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Soft Sculpture Dolls
by M.L. Szafraniec
by M.L. Szafraniec
Come and see my soft sculpture art dolls. I had a lot of
fun making them and I hope you enjoy looking at them!
I made my first cloth doll when I was eight years old.
She was of the “gingerbread boy” style with embroidered
features. She was downright ugly and a major
disappointment. I immediately returned to paper dolls,
which were much more life-like.
Coloring books, Paint By Numbers, wood burning kits,
knitting, and embroidery were my early art experiences.
The high school I attended was the first time I had any
specific art classes. The teacher was a weaver, potter,
and jewelry maker. She opened up a whole New World.
You didn’t have to make things look exactly like real
things! You could express feelings with media!
I earned my B.F.A. from Bradley University in Peoria,
Illinois with emphasis on Art History and Design.
When I began having children I reverted back to needle
crafts because they were so easy to put down and pick up
again. Also, they were not dangerous to children and
pets.
When my children started school, I volunteered at the
school as Picture Lady and various other things. I found
that I enjoyed working with the children so I went back
to school for my teaching certificate. Then later for my
Masters in Early Childhood Education.
I focused on First Grade for most of my teaching career
with the last three years in a 1-2-3 multi-age class.
During this time I discovered polymer clay and made
dolls, jewelry, etc. When surfing through Ebay one day I
came upon OOAK Barbie makeovers and tried my hand
at that. I was quite successful, but missed having the
feeling of motion I was able to achieve with my clay
dolls. Arthritis in my hands made working with clay
difficult. I got the bright idea to try fabric.
In order to avoid the “gingerbread boy” style again I
looked at other people’s cloth dolls and studied books by
doll makers. It takes me quite a while to develop my own
patterns, but it is satisfying when they work out.
Dolls, for me, are magical, mythical creatures. I try to
make them only human enough to be recognizable, with
a large dose of fantasy. All my previous experiments
with fibers, beads, and other crafts are employed to make
my art dolls.
My favorite doll is always the one I am working on, and,
like my former students, my finished dolls leave behind
fond memories. Also like my students, each doll is an
individual and is treated and developed independently of
the others.
Thank you for your interest in my art dolls and me.
fun making them and I hope you enjoy looking at them!
I made my first cloth doll when I was eight years old.
She was of the “gingerbread boy” style with embroidered
features. She was downright ugly and a major
disappointment. I immediately returned to paper dolls,
which were much more life-like.
Coloring books, Paint By Numbers, wood burning kits,
knitting, and embroidery were my early art experiences.
The high school I attended was the first time I had any
specific art classes. The teacher was a weaver, potter,
and jewelry maker. She opened up a whole New World.
You didn’t have to make things look exactly like real
things! You could express feelings with media!
I earned my B.F.A. from Bradley University in Peoria,
Illinois with emphasis on Art History and Design.
When I began having children I reverted back to needle
crafts because they were so easy to put down and pick up
again. Also, they were not dangerous to children and
pets.
When my children started school, I volunteered at the
school as Picture Lady and various other things. I found
that I enjoyed working with the children so I went back
to school for my teaching certificate. Then later for my
Masters in Early Childhood Education.
I focused on First Grade for most of my teaching career
with the last three years in a 1-2-3 multi-age class.
During this time I discovered polymer clay and made
dolls, jewelry, etc. When surfing through Ebay one day I
came upon OOAK Barbie makeovers and tried my hand
at that. I was quite successful, but missed having the
feeling of motion I was able to achieve with my clay
dolls. Arthritis in my hands made working with clay
difficult. I got the bright idea to try fabric.
In order to avoid the “gingerbread boy” style again I
looked at other people’s cloth dolls and studied books by
doll makers. It takes me quite a while to develop my own
patterns, but it is satisfying when they work out.
Dolls, for me, are magical, mythical creatures. I try to
make them only human enough to be recognizable, with
a large dose of fantasy. All my previous experiments
with fibers, beads, and other crafts are employed to make
my art dolls.
My favorite doll is always the one I am working on, and,
like my former students, my finished dolls leave behind
fond memories. Also like my students, each doll is an
individual and is treated and developed independently of
the others.
Thank you for your interest in my art dolls and me.
Welcome to the Northwoods! My name is Mary Lou.
My house is just beyond those yellow trees in the picture.
My house is just beyond those yellow trees in the picture.
