Adele:
Hi, I am Adele Shortino, an artist, graphic designer, photographer, and entrepreneur. It feels like just yesterday when I first set my sights on becoming a full-time artist. However, life took a different turn leading me into the world of sales and marketing. As the years went by, my two passions seamlessly merged, allowing me not only to pursue my artistic endeavors, but also to integrate my marketing skills. This fusion gave birth to a four artistic and online platform offering art classes, a four artistic quarterly e-magazine, and artistic marketing solutions, a division focused on marketing strategies for artists. Throughout my artistic journey, I've had the privilege of encountering a multitude of exceptional artists who express their creativity through a wide range of mediums. This ongoing passion for connecting with fellow artists has driven me to create the Artist to Artist podcast. This platform aims to foster a stronger sense of community amongst artists by facilitating the sharing of stories and providing valuable marketing tips. Through this podcast, I have strived to support artists and inspire them to continue in their artistic journey. Together we can fuel the flames of inspiration. If you're passionate about art or an aspiring artist who is looking to be inspired, you're in the right place.
Welcome, everybody. We're so excited to be here, and there's a lot of us trying to celebrate this wonderful ebook that Anki has put together for us. And as you know, she is our guest for today. And I wanted to say a couple of words about this project that we have been working on since I believe last year, , it has taken us a long time to put all of these pages together and Anki being such a prolific artist, it was just pages and pages and pages of magical Doll art that you will be amazed about also, um, Anki will be talking about her ebook and her journey as an artist and where she started and where she will be going next. So we are not going to wait, and I'm not gonna keep jabbering on because I wanna bring her up. Hi Aki. Hi, Adele.
Nice to meet you. Yeah, nice seeing you again. And it's just been a wonderful experience, uh, working with you on this ebook project. And like I mentioned before, we started this last year, and it was amazing, uh, to see all of your beautiful art rolling in and me trying to figure out how was I going to present all of these magical pieces that you have created over the years. So I know that everybody wants to hear a little bit about yourself and where are you are right now, and where you been and where are you going,
Ankie:
? Yeah, it's really a long time ago. I made my first doll very, very long time ago. And I think that it is amazing that we live in a world where this is possible. I remember that when I go, uh, when I got to learn about the doll, the magazines about doll making in the United States, that I went with my doll to a photographer and I had to make pic, had to have him make pictures of the dolls, sent them in an envelope to the magazines, hoping that they will publish my dolls. And look what we are doing now. We can talk with all people who love dolls all over the world. So
Adele:
It's amazing. It's amazing. It's amazing.
Ankie:
And I, and I know that you are doing an amazing job to support the, uh, the artists. So I am really very happy that you wanted to take this project on your shoulders because it's, it's many, many hours are in this book.
Adele:
Well, uh, it, it was it, to tell you it was a pure pleasure, to tell you the truth. Yeah. I, I just loved, uh, every minute of it and, and, and to be able to, um, project that love that you have and that passion that you have for your art dolls. It was, uh, it was really a lot of fun, actually. But I was mostly, I was amazed at the amount of art that you have put out. I think you've lived 10 lifetimes in your one lifetime. It's incredible.
Ankie:
. Yeah. I put dive in into a doll, make in, in making a new doll. And, uh, it filled my mind and my imagination, my fantasy, it felt my life because it's really a passion. Sometimes I say to students who are joining my, the class, my class for the first time, your life will probably change. When, when you feel this really as a passion, then you are, you never will have a dull moment anymore. And especially because so much aspects of creativity are going in a dull, it's the sculpting, it's making the body, and especially the costuming, the painting and putting that figurine together. It gives you aha moment. Sometimes students ask me, what do you like most on, on making the doll? And then I say, the very last minute when the doll is ready. And I can say, wow,
Adele:
. Well, that's with all your pieces, Angie. Cuz they are just beautiful. They are just beautiful. We just had some people come on. Uh, Laura, let's see.
Ankie:
Hi, Laura ,
Adele:
Thank you for being here. And Giselle also, she's from Montreal. She's from my next Yeah. And then we have Susan.
