Dolls are perhaps the original plaything. There is an infinite variety of ways to model a human being, and the materials we use to portray tiny versions of ourselves is always evolving: stone, clay, wood, papier mache, porcelain are only the most traditional.

My own work as doll artist derives from early and later papier mache dolls, one of the first materials to be used in what was, at the time, mass production of dolls. The effect of play, love, and time on those dolls that are still around, and way our eye reads the simplest facial expression and gesture, are the kernels of what interests me.

Many dolls from earlier centuries were dressed in clothing that mirrored what was in style at the time they were made. Therefore, an antique doll is an emissary from the past or a time capsule with its own personal history. My own work attempts to create the sense that this doll has been somewhere before it came into your possession, and will have stories to tell long after it is no longer yours. They are original dolls that evoke the past, and are intended, usually, to be historically inaccurate. Each doll is sculpted from paperclay, then painted and aged. The bodies and limbs are made from cloth in a traditional method. The clothing for each doll is sewn from vintage and aged fabrics and accessories.

To see more of my work please visit www.lorasoling.com




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