The World of the Doll Artist - reviews

Video Librarian (July/August 2009)

The World of the Doll Artist
(2009) 32 min. DVD: $19.95. Choices, Inc. PPR. ISBN: 978-1-933724-25-6.
Major corporations, like Mattel, employ untold numbers of designers, marketing professionals, and factory workers to create their products, but the seven subjects profiled in James Seligman’s documentary The World of the Doll Artist go it alone. Olga Roehl describes every doll she makes as “a kind of self-portrait,” while Nancy Wiley feels that each finished figure has its “own sort of personality or character.” Suffice to say, these artists don’t make the kinds of toys found in chain stores: largely non-pliable, the featured creations here work better as decorative objects or collectibles than playthings. With her background in sculpture, Reina Mia Brill crafts “devious little children” from out of her own strange mythology, while Gail Lackey constructs sad-eyed Victorian dolls that recall the pen and ink illustrations of Edward Gorey. Rounding out the group are Shelley Thornton and couple Jodi and Richard Creager, who also offer thoughts and share their works. The World of the Doll Artist is neither a how-to guide nor an expansive documentary (at just over a half-hour), relying primarily on talking-head interviews set against a black background. But these dedicated artisans and their detailed creations will surely interest arts and crafts enthusiasts, as well as doll aficionados. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)

Educational Media Reviews Online - June 2009

The World of the Doll Artist

Reviewed by Louise Greene, Art Library, University of Maryland, College Park
Recommended

Date Entered: 6/17/2009

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. 

Booklist - June 1st, 2009

The World of the Doll Artist.
Mar 2009. Choices, DVD, $19.95. (9781933724256).
The term doll artist might bring to mind persons who create stitched Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls or apple-head folk-art dolls, but the creations of spotlighted artisans Reina Mia Brill, Olga Roehl, Shelly Thornton, Gail Lackey, Nancy Wiley, and Richard and Jody Creager are light-years away from traditional dolls. Seated in front of a black backdrop, the artists take turns talking about their dolls, including information about techniques, influences, and inspirations. The dolls, captured in stills, are as varied as their creators. Brill’s funky dolls resemble imaginative monsters clutching animal-shaped balloons, and Roehl’s figures are marked by elongated limbs. Extensive research by the Creagers helps them find historically accurate accessories for their dolls. Many of the featured artists work with clay, fabric, and paint. No doll-making specifics are included in this technically basic production, which will appeal to doll artists and enthusiasts.
— Candace Smith

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