Ankie:
Hi Susan. Hi .
Adele:
Thank you for being here. And we appreciate you posting and, and even asking questions. We'd love to hear those if you have 'em. And, um, sometimes your name will appear, sometimes it won't. So just kind of put your name right there too, because Facebook is kind of funny that way. Well, Anki, can you tell us a little bit where you started from with your doll career?
Ankie:
Well, I always, as a young child, was looking for something to do in the art, more in the beauty. I loved things that were beautiful, like ballerina or an opera singer or mm-hmm. , uh, nice, nice dresses for little girls. And I, I struggled my way through being a, a, a school teacher for young children and then going to, uh, study music until I bumped into a exhibition of dolls. And that was unique in hope. I went there, I went back three times and I was overwhelmed. I felt this is what I wanted to do. This is what I want to, to be a doll maker. And everything came together in the dolls that I saw at that moment. And at that time, we had to develop everything ourselves. You only had a piece of paper clay or, or air dry clay, and that's it.
So you had to see how to build an armature, what furnace you could use, what paints what, what everything you had to invent yourself. And I remember that as a young child, that we, we came from a very modest family. We, we were not rich, and we had to make every, my mother made everything herself. And the joy that it gave you to make something yourself was so great. It is so fulfilling that, uh, I hope that young people are able to put their cell phones aside and, and try to create something that comes from their own identity, and not from a world that is already made for them, but that they are able to create something out of their soul. And they will experience so much joy. Because since the first door I made, I was filled with love for dolls, for dole making.
Adele:
Well, you know, that's really a great advice, uh, anki there, it really is joyful to create something with your hands and then see it all the way to the end. Yeah. I know for myself, I, I love working with many different mediums and it, it is, it drives me to finish it because I wanna also, like you, I wanna have that wow factor at the end. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So, um, you also did porcelain. I think you started in porcelain first and then you went into paper clay.
Ankie:
No, I first had add dry clay. They called it , but it was fragile and especially the hands. And when you, when I started to travel with adults to go to exhibitions, uh, then I, um, I discovered, uh, mold making and, uh, this porcelain slip. And for about 10 years I made porcelain dolls. Uh, finally I had the help of a fantastic mold maker because, um, for me it took too much time to make the molds mm-hmm. and, and that time I wanted to use to create the doll and not only do the technical part of it. So after a few years, I had a fantastic mold maker. And when I, uh, when we moved to Spain, um, Spain in that time was not having a very strong electricity system. So I was afraid that the kilns would not bake very well. And then I discovered the creative paper clay. And that is an an an a Japanese air dry clay, which is so strong and so smooth that when you process that, when you finish that in a good way, it, it looks like porcelain. And you don't, you, you, every time when you start over, you can create a complete new figurine. Mm-hmm.
Adele:
.
Ankie:
So, uh, I think I, I, after 10 years porcelain, then I do make, I use paper clay now about 15 or 20 years. I would love to do, I still have my moles. Yeah. But, um, yeah, I still have my moles, but, um, I have to purchase a, a killing. And I did not do that yet, so.
Adele:
Well, you know, Iki, I own one of your porcelain dolls. Um, you do.
Ankie:
Yes, I
Adele:
Do. I do. I have this little guy
Ankie:
I know he's my gesture.
Adele:
I just love him. And, uh, every time I see him, I always think about you. I, and, and I'm, right now he's in Montreal, and I'm gonna be moving him to Florida shortly, hopefully in the next couple of months. But his, uh, he's, he's beautiful and he's just as beautiful. When I first bought him, and he's, and it was a long time ago. It was when you were, um, idexx I think. Yes. Yeah.
Ankie:
That's where I idexx i in there. Yeah. I miss those, uh, conventions.
Adele:
Yes. Well,
Ankie:
Fantastic. But, you know, life, life took and life life takes away and you have to invent something new Yes. In instead of what's Yeah.
Adele:
And sometimes better, but sometimes not . So no, we just have to go. I think
Ankie:
We have been very, very lucky that we have been able to do all these beautiful shows. Yes. I also loved the shows in Santa Fe and, and San Francisco and Orlando and all the people we met and yeah, it was lovely.
