Shari Replogle of Staffordshire Garden

How did you get started in your craft?

I grew up in a home where most things you could think of ,could and were made by hand. My Mother was amazing , designing my clothes , my Barbie’s gowns, dolls, home décor , themed Christmas trees with all hand made ornaments, and a true gourmet cook to boot. My Grandmother was a professional artist in Northern California. 2 very tough acts to follow , but I had an immense amount of fun constantly learning from both of them , and making my little creative contributions by their side. My love for creating things has always been a part of me, because of them. And, now that they are both gone, when I am creating, it reminds me how truly blessed, and thankful I am that the 3 of us shared this passion for exploring creatively together , and I try and share this love with my children as well.




What are your inspirations?

My inspirations come from vintage roots. My view of what I am creating always comes through 150 year old rose colored glasses. Sometimes I like to put a modern twist on things ,such as when I am working in metal. But , most things to me look better if they look or actually are over 100 years old. My other constant inspiration are my 3 children. 

What are some of your favorite things?

Almost all of my favorite things would be anything vintage. I enjoy finding new and unique uses for tiny vintage forgotten trinkets. I also love the feel of German Mohair, especially after I have worked it over , and grudged it up some! 

Some days I feel at home in the metal working part of my studio. Pounding , shaping, sawing , drilling, and my true love of creating pieces with my torch or iron. 

Other days I enjoy my vintage fabrics, sewing , and creating dolls. Some days it is the smell of canvas and paints that draws me to the studio.

Every once in a while , all of my loves from all 4 corners of my studio will come together in one piece, as in the case of my "Art Doll Journals" .
My creative process always begins in my own journals , with rough sketches, and lots of notes to myself. I usually keep these journals in handy places , so that an idea is not lost in my busy days of switching gears , and different hats, of Mom , taxi driver,etc and artist.