Cultural spoof – if not an indirect celebration – of our more affluent societies in the decades post WWII. These are ‘scenario collages’, assembled from vintage Paper Dolls, Plastic Barbies, and Sewing Pattern ideals – individually scaled and repurposed into social landscapes of the artists own making.
Once the collages are designed, they are printed out 13×19 and partially painted in oils. In particular, the doll subjects themselves – which are often from pixelated vintage photographs – need to be outlined in ink and ‘freshened’ with paint to be returned to life. If the 13×19 prototype meets satisfaction, I do the process all over again at 24×36. Several pieces have paper and newsprint added to accent the brash color atmosphere.
The text ‘footers’ in each piece are the story seed, They are quips, to propel the one frame cartoon- so to speak.
When I was child (in a non-TV household), and got myself grounded again for some menial reason, my father would dump magazines into my bedroom and tell me to read and learn something of the world. Yes, I would read them, but the pictures were more mesmerizing, and I began cutting the pictures out from one set, and pasting them to another. Think a Life magazine profiled person(s) added to a national geographic landscape. Ohh, then add a Cadillac, and ice cream cones for everybody- from additional magazine cuts. Also, change the outfits, cut from big sisters Sixteen, (pissed her off), and even the heads and faces from Sports Illustrated, Sunset, etc – and presto – a new reality! Albeit contrived. Lastly, for comic relief, throw a chimpanzee in there too.
The series at times mock the attitude of plenty, even registering self-absorbed blithe with some. Opulent parties are a theme in the set, but anxious alienation rests in some. In the end, they are the photos never taken, but could have been.
As mentioned, this is a collage process, where I collect relics of post war society and apply them to lush landscapes. These sets consist almost entirely of ‘gets’, where I have to shop the internet for applicable matches for my uploaded locations. However, I do photograph from newspapers, magazines and junk mail to gather material, as well as my own vault. Eventually I have enough of what I am thinking to populate the ‘canvas’, and attempt to groom tale from there. I can write a short story, frankly, from every one of these scenes – just by extrapolating from the applied text linked to each. It’s really fun!
While involved in this paper doll project I became very interested in the original illustrators who produced these sewing pattern ideals. In all my research, I could only find one who was interviewed and explained the relationship between the artists and the companies that exploited the art. And that wasn’t until 1978, when some of these illustrators were finally allowed to sign a credit to their work. Prior to that, McCall’s, Simplicity, etc never acknowledged the artists, and have kept no personnel ledgers on them. Some were staffers, but most were repeat freelancers, working in anonymity. Particularly the 40’through 60’s. So, how much fun to see their individual drawn models get to join other solo acts – and come out of the doll closet and party, party – like it’s 1974!! Yep, dolls are humans too.
Thanks for visiting Golden Age, I am not burned out on this series, so likely will be adding more in the future. Come back!