Adele:
Yes. Yeah. Yes. It was, um, a great way to connect with other people that love, you
Ankie:
Know, a great way. Yeah,
Adele:
Yeah. The, the love for doll making. Yeah. Um, and then from there, uh, on your, once you finished up with porcelain, you moved right into Pay Clay.
Ankie:
Yes. Yeah. And what I like is that, um, I like to create different bodies that, uh, also for my collectors, that every New doll was completely different from the doll I made, uh, the last doll I made. Because when you constantly use the same, uh, uh, uh, position or the same movement in your doll, so I loved to, to work with, with different body shapes and, and make that there's a surprising every doll. Right. Every doll needs to tell you something else.
Adele:
Right. Um, Elena said that all your dolls are gorgeous.
Ankie:
Thank you, Elena. Hello.
Adele:
And Veronica's mentioning we folk. We remember that. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. It's, uh, it's amazing how all these shows have kind of gone by, but there's other shows that come up and also, um, like you had mentioned online has created another avenue for us to, to gather into, you know, meet other artists and hopefully at one point meet live , you know? Yes.
Ankie:
Yeah. Yeah. I was so happy to host so many students, uh, during my door making holiday classes in Spain mm-hmm. . And, uh, we always had great time and they came from all over the world. And it's so nice to see on Facebook that these people, they stay connected. Yes. And of course, yeah. Uh, eight different people step in, in the classroom and after, uh, eight days they are friends forever. And that is what the dolls make with do for you.
Adele:
Yes. Absolutely. Well, what really, uh, stands out on all of your pieces, not only the expression on the dolls, but it's the costuming Anki, and I'm sure you get this question asked all the time, where do you get these ideas and where do you buy this? And I remember seeing on this ebook I was reading that you visualize everything through doll's eyes.
Ankie:
Yes, yes. I always look for doll with, with doll eyes. Yes. I go to free markets, I go to thrift stores. Mm-hmm. I buy crazy dresses because when you, you can buy in a beautiful fabric store, you can buy a yard of beautiful fabric, but you have a straight piece. When you go to thrift stores or the better of vintage stores, and you buy an evening dress, it has pleats in a different way. It has, uh, decorations on it, uh, in a different way. And you can use these and your, your costume gets a little bit more extraordinary than just cutting from a plain piece of fabric.
Adele:
Right. So,
Ankie:
And I like to, uh, I like to use all kinds of, of embellishments also. I like, uh, wire, I like wire flowers. I like materials that you can curl, that you can bend, that you can, uh, the, the, the top side of shoes, I cut them off and
Adele:
Ankie:
And, and, um, well, maybe there will be, um, a life, a costuming class in the future mm-hmm. that I can show you where I take those stuff, what I do with it, and where, how I cut it apart and challenge. It's great. Yeah. I still want the costume to be quiet, because when you, at first, when you look to the doll in the first time, you see, uh, uh, you, yeah. All the materials united, do I say that? Well, right. In the costume. And then you come closer and you say, oh, wait a moment. Look what's there. And there's more and there is more. Wow. There's a lot on this. Do
Adele:
.
Ankie:
Cause I want put it together that it gives you that it is quiet for the eye. Mm-hmm. And warm full of soul.
Adele:
Well, that is so true, Anki. I know when you sent me all those millions of pictures, , I kept looking at it. I said, I don't have time to look at these right now. So I was just doing the graphics and putting all the layouts and stuff on them. But then when I finally finished everything, I took time, went and had a cup of coffee, sat down and looked at the ebook, and I went, oh my gosh. And I'd have to enlarge it so I could see some of those little, I call 'em surprises within your costumes. And the other part that I liked Anki, is that they're whims skull. Like you have one walking with a giraffe Yeah. Or walking with a pig or walking with a creature. I don't know. It was just different things. Uh, and the headdresses were really interesting too, the hair. So I really sat down and studied every picture. Well, most of them . Yeah. But, uh, beautiful
Ankie:
Adele. And it's true. When I go to a free market, I never have the feeling I have to hurry because people who came before me don't buy what I buy. Yeah. , they like the trash. I like the trash. Yeah. Sometimes I shop in the trash cans, in where Yeah, in the trash cans. In the trash cans that you put your trash can out, uh, on the street. Now you have all these containers and people put the most funny things next to the trash can. So in the evening, I said to Dick, okay, let's go shopping and what the trash can is offering us.
