Educational Media Reviews Online

Anyone who associates dolls strictly with children—and girls, at that—will find The World of the Doll Artist an eye-opening experience.

Seven doll artists with quite distinct styles speak about their approaches to their craft, each focusing by turns on his or her background, inspiration, technique—and the importance of community. Where one artist delights in pure whimsy, another sees a more spiritual dimension, while a husband and wife team brings historical accuracy in the smallest of details.

All of the dolls are beautifully photographed and the images are arresting: colorful, expressive, funny, poignant, sad, graceful, endearing. More than a few of the artists marvel at the serendipity that comes in the studio, that their creations can take on lives of their own—and not necessarily the one that the maker intended.

Doll making involves mastery of a variety of materials and techniques. One artist described herself as a sculptor, painter, colorist, textile artist, shoemaker, writer and storyteller. Yet these artists note that despite their skill and versatility, they struggle for the legitimacy that painters take for granted. In this, The World of the Doll Artist certainly helps to make their case. It is recommended for libraries and programs with collections in the arts.