the Proposal	Feleena	Angel & the Owl	Undine	Haughty
		Bethomas works primarily in Paper-mâché and polymer clay. Her forte is mostly 'woodsy' creatures, faries, 'earth dwellers' and characters from children's literature, plus any whimsical creatures that emerge form her own imagination. Sizes generally range from 6" to 36", the most common size being 12" to 20". The mixed medium she uses consist of vintage textiles to simple cheesecloth and leaters. A friend whi=o raises angora goats supplies the first shearings form her kids for most of Bethomas's figures hair.
Queen Elizabeth	Buggman

Bio
An idea seizes me, a fever overcomes me, a furious flurry of focused activity consumes me and I arise from a fog to a whimsical figure that resembles some strange vision that had begun it all. I work in all mediums, but most prefer papier-mâché and stoneclay for larger projects and polymer for the smaller faery work.

I create figures from 2" to life-size. I love to work on the tiny faeries, but am most comfortable working on figures approximately 12"-15". My figures are evolving becoming maybe a little more complicated and refined. Structure is becoming  better and I spend more time on costuming.

Of all aspects of the doll making process, I most enjoy the surprise at the end when it all comes together. Even with a vision in mind, I find the figure always has a vision to fulfill of it's own and it's a delight to see how the two merge to become the complete.

I am very proud that two dolls of my dolls are in the Museum of Ural Mountains in Ekterainburg, Russia. I have also won many special awards and blue ribbons in the original category competitions at several doll exhibits. My dolls were the subject of a feature article in 'Contemporary Doll Collector' magazine and pictured in several Magazines in USA and England.

I was born and raised in the red clay hills of Oklahoma in a rural area of a very small town. There was an Kickapoo Indian reservation only a couple of miles from my family's farm and a favorite memory is that of falling asleep to the sound of the drums drifting into my bedroom window on a warm summer breeze. Days were filled with running the creek, most often alone or with the faeries.....imaginary and real......which has influenced my work with magic of nature and little worlds not often seen by mortal folk.

Besides hours and hours of creating creatures from the red Oklahoma clay as a youth, I took art courses for 3 years at Oklahoma Baptist University. I have had no 'formal' doll making training.

The greatest influence came from my friend and mentor Dolores Hadley of "LaFamille Marionette" fame. She encouraged me to follow my own vision and I still admire her work above anyone else's though she's been gone from us for several years now.

I hope collectors will consider my figures to be "seriously whimsical", meant to lighten the heart, tug at the smile muscles and remind us that everyone has a different perspective on things.....and isn't that delightful?!

While I have not held offices or served on any official ODACA committees, I do try to help out as a gopher and amateur photographer at the luncheons that I'm able to attend. I have encouraged doll making friends to join and support the organization who have in turn have become real assets to ODACA.