Adele:
Oh, that's funny. But you know what, uh, Anki, it, it just adds to the whole, to the whole experience of creating your pieces. And also, um, you, you also put, uh, I, I see the expressions that you do on your paper, clay, uh, I don't know if it has to do with the time of your life. I mean, some of them were, they're all different and they all have different expressions. How do you feel, how does that work for you? Like, for instance, today you're really happy, Tamara, you're not so happy. Do you find that you have a difference in the expressions of your dolls?
Ankie:
Maybe, maybe, uh, in the first period that I created dolls, I went through a rough period in my life who did not. I mean, many of us did. And, uh, I loved very sad dolls. But, um, when I, uh, when later when I started to, to start sculpting, then, um, the, the, the sadness disappears because there's so much joy in it. Yes. And, and I, I, um, a good advice is when you, when you always make the same face, then you should change your base form. Be because when you, when you, when your, the front of your face is a little bit rounded mm-hmm. And you start working on it, make it more rounded than your face comes a little bit more to the forward, to to the front. And you have different face. So always try to play with your clay that you do not make it a trick that you put the same amounts of clay every time on this, on the, on your, the you are sculpting mm-hmm. . So change those things. And, um, and then yeah. I have so many ideas in my head that are, I have not enough time Yes,
Adele:
Yes. To
Ankie:
Make everything I like.
Adele:
But do you find that doll making, well arts in general is very therapeutic. Yes. It, it just, it helps you get all, uh, get over rough times. Um, it brings you so much joy, uh,
Ankie:
So much joy and so much energy. We had a, yes, we had quite a busy time because we moved from Spain to Holland. Yes. And, uh, behind me, you see, I just finished, uh, putting all the stuff in my new studio here. So you are all welcome to visit my studio. But yesterday we took a day off and we drove, uh, to Brussels, which is only one and a half hour from where we live. And we went into the areas where you had the vintage stores and, and, and then I feel that the energy really sparkles in me then after being busy. So with, with all the unpacking and, and getting your house ready, you feel a completely different energy when you see when you can enjoy art. Yes. That is really true. Art is, is is medicine for the soul.
Adele:
Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, I know this is the ebook that we did on this project, but this is not your first book. You have done other books. Yes. Uh, can you tell us a little bit about those?
Ankie:
Yes. Um, well, my one, uh, one of my first teachers was Nisha Walters from Bammo. Um, uh, I went to, uh, to a course that she gave. She was the founder of the Dutch, uh, Dole making start. Mm-hmm. people were in line for her. She had a beautiful house and a studio, and she created a completely new world. Unfortunately, she died a few years ago. Her daughter, Suzanne Walters, is still putting up, uh, lovely, uh, conventions where you can go in, in Antwerp, in Brussels, in Bruge, in Amsterdam, in, in, uh, in, in places in Holland. Very special places to go to. And, um, I lost the que, I I lost the question. What was the question?
Adele:
Well, we were talking about, we were talking about, um, the books that you created before this and, and
Ankie:
Then Yeah. And then, uh, uh, uh, they were also publishers Uhhuh, uh, they published my first book
Adele:
Oh, okay.
Ankie:
Book. They published about 50 from different artists. Okay. But I was lucky to be the one, the book Fantastic figurines.
Adele:
Nice.
Ankie:
And I, I published two books with them and one on, um, costuming. Right. But yeah, that's 45 years ago. Yeah.
Adele:
And then, and then you had this one.
