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Lately, amongst other things, I've been trying to make sense of my sketchbook stash. It's a part of a bigger scheme I've started to help me keep track of my work. I have very erratic journaling habits. Things have gone down from the times I kept my notebooks very orderly in college. Now, I have no assessments to keep ready for, so I neglected this area a little. Still, it helps to be able to decipher ones own handwriting. I mostly collage things together as a reminder of my thinking process or make quick sketches. Creating elaborate drawings when all you need is a couple of lines is a luxury. I might get back to drawing a bit once I've sorted out all of those pages. It's interesting to just get back to some of them, scrap bad ideas and develop the good ones. What's going to be my next project?

I constantly try to improve my dolls in some way. I wanted to increase their mobility even further. That's why I have developed a three-part torso and additional thigh joints.

The three part torso allows for greater flexibility of posture and makes it easier to achieve a natural curve in the back, not to mention some great hip action! However, it's been giving me problems with warping and distorting in the kiln because of it's shape and the size of my dolls. This attempt has the best chance ever to function correctly and if it fails, I'll give up on it. I can't wait to put it through the firing process and see the results! I just cast the first batch of these yesterday. Wish me luck :)

The other new addition is the thigh joint. It's the only way to make a ball jointed doll able to bring her knees to her chest. I wanted Moth Dolls to have this ability where needed. Not every doll has to be jointed in so many places to work and be enjoyed, but some of the ideas I have will require this option. Finished dolls with the new features will have up to 19 points of articulation and 22 elements (if fully double jointed). I am really excited about this! Posing a doll with such mobility is going to be great fun.

During my recent trip back to Poland, I re-discovered some of the things that shaped my past. Books were always important to me. Ever since I became aware of the pleasure of reading I was hardly ever seen without a novel of some sort, but I never really grew out of picture books - art history albums, children's books etc are still a source of joy and inspiration to me.

The two I would like to mention here are the favourite classic Pinocchio, beautifully illustrated by Jan Marcin Szancer, and the slightly less popular (at least outside of the countrie's boarders) "Plastus' diary". What they have in common is the theme of a character who is not human, yet somehow alive. Pinocchio is a wooden puppet, Plastus - a tiny figurine shaped out of plasticine (hence his name - plasticine buddy). I was a huge fan of both of those as a kid and I still like them now. Both protagonists go on adventures and explore the world around them. Even as a child, I was sceptical towards the existance of any supernatural forces or creatures - I didn't believe in fairies (sorry, Tinkerbell!), unicorns, elves etc. I kind of wanted to believe, though, because the world of miniature existence fascinated me. I read Thumbelina and Tom Thumb and played with a tiny plastic gnome, pretending he was like one of those characters... Those two books brought me back to that source of enchantment in my imagination. Needless to say, all sorts of artificial life stories and characters (robots and androids, Edward Scissorhands and many more) are still important to me. Even if I know they won't really come to life :)

Do you have any favourites in this category?

I spent last week in Poland, my home town of Bolesławiec. I had not been there for quite a while. I felt it was time to visit my family, catch up with old friends and immerse myself in the somewhat peculiar and amazing reality of life in that little corner of my universe. As a Polish emigrant, living in Ireland for a better part of a decade, I have - just like many of my fellow emigrants - mixed feelings about going back home. In a way, I am home here, in the house and city I live in everyday. But a part of me belongs, and probably forever will, to the place I grew up in. Even if, in a sense, that place does not exist any more. It is fascinating to go back and discovered how it changed since my last visit. What I remember and what I see are sometimes two completely different things. Gradually, with the passing of time, the boundaries of my memories are blurred, they become contaminated with later events.

