! Do I hear patriotic music playing in the background?)
We evolved from a little local group to a statewide cyber gathering of doll artists. Our goals had not changed:
(---drum roll please---)
DollsAsART.com
Alice Dennis
"go-to" person
Our group was open to any resident of New York - maker of dolls in any medium. (even some larges --ha ha--sorry I love puns).
Our beginning membership was of those in central NY. We had meetings in Herkimer, Norwich, Binghamton and Syracuse and it was easy for most of us, since we only had to drive perhaps an hour. (A few were from the Catskills and had to drive farther , but they did make it to a few meetings.)
The group grew and the distance between members grew as well. When doll makers from all regions of the state joined in, we relied more and more on Internet posts. Fewer physical meetings were held, not because of the lack of desire to meet but because of travel constraints.
We still managed to orchestrate challenges and exhibits, and enjoy the cyber friendships and support the group offered but... There could be more...We could be more...
We could continue with the basics, but just as our doll-making continued to evolve so could our guild .
As our guild continued to grow, so did Elizabeth's family business, and obligations. There came a time when she, with much thought and consideration, decided to step down from the guild. She dearly loved her creation, but knew it was time for her to devote her energy to other matters.
With our growth and evolution, changes were needed; changes grounded in our foundation and set in the original vision of a very unique doll-artists group. We needed to accept all makers-of-dolls, no matter what medium they use -- no matter what genre they create. The only requirement would be that they love making dolls.There would be no judging of works but simply seeing it with the eyes of the one that created it.
(Hark! Do I hear patriotic music playing in the background?)
We evolved from a little local group to a statewide cyber gathering of doll artists. Our goals had not changed:
- to network
- support one another
- challenge each other to crate and push our creative limits
- to publish and exhibit our work
(---drum roll please---)
DollsAsART.com
Alice Dennis
"go-to" person
Our Vision
Okay, so close your eyes and envision: OH wait! If you close your eyes you can't read this. So read it, then envision it. Or - have someone read it to you. OH, what ever! This is getting complicated! Anyway, here is my vision:
I can see our group as a universe made up of Doll Artists (Notice how I have changed from doll-maker to doll ARTIST?). They meet here in space, posting messages and photos, and atta girls (or guys).
In this universe we will find many elements. There will be planets -- aka satellite groups --like the HVDAG(Hudson Valley DAG group) These groups are made up of doll artists in a particular region. They have physical meetings. Since they are on the same planet (in the same locale) they can have meetings and workshops etc.and local shows. They let the universe know of their activities through the yahoo group or facebook page. They are part of the universe yet also their own group.
There also might be moons around the planets -- or maybe they are asteroids (good asteroids)--or well not sure what to call them but ---Oh I know they are constellations! They are groups made up of doll artists of a certain media : a cloth group or polymer group or felting group or....... They are part of the universe yet also their own group.
Of course there are individual stars our there. Doll Artists who belong to the universe, but do not reside on a planet and are not part of a constellation. Look at the night sky. What would it be if not for the brilliance of the individual stars? They are part of the universe'
And just watch our universe because it is full of Shooting stars!! (I don't really have to explain this do I?) They are having exhibits and receiving accolades, making sales, getting published, teaching classes and holding workshops etc.
And as a universe we put on awesome events, aka meteor showers, showcasing our artists, letting the world see and understand Dolls As ART!!
One can go to our observatory (our web-site) to view our stars and planets. One can read the star charts (our blog) to see what our universe has in store. Through these one may learn to view Dolls As ART!
With a nod to Captain Kirk, through our networking, sharing and supporting of one another, we can really boldly go where no doll artists have gone before, encompassing and welcoming all and shining together as we spread the word throughout the universe that one needs to see Dolls As ART!!!
Okay a little dramatic, but hey! I sure had fun writing it, and I truly meant it all. We are artists, we as doll artists have a universal interest to share our art with others and truly wish all would see Dolls As ART.
Alice Dennis
"go-to" person
I can see our group as a universe made up of Doll Artists (Notice how I have changed from doll-maker to doll ARTIST?). They meet here in space, posting messages and photos, and atta girls (or guys).
In this universe we will find many elements. There will be planets -- aka satellite groups --like the HVDAG(Hudson Valley DAG group) These groups are made up of doll artists in a particular region. They have physical meetings. Since they are on the same planet (in the same locale) they can have meetings and workshops etc.and local shows. They let the universe know of their activities through the yahoo group or facebook page. They are part of the universe yet also their own group.
There also might be moons around the planets -- or maybe they are asteroids (good asteroids)--or well not sure what to call them but ---Oh I know they are constellations! They are groups made up of doll artists of a certain media : a cloth group or polymer group or felting group or....... They are part of the universe yet also their own group.
Of course there are individual stars our there. Doll Artists who belong to the universe, but do not reside on a planet and are not part of a constellation. Look at the night sky. What would it be if not for the brilliance of the individual stars? They are part of the universe'
And just watch our universe because it is full of Shooting stars!! (I don't really have to explain this do I?) They are having exhibits and receiving accolades, making sales, getting published, teaching classes and holding workshops etc.
And as a universe we put on awesome events, aka meteor showers, showcasing our artists, letting the world see and understand Dolls As ART!!
One can go to our observatory (our web-site) to view our stars and planets. One can read the star charts (our blog) to see what our universe has in store. Through these one may learn to view Dolls As ART!
With a nod to Captain Kirk, through our networking, sharing and supporting of one another, we can really boldly go where no doll artists have gone before, encompassing and welcoming all and shining together as we spread the word throughout the universe that one needs to see Dolls As ART!!!
Okay a little dramatic, but hey! I sure had fun writing it, and I truly meant it all. We are artists, we as doll artists have a universal interest to share our art with others and truly wish all would see Dolls As ART.
Alice Dennis
"go-to" person