Persuasive Persia

I’ve never considered myself a fan of clone dolls. For the most part, I’d never so much as glance at one. Like most doll collectors, the dolls I choose have to have that something special that calls to me.  A certain look, a sentimental tug , a way of portraying a personality without the gift of speech.

My dolls of choice are fashion dolls, typically 12″ in height.  I do own a few 16″ gals as well as some 21″ vintage Dollikin dolls,  and it’s fair to say they all fall into the categories I listed above. Pretty,  stately and mannequin-like, they  portray the message I am trying to convey when photographing them for articles, or when I dress them for display.

Along comes Persia. Persia Idol to be exact. This is a hand-made resin doll, with distinct features that echo those of the rare and hard to find Mdvanii doll. While I admit that Mdvanii did intrigue me, I couldn’t get past some of her harsh features. But, when I looked at her, I saw more than a typical fashion doll. I saw a piece of ART .  Yes, all this time I treasured my dolls as beautiful mannequins meant to show off clothing or imitate real life in miniature, and some how this doll awakened the idea in me that she was much more. So, I sat with that idea for a while. 

When I first discovered Persia, my thought indeed was - another clone.  There are so many clones in the fashion doll world, it hardly seemed unusual to me .  But, then she started popping up on doll boards,  and private collectors photos.  I figured I’d do a little investigating to see what all the hub-bub was about. After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery. I know, I hate this quote too. It really does little to calm the flames of those who work so hard to be unique. But, being an artist myself, I could see possibilities in Persia. She did look like a piece of art, and she did have less harsh looking features.

Well, one thing led to another, (- fill in the blanks here, all you avid doll collectors)  and I found myself with my first Persia idol. She’s quite petite at 10″.  Her shape reminds me of those you might see in Renaissance paintings, you know, the full-figured gals? Oh yes, she has the female attributes too, if you know what I mean, but it’s done in an artistic, non offending way. At least I think so.

I thought you might enjoy me sharing my take on this unusual clone.

 Another thing that I like about owning a Persia is that I can add my own personal touch to her to make her more the way I envision.  A touch of eye liner, a color change to the lips, what have you. She’s like an artists’  palette -  here for the taking.   Here’s a look at my small, but artful collection of Persia Idols. Um,…Yeah, I’m up to 3 now.

Persia Idols by – Darrell Wallace

http://www.persiaidols.blogspot.com

Pale Blonde Persia wears “Bellissima-Couture” by Hilda Westervelt -

www.bellissima-couture.com

Gene Lives on with “Life Style”

Sad to say the Dream is over for our gal star “Gene”, but, for collector’s she will remain a favorite for years to come.

Knowing that there will be no more new issues of Gene and pals, no more new clothing, no more new adventures, I was inspired to create a world for her which carries on in a way that enables us to enjoy her over and over again.

 If our favorite Star were to leave Monolithic Studios and recede to private life, might she need somewhere to relax and enjoy just being Gene – normal, every day gal next door? Why YES , yes she would!

From Welcome Home furnishings , this One Of A Kind Diorama was made with a future for Gene in mind. “Life Style” shows you how you can continue to enjoy your Gene and friends in a new dimension, a new outlook, a new place for her to shine!

With moveable walls and furnishings, this new wave of options offers plenty of display and photo opportunities to collectors who want the full experience of enjoying their dolls.

Separate  the two walls to make one room into two! :

Divide the sofa set and flip the wall art to create a totally new look! :

A closer look at the details shows that Gene knows how to live !

This special OOAK set is already SOLD, but I did want to share with all of you, for inspiration, for fun and for knowing that the end is not here when it comes to enjoying our Gene dolls or any dolls for that matter.

Furnishings and set decor greatly expand the minds’ image of our dolls and adds dimension to our collecting.  I hope to bring that idea to you through my work and my designs.

Have fun with your dolls. Create a world that’s all their own!

“Where does YOUR doll live?”

“The Great Divide”

I’ve created so many suites of furniture in the last  2 -1/2 years, it seems almost impossible  to pick a favorite. However, I can pick one that I think was really fun to create  because of the colors and fabrics used. This room,  is “The Den”.

The Den, was a very popular designated  room in 50′s/60′s decor. Described as a “ small or secluded room” in a house or apartment,  the den served as a  less formal, comfortable place to relax and unwind.

Here are two depictions of the same room. Both in popular colors of the day .

In Aqua, modeled by a  gorgeous redhead Silkstone whose coloring compliments the room perfectly:

This view with the room divider moved to the opposite side:

And, here is the room in Raspberry. My model is Agnes Von Weiss from Integrity Toys, wearing a Silkstone Barbie fashion.  Doesn’t she look simply scrumptious in here?!

The creating of this den, also marks one of the first times I used a room divider to set the scene. Since then, you may have noticed room dividers in one form or another in many of my vignettes. They are one of the most useful, eye-catching ways to add dimension and interest when designing a room .

Here are some more room dividers for your viewing pleasure.

In all shapes and sizes, conventional and unconventional ways, room dividers not only serve a purpose, but can be fun, colorful and enjoyable!