Occasionally, I get nostalgic about certain aspects of my happy childhood existence. I find myself constantly searching for the comfort and safety of it in my life. When I'm removed from the world I spent my formative years in, I see more clearly, by contrast, the things I miss about it. It also makes me realise the massive importance of those things in my entire philosophy as an artist and as a person. My favourite smells, colours, subjects nearly all stem from those early years of my life. I would hide in a two-storey outbuilding and explore items not fully discarded, but rather stored for unknown future use. Everything was scarce and people were resourceful. You never knew what you might need to use again later, so nothing was ever thrown out. Hence my collecting/hoarding habits; I try hard to keep them under control. That building was partially taken down, destroyed like many other things I grew so fond of and attached to over time. I know not everything can be preserved. I am not afraid of change, either. I understand and embrace the need for it. Still, I can't help but feel a little pinch of sadness at the inevitable loss of that magical universum I held so dear.

My home town is famous for its ceramics. Clay is mined locally and was always available to me. Similarly, art was encouraged as an activity or occupation. It's good to see the town becoming more and more of a centre for ceramic art, not just the manufacturing of functional ware (which, by the way, I absolutely adore). Bolesławiec and the region are overall fantastically rich in history, tradition, beautiful landscapes, natural and man-made wonders, not to mention the food. The people are also kind, friendly and helpful. I am not romanticising! I realise I cannot be fully objective, but trust me, it's such a great place for a holiday! I would enjoy it even if I was there for the first time.

Of course, I was busy meeting people I haven't seen in such a long time. We had lots to catch up on. In general, spending time with my family and friends was the main reason for going over. My expectations were fully met. Chatting to loved ones over coffee and cakes (or locally brewed, unpasteurised beer) can hardly be topped by anything, no matter how important or enjoyable.

It was a time of sunshine, leisure and sightseeing, re-visiting castles and exploring other tourist attractions in the area, some of them beautifully restored. I also got a chance to ponder my identity. Returning home helped me understand who I am, something I constantly re-define as I change along with everything around me.

This was a very good trip. Intense, on some occasions even a little overwhelming, but I'm so glad I went back home. It was important for me to go. Now it's time to get into my studio :)

As promised, I have some new pictures of Leela, my newest doll. She is a lovely girl, I am not sure these photographs really do her justice. I feel she's much nicer in person.

Anyway, I took them using my newly built light box. It's essentially a big crate made of sturdy wooden pieces and painted white. I need to get proper lights for it. A couple of desk lamps are hardly going to fulfill my requirements in the long run, but they sort of did the job this time.

I am really inspired to create some outfits for Leela. Next time you'll be seeing her, she won't be nude. I like to take some pictures of my dolls in the most bare, minimal fashion possible, though. This way, they can speak for themselves: unadorned, honest, simple. Their true nature seems to come forward a little bit more.

So, now you've seen her in a slightly more presentable state than before, let me know what you think of Leela's face mould :)

Happy Women’s Day, everyone! To celebrate today’s occasion, I was hoping to introduce one of my new face moulds, Leela. The bindi on her forehead hints at the source of inspiration for this girl - the beauty of women from the Indian subcontinent. Her name comes from Sanskrit and means ”playful”. I think her gaze conveys the rich, intense nature of her character. She looks like someone who escaped from one of the Arabian Nights stories ;)

Leela is not quite ready yet. Painted and partially put together, she even has a wig (made of lovely alpaca fibers, which could do with a little styling). All she needs is a costume. I was going to finish assembling Leela today, but run into some minor difficulties(nothing that can't be solved with a bit of tweaking), so she’ll have to wait until tomorrow. I will have more pictures of her soon.

Yesterday, I played with some blanks ready for painting. The surface of high fired porcelain bisque is so smooth and pleasant to touch! Aside from tactile sensations, though, the little parts I was arranging in different configurations got me thinking about all the things associated with hands. There are many sayings and proverbs featuring them, they can be very expressive and also carry a lot of symbolic value, not to mention easthetic qualities. So here is a little homage to those precious, incredible masterpieces of engineering that nature gave us. I’m not sure if I’d really make them into jewellery, but for the purpose of the photographs, let’s pretend they are actual neclaces, not just tiny porcelain hands on a piece of a silver wire ;)

Ever since I started making dolls, I've been presented with the dilemma: should I or should I not give them clothing? I made so much effort perfecting their looks. It’s a pity to cover them up, but a little lace or ribbon here and there can work magic for styling those tiny figures and faces. I have never been particularly keen on sawing. Still, it’s a part of what I do now, so I promised myself to really start on it soon. I’ve been postponing it for months as other things took priority.

