Dolls

The Doll paintings were created as part of a project entitled ‘The Journey Exploring the Nature Of Mending’. Much of my previous work had an element of repair and renewal within it and the opportunity to work as an Artist in Residence at the Priests  House Museum in Wimborne, Dorset, allowed me to explore further. 

I chose to explore the Doll collection in their new storage facility. Dolls have a particular resonance for me, and finding that all the dolls here were damaged in some way before being accepted by the museum and were now too fragile to be displayed safely, gave them a special resonance.  They were wrapped in acid free tissue paper, placed in a cardboard box with a well fitting lid.  I photographed the dolls and printed the photos using an auto enhance facility.  My subsequent paintings further heightened the colours and contrast.  The letters and numbers on the bottom left hand side, indicate the museums accession number, which is followed by a brief description of the Doll. 

I chose to imagine it as a prisoners mug shot. 

I wanted the dolls to be noticed, to have some status, a moment in the limelight before disappearing into their temperature controlled storage at the museum. 

I’m delighted that the paintings continue to give the dolls a view of the world, watching us looking at them.