Kelly Potts Martinez
I am an English jewelry sculptor, character doll sculptor and sculpture teacher living near the border of haunting, mystical Dartmoor, Devon. I was born & raised in Lancashire, a landscape infused with dark folklore, Victorian gothica & full of Pre-Raphaelite art. I served an apprenticeship in fine jewelry design, master-pattern making for the jewelry industry, & antique jewelry reproduction; working on such projects as sacred jewelry & ritual object restoration, & reproducing pieces for historic private collections & public exhibitions. As my skills grew I developed my own style, influenced by my passions for mythology, ancient history, folklore, macabre Art Nouveau, Pre-Raphaelite art & my respect for the ancient smiths whose skills I aim to honor in my work. My jewelery pieces are highly sculptural with mixed media elements, often with hidden symbolism & always a story… talismanic, and I hope somewhat magical. As a sculptor of character sculpture dolls my pieces are created with a nod to folklore, fairytales and weird nature, my way of bringing the fairy and folktales I loved as a child to life, reflecting my abiding love of vintage fairytale illustration. I use costumes and props to enhance the narrative of each doll or creature, drawing on my previous work within costume design for theatre and independent film, the miniaturised and intensely detailed costumes helping to tell the individual fairytales of each character. All aspects of my art are created with a lot of heart and positive energy, and I hope this is passed on to the viewer or client. I teach all aspects of my sculpture work on residential courses in Granada, Andalucia, Spain