Here on Hazelwood Avenue, we're waiting for Spring to show herself. Yesterday was partly sunny and 70 degrees. Today the rains came and it is forty nine degrees. Well, what better way to spend a rainy day than in creating a new blog?
In this post and future posts, I would like to share some of the things that inspire me. Often, the work that appears from my studio begins with an idea from that "muse" I call my collection.
As an example, I would like to share my antique fortune telling doll. This doll is a fascinating delight and a chronicle of a gentler time. She is categorized as German parian-type (Parian-type refers to white porcelain. In the 19th century, this unglazed white porcelain was produced in imitation of Greek marble). At some point circa. 1870, she was made up in a fanciful costume of velvet and glass beads. She also wears an underskirt of folded paper sheaves. These sheaves are the truly fascinating part of the presentation. Probably following a ladies' magazine instructions, each paper was cut and folded into a sort of petal shape. The lower end of each sheaf has a tab. When the tab is pulled and spread, a fortune is revealed. Clearly this little lady resided in France (or at least with French speakers), as each fortune is written in the "language of love."
I tried my hand at at recreating this type of doll with my Poupee Bien Informee (well informed doll). The fortune papers took some time to figure out, as did forming a secure and sturdy skirt-base. The actual doll more closely resembles some of the antique milliner-type dolls from my collection. My witch is dressed in vintage cottons and wears a laced girdle and a double neck bow (shades of recently viewing Marie Antoinette). As a finishing touch, I mounted my doll on a turned wood base for ease of handling and fortune viewing.
.... check out dollsbyallenwcunningham.com ....
