“Art of the Doll” is an exhibit held at this year’s State Fair. Nineteen local doll artists had works on display, providing a variety of interpretations on the form.
Dolls have always been a part of our culture. What separates the art doll from the mass-produced toy is what makes this art form so provocative.
Art dolls are a response to the conventional doll, in an art-for-art’s sake manner.
These dolls are unique and not made for play. These dolls aren’t picture-perfect images, either. They are not created for children to idolize. They are not perfect. In fact, more often than not, art dolls look very little like people.
Yet, there is more life, beauty, and humanity in these art dolls than most contemporary art, and certainly more than any toy doll.
Many of the artists behind “Art of the Doll” have great stories behind their work.
A trip to Alaska’s Mendenhall glacier inspired Geralyn Sorenson’s “Glacier Dancer,” an intricate work that took 60 hours to create.
Barb Kobe created the exhibit’s masterpiece, “Gaia Contemplating Her Earth Self,” as a response to the Gulf spill and other environmental issues.
Kate McEvoy discovered her inner artist through ‘playing’ with her art dolls, which are later given to its ‘true owner.’
The combination of work and play-and connecting to one’s inner child in doing so-make McEvoy’s creative process a brilliant theory for the art form.
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