One of the doll organizations I belong to,
TAODA (Texas Association of Original Doll Artists), is an amazing group or original doll artists. This coming weekend we have a gallery show in Galveston, TX, called "Bathing Beauties". This is my doll for the show,
"Perle".
Perle and her family are enjoying a sunny day at the beach, actually it is Perle's family that is enjoying the day. She however is terrified that someone will comment on her knobby knees! She was beside herself with joy when her Aunt Rilla promised her a new sunbathing suit. She began dreaming of a bright pink or soft yellow day dress that would garner her many appreciative stares as she walked up and down the beach. I needn't tell you of how her face fell when she opened the beautifully wrapped packaged her aunt had brought all the way from Boston and saw the blue short set inside. Her mother was quite embarrassed by her lack of graces.... but she quickly recovered and pasted a somewhat stiff smile in place. Her aunt was overjoyed. Poor Perle could only think about how a short set...and a blue one at that, would show her knees to a less than fashionable advantage. How mortifying!
Perle, usually loved the beach. Darting around finding shells that her mother would put in jars and so that Perle and her sister could put them around for decor. Today, her heart was just not in shell hunting. But not wanting to give any of her brother's less-than-kind friends time to remark on her clothing, she went in search of a quiet cove. After what seemed like an eternity of searching, she found a cove that was only inhabited by a family of egrets. The sand was so lovely in this part of the beach...bright yellow and glittery. And the shells were in abundance!
As she wandered around, half-heartedly looking for shells, she came upon a
beautiful shell that had a pearl in it! Maybe it wasn't going to be a bad day after all!
Perle is about 16" tall, including her hand-painted base. She is a cloth doll, made over a wire armature.
