ABOUT

 

I am a doll maker, an artist of fabric and floss. My name is Kathy Kocon and I am from Albuquerque, NM.

 

I work in the ancient crafts of sewing and hand embroidery. I learned to hand embroider in Girl Scouts at age 9 yrs and never stopped. I taught myself to use a sewing machine as a young teenager.

 

The desire to design a doll with hand made clothing was inspired by several personal experiences when I was very young, which involved dressing dolls. These important events made a strong and lasting impression and shaped the work I create today.

 

My decision to use a Crow, and landscapes in my work, came about from my years of hiking and wandering in the isolated areas throughout the desert southwest.

 

Using a sewing machine, I make the 9 inch Crow doll (with a 10 inch wing span) from cotton twill, satin and wool felt, stuffed with fiberfill and recycled poly pellets. Finally they are finished with either a feather, or a torn and gathered, linen boa. I designed their body in such a way that allows them to wear a wool felt vest, which is embellished with hand embroidery. I call the vests “postcards of where crows fly.”

 

To start the landscapes, I cut out pieces of wool felt, sewing them into place using a hand applique stitch. I continue detailing the landscapes using classic hand embroidery stitches. The vest is then finished with a hand stitched trim and a snap at the back allowing it to be removed and changed. I use wool felt because of its soft, earthy colors and texture.

 

I also make the landscapes as small wall hangings. Inspired by the New Mexico tin work frames, I add a “frame” with the same stitching methods that I use to make the vests.

 

My work is serious in technique but whimsical in nature.