So, when I found out that there was a man in Germany digging up broken doll heads and selling them on eBay, I was immediately intrigued. At first I purchased some doll arms and turned them into charm/pendants by soldering the tops of the arms. While I thought those charms were totally cool (I loved the idea of someone unearthing these forgotten doll parts from a field next to a factory that was bombed by the Allies in World War II) most people thought they were a leeeeetle bit creepy. Like many unique items, though, there were people who absolutely ADORED them...
Fast forward to now. I started making art dolls using old doll bodies and heads. I use wooden printing blocks, brass letters, children's alphabet blocks, dice, old wooden thread spools and tart tins to help form a little doll, and when my amazing college roommate, Kelly, sent me an enthusiastic email saying "I love your little girlies!" I knew these new assemblages were named. The Girlies were born.
I actually made the top Girlies' head using polymer clay and a face mold I made. I then painted her face myself--it turns out my hands are steadier than I thought! The bottom is a Frozen Charlotte doll, suspended in two-part resin, in a house-shaped bezel that I made using an old silver-plated serving plate I chopped up.
I'll post soon about more of the unique bits and bobs I've been using in my work--
