Playing with Dolls: In the Barn

Those who have followed my artwork will know that one of my favourite things to do is see how different and creative I can be with dolls and toys. 

I have recently had some great ideas involving the old barn that sits adjacent to my house. My guess is it was built around the 1930's maybe earlier. The paint is coming off and some of the boards in the loft area are weak (I walk very carefully) but it is quite sturdy. Sadly, it will be dismantled someday as development is being planned for this area and all will make way for a through street.

The dolls in the barn idea began when I was sitting outside photographing birds. I looked at a knothole and thought it would be fun if someone was peeking out. Since I did not have a model handy, I got out my dolls.

 

 

It was exhausting because I would set up the doll inside, then the camera outside, and take shots. For each idea, I had to go into the barn to rearrange. Since the knothole was upstairs, I got a lot of exercise.

 

 

A few days later I remembered I had just bought a remote shutter release for my Canon Rebel. I wondered if the range would reach for what I wanted to do. So I set the camera on a tripod, went into the barn, and used myself as my model. And yes!... the remote worked great. I took a few experimental shots and here are the results... nice and weird! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It seems to fit that I use the barn for doll-creepy-creativeness. This is where it began. In 2011, I was working on ideas for an exhibit I was invited to contribute to called “Creepy Dolls.” It was for a store window display in a friend's import shop in Silverton, Oregon. I ended up making doll masks patterned after plague doctor and gas masks. They were very cool and someone bought them.

Stone Buddha has since closed (retirement) but I will always see this point in time as the beginning of my artistic focus. 

 

At the time, my studio was in the barn. At first it was very nice but in time, the heat, damp, cold, and bugs made me move back into the house. I do miss it.

 

 

 

This is the very first photo that led to a very fun path on which I still journey.