Ankie:
Yes. Yes. It's just, uh, uh, uh, it's a good book when you start. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Uh, with, with good ideas from the sculpting, good pictures. And, uh, yeah. It's,
Adele:
Yeah. And, and it's still available. And it's great because we were able to convert it to an ebook, because as many, many may not know, uh, printing right now is, and it's not gonna get any better, is terribly, terribly expensive. Um, doing, doing the books in ebook makes it affordable for everyone to enjoy what you have to offer. And, uh, that's, that's exciting. And that's, this is this ebook here that, um, we'll be releasing tomorrow. And we can't . It's 280 pages. a pure magic .
Ankie:
Yeah. You can sit down, relax, have a coffee, a wine, a beer.
Adele:
Yeah. Whatever. . Well, it's, uh, it's really incredible. And I like the fact that, um, you also included your students, um, from, well, Australia, Spain, uh, there was a California, there was several classes that, uh, groups of people in this, uh, ebook. Lovely,
Ankie:
Lovely, lovely.
Adele:
Yeah. Oh, they're gonna be so excited, uh, yeah. To see that they're in there. Yes. And also, um, I know that many, uh, people, and some may not know that you also had the Dutch touch with Marlena.
Ankie:
Yes, we did. We did. Dutch, Dutch, Dutch. 19 years.
Adele:
Amazing. Really amazing. Yeah.
Ankie:
We started with twice a year mm-hmm. . And then I think after 15 years, it dropped to once a year because, uh, the, the money crisis when the banks, that, that, that was a kind of, uh, how do you say that? Uh, a change in the world. Right. You got have, uh, more careful, uh, about traveling and spending money on things. And so there was a little bit a change. And then, because, um, we already did that many, it, it's nice. There is a, a very lovely video on YouTube. It's called The New Dutch. Dutch
Adele:
Okay. . Very
Ankie:
Nice to see. Yeah. And we created a new doll for the, for the Dutch. Dutch. Mm-hmm. . But we had a wonderful time. We had a wonderful, wonderful time together.
Adele:
Well, that was,
Ankie:
We, we've seen more from the, the states than many people who live in there.
Adele:
Yeah. Yeah. Well, you traveled everywhere. And, uh, that was, it was very popular. And it's also amazing, um, how you, um, the friendship also, uh, grew. Yes. Through, yes. Through the touch. Touch. And that was, that was, and it was, because I took it when you were in Houston. I took it. I think that was probably Woo, I don't know how long ago that was.
Ankie:
Always a great time. Always.
Adele:
Yes. We had a great time. I remember. We just, uh, um, we worked
Ankie:
Hard. We worked hard. It was not Yes, yes, yes. Chatting. We were chatting and sitting down and No, we worked very hard for everybody to go home with a beautiful Dutch. Dutch.
Adele:
I know, I know. And you made it fun, which is nice. And Laura said here, that's how she met you through
Ankie:
The Dutch. Yes. Laura. Hi. I'm going to see Laura within three, four weeks in Rome, we are having a class in Rome.
Adele:
Oh my goodness. Special. How exciting. That's gonna be a lot of fun. And you make, you make every class, uh, just, just extra special Anki. And I know you love your students and, and they love you. And it's, uh, you have touched the world with your dolls. Um, I know that you've done, you've also had a trip to Japan. Didn't you go to Japan one time? Yes. You see, went to Japan.
Ankie:
Yeah.
Adele:
So, um, when you start looking about all the places that you've been and all the people that you have met.
Ankie:
Yeah. Really,
Adele:
Really, really incredible. Really incredible. And,
Ankie:
Uh, I'm very grateful for that. And I also have to say thank you to my husband. Yes. When I met my husband, uh, after my first marriage, um, I, I lived alone for about eight years, and then I met Dick, and he was the person who supported me, always Nice. He, he gave me the space and possibilities to grow as an artist. So definitely deserves a great thank you.
Adele:
Yes. Well, that's, that's good because I think that, um, when we have our spouses that support, uh, what we love to do, our passion is truly important because that allows us to really spread our wings and to, you know, the thing about artists, it's in your blood. .
Ankie:
Yeah. It's in your blood.
Adele:
Get rid of it.
