“Do you still play with dolls?” “Absolutely!” is the likely response if talking to members of the Southwestern New York–Penn Doll Club. Adult programming and marketing coordinator for the Bradford Area Public Library, Janelle Nolan, was treated to an enjoyable afternoon spent with four club members while creating the upcoming program, “The Art of Doll Making.”
This program will premier on the library’s Facebook page at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
“I first saw many of their creations this past fall when Debbie Deane (Youth Librarian) and myself were asked to speak at a Women’s Literary Club meeting,” Nolan relates. “Each table had a beautiful centerpiece which contained a handcrafted doll inspired by a corresponding storybook, which was also displayed.”
Women’s Literary Club member Karen Ostrum was instrumental in connecting Nolan with the doll club.
“The doll club serves many functions,” explained club treasurer Wende Kenyon. “We are a family of 18 members currently, who are interested in preserving the history of this craft. We have members who create dolls, others who costume dolls, and many who collect dolls.”
The term “dolls” encompasses everything from dolls to teddy bears and gnomes to dogs, penguins and polar bears. Doll Club president Carol Riggs notes how warm and welcoming the club was to her 15 years ago when she first joined, and how it remains so to this day. The club meets every fourth Wednesday at the Methodist Church in Hinsdale, N.Y.
Betsy Orlando and Sandy Lockwood discussed the many sources of inspiration for creating dolls.
Lockwood has created several storybook characters from children’s books, as well as character dolls modeled after cherished family members.
Orlando, who grew up surrounded by dolls, admitted that while young she never cared for dolls. However, she pursued the craft in an effort to create dolls for her mother who adored them. Orlando attended the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina and perfected her doll-making skills. This school continues to offer week- and weekend-long workshops to adults on a variety of subjects. While Orlando presented workshops at the folk school, she also studied under preeminent artists.
Kenyon reflected, “Throughout history, dolls were more than toys. They were educational in nature also, often times used to teach nurturing and sewing skills to children.”
Dolls make wonderful presents, too, according to Nolan.
“I can think of no better gift, than one that has been made for you,” she noted. “A doll is crafted with thought, love, and time. What a wonderful gift to give to a child or grandchild. It is something that could easily become a beloved family heirloom.”
Nolan has discussed with the doll club the possibility of offering a few doll-making workshops at the library in the near future.
“We are in the preliminary phase as we consider the types of dolls that could be constructed,” she said. “We need to consider a variety of factors from material costs, time constraints, and the varying skill levels of our participants. Additionally, we must also continue to factor in a variety of COVID guidelines that the library must observe.”
To receive library updates, the library recommends that the Bradford community regularly access the library’s website (bradfordlibrary.org), follow the library on Facebook and Instagram or sign up to receive the library’s newsletter.
“Even though the bulk of library programming (children and adult) remains virtual, there truly is something for everyone,” said Nolan. “Additionally, it’s important to note that people can easily view virtual programming from the library’s website. People are not excluded if they don’t have an Instagram or Facebook account.”
