Meet Doll Artist, Wyatt E. Hicks

Doll artist, Wyatt E. Hicks

Toledo, Ohio native, Wyatt E. Hicks contacted me recently with a request to share images of his doll art.  I am in turn sharing those images here because I think his work is astounding.  If I can help him gain the exposure he deserves, I am all for it! 

The Essence of an Ebony Man

Personal likeness of a loved one passed: Miss. Lillie.

Up Where We Belong

Up Where We Belong (close-up)

Likenesses:  Bob Marley, Kweisi Mfume, Sammy Davis, Jr., George Washington Carver, Toni Morrison

Hicks' dolls are made of Super Sculpey and wire armatures mostly. The heights range from 6 inches to 30 inches.  Prices for personal likenesses range from $300 to $600, depending on how elaborate the clothing. Other dolls range from $85 to $225. 

Closeups of Marley, Mfume, Davis, Carver, and Morrison likenesses follow:

Additional Likenesses

Josephine Baker

Tavis Smiley

Nikki Giovanni

The Following Are Spirit Filled

 
About himself Wyatt writes:

I met Miss Laverne Hall* in 1993 by accident. My sweetheart and I found a flyer about a doll show and decided to drop in uninvited.  Miss Hall was more than nice to us. She allowed us to participate in the event (we sold T-shirts). I saw some of the images that were being made and it immediately inspired me. I couldn't wait to get home and buy some clay. (It wasn't until weeks later that I realized it was OK to use something other than my fingers to sculpt).

For three years or so I was able to express my creativity at Hall's Holiday Festival of Dolls. I couldn't pursue many shows following due to my father's prolonged illness.  Many of the dolls [shared here] are at least ten years old as a result.

I attempted to share the images with the Doll Reader magazine but they weren't interested.  The other day I was researching online when I happened across your words about your love of black dolls and felt that it was time for me to resurface...

I've lived in Toledo most of my life, but I love to travel.

Email address is OK to pass on:  iwyattdesign@gmail.com

Thanks for all you do!

*****

I am happy that my words inspired you to contact me, Wyatt.  Thank you again for sharing the photos of your art dolls. 

*****

*About LaVerne's Original Holiday Festival of Black Dolls taken from a 1998 National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center flyer:

LaVerne Hall began her own company manufacturing paper dolls in response to a need she saw for Black paper dolls.  She named her first line of dolls after her daughter, Mahji... [which grew into a thriving business.  Her line included] custom paper dolls of other children and historic Black figures.  Stemming from early frustrations convincing major retail stores to carry her line, she established an organization to help increase the public visibility of Black dolls and dollmakers.  This organization, LaVerne's Original Holiday Festival of Black Dolls, was the first of its kind to sponsor Black doll shows in selected cities each year.

Events and shows produced by LaVerne's Original Holiday Festival of Black Dolls continued for 18 years.  A February 16, 2012, article, Woman Creates Black Paper Dolls for Her Daughters, provides additional information about Ms. Hall's work in the Black doll community.

It's a Small World
Ms. Hall is also responsible for publishing my first doll-related writings in her DOLL-E-GRAM publication from 1998-1999.  I wrote several collector profiles for the "Spotlight on Collectors" column of DOLL-E-GRAM.     


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Christmas Portraits

This post had been in draft mode for several months to nearly a year if not a year.  I was undecided until now whether I should publish what I deem sensitive, personal information, even if it is doll related.  

Recently my husband inquired about the whereabouts of a pair of dolls.  This same question had been asked by my #1 grandson approximately two weeks prior.  Their questions prompted me to finally publish this post.

The dolls in question are portrait dolls of my two grandsons (my daughter's children).  They had been readily visible in the doll room prior to my moving them to a safer location a while back.  Made of resin but not quite as fragile as porcelain, resin is still fragile.  I thought this doll pair would be safer in their new location, but that area hid them from view (as illustrated in the image below).  

Built-in wall shelf has additional tiered rows of dolls in front.  The two dolls my husband and grandson asked about are on the fourth shelf, obscured by three indigenous Australian dolls and two Baby Whitney dolls. (Click to enlarge.)

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Caleb and Logan mini portrait dolls by Ping Lau

In the summer of 2008, I commissioned doll artist, Ping Lau, to make portrait dolls of my grandsons, Caleb and Logan.  The boys were 7-1/2 and 2-1/2 at the time.  After agreeing, Ping asked me to submit several photographs of the boys taken at different angles.  I did, but with much difficulty because the "baby" was not very cooperative.  I submitted some 30 photographs, and by Christmas of 2008, the portrait dolls of the boys arrived -- a perfect Christmas present from me to me.   They remain my top favorite dolls and probably always will.

I made my first doll video using images of the various stages of the dolls' production that Ping shared with me.   Until now, I have only shared the video with my daughter and a few select online doll friends.  I have now decided to share it publicly.

The video also includes completed images of the dolls along with some of the images of the boys that were used to capture their likeness in doll form.

I hope you enjoy the video and soundtrack.  (It takes a few seconds to begin and at the end there is a pause before the credits roll -- proof of my first time using Microsoft's MovieMaker.)

The lyrics to the soundtrack are below the final image.

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Moved to the opposite side of the doll room to another built-in shelf, the portrait dolls are now visible.

The portrait dolls of my grandsons are now in a more visible area in the doll room as illustrated in the above image.  This should please both my husband and Grandson #1, who is now 11-1/2.  The "baby," who is now 6-1/2, probably had not missed their formerly blocked view.

The Makings of You

Curtis Mayfield, 1970

Add a little sugar, honeysuckle, and
A great big expression of happiness
Boy, you couldn't miss
With a dozen roses, such would astound you
The joy of children laughing around you
These are the makings of you
It is true, the makings of you

The righteous way to go

Little one would know

Or believe if I told them so

You’re second to none

The love of all mankind

Should reflect some sign

Of these words I’ve tried to recite

They are close but not quite

Almost impossible to do

Reciting the makings of you

The righteous way to go

Little one would know

Or believe if I told them so

You’re second to none

The love of all mankind

Should reflect some sign

Of these words I’ve tried to recite

They are close but not quite

Almost impossible to do

Reciting the makings of you

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