Ankie:
Yeah. When we, when we moved from Spain, uh, we started with that move a year ago. I had a big studio there, and then I thought, well, I have, we have to buy a house where I have space for a studio. Right. Cause I cannot imagine not to live with my studio, my dolls, meeting people here and creating classes and, and creating my dolls. And I, it's very important, very
Adele:
Important for me. Yeah. I know. I know. When, um, when we, well, you've been here Anki, you know that I have a big studio as well. And, um, most, most, uh, the, the most enjoyable part of this whole house is the studio . In fact, when we have people that come, they wanna come sit in the studio, they don't wanna go sit in the kitchen.
Ankie:
No, no.
Adele:
This becomes gathering place.
Ankie:
Yeah. Yeah. Lovely. Yeah.
Adele:
Yes. Well,
Ankie:
And you also have been a, a wonderful, wonderful help. I think we, we, we already worked together more than 20 years. Yes.
Adele:
Yes.
Ankie:
The first times I only sent you, uh, some pictures and, uh, and, and, uh, an email and you created a class out of it. Right. But slowly on, we developed, I developed to be a little bit better. And, uh, and, and slowly we developed, uh, so we have a long time relationship.
Adele:
Yes, we do. And it's, and, and I'm very grateful for that Anki, uh, because I truly, truly love helping artists. And, um, most of the people that I'm in communication with, uh, we just recently sold our business that we've had for 50 years. Wow. And, um, I was the marketing, sales and marketing director there. And, and now I'm wanting to expand to help artists, uh, be more visible on, on social media or whatever. But anyway, uh, more of that information to come later. But I am so
Ankie:
Now, I think people will be amazed about what you did with this book.
Adele:
Oh, yeah.
Ankie:
I, I, I'm almost sure you will get more requests.
Adele:
Oh, well, thank you, Anki. Uh, and I, I appreciate that you have allowed me to step into your world and to put it out there for everybody to see, um, the magic that you have created all of these years. And I, I saw pieces that I have never seen before. I, I went, where was this? I've never seen this piece before.
Ankie:
No. That, that is why I, I, I go, I, the idea grew in me when I was, uh, looking into old, I have about 40, uh, uh, albums with pictures when we only had photos. And I thought, wow, this is all in boxes and stored and, and, uh, folders in my computer. So how lovely would it be when we put it in a nice book? So it, it, it gives you also inspiration. Yes. And well, fun dolphin.
Adele:
Yes. Well, I, I, I thought the way we, we put the book together was, it, it was nice because when we were in the paper clay area, we talked about, uh, dolls with animals, uh, you know, the, the, uh, half dolls and the boy dolls and the girl dolls and the mermaids. So everything is in a category, which is kind of fun to see. Yes. Um, the different versions of mermaids and the different versions of the jesters. I mean, that was, um, it's really interesting. Really interesting.
Ankie:
I hope many people will go enjoy the book.
Adele:
Yeah. I hope so too. Um,
Ankie:
That's what we did it for.
Adele:
Yeah. Well, I know for sure we enjoyed it, . We
Ankie:
Enjoyed it. Definitely. Yeah.
Adele:
We had a, a fun. So, Anki, anything else, any words of wisdom you wanna leave us with?
Ankie:
Never stop making dolls.
Adele:
No. . We never wanna stop making dolls. Well, before we go, why don't you tell us what are your future plans?
Ankie:
Um, my future plans are, I hope to be able to, uh, um, uh, welcome new students here in my studio. Mm-hmm. also, uh, in the, the private classes or do making classes, um, uh, doll making holiday classes. And I want to create a start, uh, keep on going, creating my own work, work. Uh, for one year I was not able to make new dolls, but, um, already new ideas are coming into my mind. And, um, so it'll not take a long time. And then my package of Clays on the table again, and you can see New Dolls appearing.
Adele:
That's exciting. That's exciting. But you are now permanently in the Netherlands, correct? Permanently, yes. And you have, um, you have your studio set up Yeah. Where people can come, they can take private lessons too, right?
Ankie:
Yes. Everybody can take lessons here.
Adele:
Yeah. Okay. And you take, um,
Ankie:
You can come over. We have very nice bed and breakfast here around the corner. You can come with a French, you can come with a group. Mm-hmm. You, they are interesting places here to go. And, uh, we, we live close to the most exciting cities. And so Yeah, you can just, you are welcome. The door. The door door is open. .
