African American Dolls

"The Cotton Picker"

In honor of the hard working African American men and women of the south, JoAnn has created a collection of Southern African American Dolls. As slaves the African Americans of the south were largely responsible for picking its cotton, growing its tobacco, sugarcane and rice.  Language, music, and folk tales were important to the African American  culture.  As stated by Lawrence W. Levine, "their folk tales, songs and poems were instruments of life, of sanity, of health, and of self-respect.  The Cotton Picker Doll stands seventeen inches in height and is set on a handcrafted wooden pedestal designed by Brian Bernard. In her left hand she holds a replica of a cotton blossom and hanging on her right arm is a basket containing the results of her days pickings. The Cotton Picker Doll is dressed in an olive green and rust color paisley print dress and white apron. (Note: Jewelry and dress fabric/print may vary depending on availability). To protect her from the blazing sun she wears a worn and battered black rim hat. Her wig is handmade from gray mohair strands.  The mohair wigs lend a natural authentic African American appearance to each doll.  Accessories are gold hoop earrings, a flower brooch on her blouse and a cotton blossom in her hand. JoAnn's unique doll body design allows The Cotton Picker Doll to be positioned in various ways by bending her arms at the elbow joints. This feature adds to the lifelike quality of the piece. Accompanying the African American doll is a booklet and display card designed by JoAnn to include; the number of the piece, the inspirational sketch, a short bio, and a story about the character. All clay pieces are limited editions of 500. A numbered and signed Certificate of Authenticity is also provided with the character doll.

Original African American Dolls

Original African American Dolls recreating Louisiana Life in the 1800's.  Learn about Louisiana Culture through this African American Heritage Doll collection inspired by sketches, photographs and stories of the 1800's.  These African American life like hand made dolls have attached booklets and display cards with short historical essays about the character.  All dolls are reproduced in clay using JoAnn Bernard's plaster molds developed from her original doll designs. Doll wigs, clothing, dress designs, and props are all handmade by the artist.

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For more information  email:   jo_ann_bernard@southernelegance.net