The Art Doll Chronicles: A Collaborative Journey of Discovery

This celebration of nine art dolls and the artists who made them, offers a colorful look at an unusual project that spanned 19 months and took the dolls on a journey all over the United States. Each doll is a one-of-a-kind work of art, made by women who contributed something to each work-in-progress and offered unique perspectives on womanhood and images of dolls. Professional dollmakers as well as a quilt maker, a metalsmith, a woodcarver, and a sculptor created dolls that evolved into vivid characters as they traveled from artist to artist with handmade journals that served as a combination diary, travel log, and artists canvas. From Joe the Wandering '60s Beatnik to a made-over Madeline sure to be kicked out of her French boarding school for her outrageous attire, each doll is accompanied by photographs, excerpts from the journals, and essays by the artists about the joys, challenges, and frustrations of working on the project.