By Samantha Danson
Today we talk with The Repaint Society founder, Beautiful Faces'
Laurie Leigh. Along with co-organizing the group shows, Laurie Leigh has a full plate of commission work and side projects so I was
thrilled to nab some of her time and get her thoughts on The Repaint
Society and the upcoming show.
How many shows have you been involved with?
All of them so this makes the 5th.
How long does a TRS project generally take for you?
It does depend on the project but I give myself about two weeks per
doll working on that doll alone. This does not include the time to
gather all of the supplies.
What's the hardest/best thing about participating?
The most difficult part for me is finding a happy balance between my
personal work and the needs of the show. Because I am running the show
with Susan and Monica, it takes a lot of time from my other work.
The best part is the camaraderie between the artists, the bonds that
have been formed and the support of each other as artists. We have
truly come together as a community of like-minded people. It is a very
solitary occupation so having this group has helped me in the sense
that I am not alone in this. I have someone to talk to. It is pretty
awesome.
We also learn a great deal from each other.
What's your personal favorite TRS achievement?
Ariel's tail, hands down. I am most proud of that. One of the rare
dolls I didn't want to part with.
What's the most expensive element you've incorporated?
Well, personally it would be purchasing costumes for some of the
projects. Though sometimes making it yourself can be just as expensive as buying it. Even more so with the hunt for the perfect fabric, accessories, the amount of time you take to make
it. Next would be the dolls. They are expensive on their own.
What excites you most about this show?
This show I am most excited about the creativity involved. In the
past, we have made little miniatures of characters and that is very
fun and challenging but this time we get to decide all of the details.
We have creative freedom. We are creating our own character and story.
Why did you pick your character?
Mermaid
How did you decide your mash up?
It just came to me when the idea was being tossed around. I knew
exactly what I was going to do.
What will be your greatest challenge in creating her?
The sculpting. I am doing something I haven't done before so I am
excited about that.
Thanks so much, Laurie Leigh! Can't wait to see how she turns out!
