"Dolls Now"

You'll find these lifelike creations somewhere on the continuum from enchanting to eerie

Comments (0) By Olivia Flores Alvarez Thursday, Sep 16 2010

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Okay, so we admit some of the pieces in the exhibit "Dolls Now" are a little — how can we say this nicely? — eerie. Karin Burfict's You Go Firstpiece is a whimsical pair of lifelike dolls. One is a woman, captured in the middle of a hearty laugh, wearing a Marie Antoinette hairstyle and gown. Standing next to her is a man decked out in feathers and equally fancy garb. The two look so real, it would be easy for viewers to think they're about to walk and talk. Neva Waldt's dolls are more stylized than some of the others in the exhibit. Her Thief of Hearts depicts an elderly man in a top hat and tails, looking like a character out of a Dickens novel, tiptoeing away with a red heart trailed by fluttering ribbons in his arms. Waldt, who says her interest in doll making began in childhood, is out to capture a moment in time with her work. "When it's believable, the balance works out and the gesture works out. It stops being a doll. You start to think of it like a little character," she says. See if you find "Dolls Now" enchanting or eerie. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Through September 19. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, 4848 Main. For information, 713-529-4848 or visit www.crafthouston.org. Free.
Tuesdays-Sundays. Starts: July 31. Continues through Sept. 19, 2010