Galleries Visual Arts

TRAC Presents Dolls Not to be Toyed With

Woodland Rabbit. Louise Grenell, artist

The Toe River Arts Council’s Spruce Pine Gallery hosts Not to be Toyed With: Exploring the Art of the Doll from Saturday, August 25, through September 22. The exhibit showcases the work of the GoFigure Guild, a mixed media figurative art group of about 30 members that meets monthly in Asheville. A reception will be held on Saturday, September 1, from 5–7 p.m. on the gallery floor. In addition, during the course of the show, three educational presentations and one- and two-day workshops will be held. Workshops require a fee and pre-registration, but the presentations are free and open to the public.

Sally Morgan Guérard began making dolls many years ago as a way to combine her interests in storytelling, theatre and sculpture. After a hiatus, she began to do studio work again three years ago and was discovered by the GoFigure Guild, whose members range from beginners to internationally known doll artists.

“The Guild is a wonderful source of encouragement and inspiration through demonstrations and peer evaluations,” Guérard says.

She uses the technique of needle sculpture to create her dolls’ heads and hands. “I enjoy creating work that would never be considered ‘dolly-dolls’ but rather contemporary sculpture. Mine are narrative works that I hope will connect with viewers.” One of her dolls on display is a cage doll rendition of Miss Flite from Charles Dickens’ Bleak House.

Louise Grenell is a self-taught fiber artist with more than 40 years of experience. “Woodland Rabbit was created from my vision of one of Mother Earth’s gentlest creatures: the rabbit. She and her bird and mouse companions are made of a combination of my hand-dyed wool fabric, hand embroidery, wire stitching, wire wrapping, button joints and natural wood materials found around my mountain home.” The

Toe River Arts Council Spruce Pine Gallery is located at 269 Oak Avenue in Spruce Pine. The Burnsville Gallery is located at 102 West Main Street in Burnsville. Hours for both galleries are 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. To learn more, visit toeriverarts.org.

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