Adele:
Well, they just have to reach out and
Ankie:
Are not able to make a doll. I can tell you. You are able to make a beautiful doll.
Adele:
Absolutely. Absolutely. In fact, uh, with you saying that, I remember we had, uh, a couple of students when you did the workshops here at my studio that had never touched clay. And, um, they were amazed that they were able to sculpt ahead, uh, do the costuming, uh, the painting. And, um, but, you know, um, that's a tribute to you, Anki, because you are a very patient and very good teacher.
Ankie:
Thank you.
Adele:
You are. And, uh, I'm not just saying that because we're friends, , I truly mean that
Ankie:
I, I do my best. Yes. I try to step in the, in the student. And that, what do you want to hear when somebody is teaching you? You want to be, you need to be able to process the knowledge Right. That the teacher is telling you. And when you understand it, then you can, you can do it.
Adele:
Yes. That's, that's true. And I think also, not only do you give them the tools to be able to do this, but you also give them the proper information on the supplies because, uh, a lot of people want to achieve that, but they're not using the proper supplies or the proper tools. Um, and, and that's one thing I see about your classes. You're, you're always so open to give them that information, uh, for them to be successful. You know, after workshop . Yeah.
Ankie:
I, uh, next week on Saturday, I go to Mount Vernon again.
Adele:
Okay.
Ankie:
I think I've been there 14 years already.
Adele:
Wow.
Ankie:
The students come back in the studio in Glen Jackson's and Dora Sutton's, uh, house Uhhuh. We have a, a, a lovely, uh, four story house. Uh, they have a beautiful studio downstairs, upstairs. They have guest rooms for the students, and we always have great time. Yeah. So next Saturday I will be going there again and we are going to have fun.
Adele:
Of course. That's what it's all about. That's what, pardon?
Ankie:
That's what I always say to the students. The most important is that we have, that we enjoy it, that we have fun. Right. And then we are going to try to achieve the best we can. But the, the fun of making this doll that is very important.
Adele:
Yes. I think so too. Well, I know that everybody leaves with smiles on their faces after they take their workshop with you. And they, they have a lot of, uh, information to, to make another piece. But the best thing is that they have a finished piece. Most of the time they walk outta here with a finished piece, which is great.
Ankie:
Finished first, that's necessary. Finished piece. Yeah.
Adele:
Yeah, I think so. And generally the classes are three or four days. Anki, I,
Ankie:
Uh, four or five.
Adele:
Four or five.
Ankie:
Depends on what the students want. I can always do five. Mm-hmm. , but some are still working or have no possibility to come five days. Right. So, but we can do the doll in four days, but if they want to slow down a little bit mm-hmm. , we do five days. Yeah.
Adele:
That's great. That's great. Well, Anki, it's been just a pleasure working on the project. It's been tons of fun of having you, uh, on this interview. And, uh, just always delightful to see you and to see that now you are settled in your news studio and, uh, all of that's behind you. .
Ankie:
Yeah. Stuff, stuff, stuff.
Adele:
Oh, I know. Combining studios, I, I'm gonna have the same situation where I've gotta bring two studios together into one. But you know what, we discover new things, right. That we've been looking
Ankie:
For always. Yes. New markets, new thrift stores.
Adele:
Yes. Yes.
So again, thank you everyone for being here. Uh, we appreciate you and we will be talking to you soon. Hey, there. Fabulous listeners of the Artist to Artist podcast. I hope you've been having an absolute blast tuning in. If you've been enjoying the show. Let's spread the love together, share this podcast on your social media platforms with all your artist friends and creative communities. We're on a mission to create an amazing space where art stories flow freely. And my personal and professional tips help supercharge your art journey. Remember, we're all in this together. And supporting each other is the name of the game. It's a win-win situation, folks. So keep those creative vibes alive. Stay inspired, and until we meet again, may your art soar to new heights. Get ready for more excitement, cuz we'll be back soon with awesome episodes. Until the next time, keep rocking and rolling. Your creativity.