I am not much of a fashion follower myself. In fact, anybody who’s met me knows I have a very practical approach to what I wear. Most of the time, I don’t really care what I look like, as long as I am warm and comfortable. Don’t get me wrong, I love fashion for what beauty and inspiration it offers in this complex and often less than wonderful world. I just don’t really have the need to invest a lot of energy into dressing up. I find it great when people do, but I’m simply not that bothered myself. As for dolls, I have always been more interested in their bodies, structures, construction. However, I do see how costumes can change a doll. It has the potential to turn a nude figure into a character. Give it a story, a background, a narrative. Of course, sometimes this aim can be achieved without elaborate costuming. Nude figure can express a lot on its own. The body of a doll can also be transformed in other ways, without draping fabric around it. But in some cases, the outfit is an integral and crucial part of a project. Think of your favourite fairy tale protagonist, for instance. Chances are their appearance gives away the story to a large degree – from crowns and ball gowns of various princesses to more ordinary girls’ shoes, capes and headbands. And that’s just female characters. I have plans to create some dolls based on more or less popular themes that will definitely require a varying degree of costume. While not every single one of my dolls will need a full wardrobe, there is definitely going to be work done it the textile department. I just need to bring myself to it...

As you may know, I've been using a nickname Moth Doll for certain purposes and on various occasions. The reason for this was to give my dolls some sort of a distinguishing "brand" name. It seems to have worked and I've come to think of the main line of my work as Moth Dolls, or Moths for short, as I affectionately call them sometimes. The logo I came up with for them (a hybrid of a doll and a moth) is an attempt at creating an easily recognisable visual representation, a sign that will be associated with my dolls.

Moths have captivated and fascinated us since the beginning of time. I have a very particular relationship with them. Moths are beautiful, inspiring and can be a little eerie, as their night-time activity makes them somewhat mysterious. I wanted my dolls to reflect those qualities. Romantic, ethereal, delicate, but earthy, with darker undertones - there is something nostalgic or even melancholic about them, at least to me. Even the fragmented nature of a jointed doll is reminiscent of an insect body's segments. Most importantly, the symbolism of a moth, undergoing metamorphosis in their life cycle, fits the nature of my dolls perfectly. Not only does it reflect the complex multi-stage process in which they are made, but it also shows my intention of creating something capable of transformation. I want to create dolls that are unique, with a sense of individuality, even if I'm using a finite number of moulds. I think the possible variations are endless. As well as that, the same doll presented in different ways can acquire new characteristics - so much depends on the light, the pose, the surrounding environment and, crucially, the perceptions of a viewer.

With all of this in mind, I proclaim the Moth Doll line officially introduced. I will continue building and expanding it in the future. Even if I take the occasional side path of art/doll making, I consider Moths to be my main focus and body of work now. I have great plans for these girls (and eventually maybe even boys, too!) and I'm really looking forward to their evolution.

Here’s a little update or those of you who may be wondering what’s happening in my studio right now. The pictures are from yesterday’s casting session and today’s morning.

I have hours of wet soft fired greenware cleaning ahead of me and not particularly looking forward to it. Still, I don’t mind it so much as I’ve gotten my system nicely organised at this point, keeping loads of towels handy and changing them often as they soak up the water I splash around. I haven’t done any porcelain cleaning in some time, so hopefully it won’t be that bad ;)

I also have the kiln on, soft firing previously cast and dried pieces. One of the shelves is full of heads! Some of them are new faces I’m planning to reveal soon. Pictures will apear here, as always :)