(Denise Bledsoe  2/20/20)

Fun Meets Fantasy with Finesse

by Pam North

Welcome to California artist Denise Bledsoe’s world, one that is inhabited by wondrously wacky and endearingly engaging personalities whose goofy grins and impish expressions are irresistible. Her winsome creations capture the heart as they simultaneously provoke a few giggles. Bledsoe is amazingly talented at blending fun and fantasy into enchanting characters that tickle the fancy while torquing up the world of imagination. She creates one-of-a-kind figures, both human and animal, as well as assorted and less identifiable anthropomorphic "beings", breathing into each of her creations a quirky quintessence that is amazingly unique. They are like no others, and are a joy to behold and own.

Bledsoe’s creative beginnings go back to her childhood, when she envisioned ideas for figures that didn't seem to exist as toys, so she attempted to create them herself from cloth or clay. As she explained: “I never lost the desire for that, and although my current-day pieces wouldn't be considered ‘toys’, I like for them to have a similar appeal in a grown-up form.”

Formal training in her craft encompassed more basic, two-dimensional art classes while she was in high school and a few random classes in college, but she considers herself self-taught in regard to what she does now. With artistic endeavors always having been an integral part of Bledsoe’s life, over the years she has experimented with different media such as leaded glass, oils, acrylic and watercolor paints, pen and ink, textile design, and book illustration, all leading to her current preferred focus – the combination of many different sculpting materials artfully manipulated into her charming little characters. “I believe having dabbled in many different media has had an effect on the overall look of my current work, as I enjoy combining them into each piece. Part of the fun of mixed media is never getting bored, since every day one is using different materials. My figures’ armatures are wire, wood, and foil. The costumes are devised from any and all types of fabrics and trims, and I use various fibers to make wigs. The accessories can be made from anything!”

Her work and her techniques have evolved over time. “I have found that each sculpting medium demands its own specific techniques. I challenge myself to create with all of them to accomplish different looks and results.” Her current work, as compared to her earlier efforts, also was a subject for comment. “To be honest,” she said, “I think my very early work was aimed at trying to create things directed toward what other people might like. It's not that that isn't still a goal with my current work, it's just that now I express more of my own vision and integrity, and that is what is encompassed in my creations.” Inspiration is everywhere for her. “I find it in the faces of the elderly, the instincts of animals, the innocence of children, and the absurd parts of life.”

Asked what she finds most difficult about what she does brought a somewhat surprising response. “It’s pricing. Pricing a piece according to the number of hours it has taken to complete most likely would not work without my emotions playing a part, so I stand back and consider what I would be willing to pay for it.” At the opposite end of the spectrum is what she loves most about her craft and what gives her the most satisfaction doing it, and emotion definitely is part of that picture. “I've been asked this many times, and my answer is always this - when it causes someone to smile or laugh or even cry. That touches me.”

She has been married to her husband for 42 years, and they have one son and a granddaughter, so she has managed successfully to blend her creative aspirations with her family life and to enjoy their support.

Her workplace has mirrored a parallel course with  her artistry, evolving over time. “My workplace has changed through the years. It started out as a corner of the room on a folding table, after which it was shifted to a separate room, and then to a large studio with cabinets, shelves, and a large work table. I recently moved and am in the process of building a new studio, so stand by for the next stage!”

Bledsoe has participated in art shows throughout the United States and internationally; her work has been featured in several art magazines and hardcover publications, and is in the private collections of notable celebrities. Her creations are sold mostly through fine art galleries, although she occasionally will have a piece that she sells directly to a collector after posting it on Facebook or on her website. While many artists share their artistry by holding workshops, Bledsoe chooses not to do so. “People often ask me if I teach classes but I don't. I believe teaching and doing are very different mind sets.”

The future of dolls, always a consideration to the artists who create for collectors, seems optimistic to Bledsoe. “I think there always will be many categories of ‘dolls’, as there always has been. The future of dolls as art will keep growing, since the boundaries are limitless. I hope my work will continue to be desirable, and that my collectors will relate to the directions it takes.”

As for what's next for her and her creations, those prospects are intriguing. “I almost hesitate to say that I think my work could be taking a turn for the more weird! I keep wanting to push the edge, and my collectors seem to go there with me, so that's good.”

Contact Information:
Name:  Denise Bledsoe
Email:  Bledsoedolls@aol.com
Website:  denisebledsoe.com
Address:  42050 Jericho Road, Temecula, CA 92592
Telephone:  (951) 704-8808