Mary Ellen Frank Gallery • JA.com


		media: Portraits/Figures/Sculptures/Dolls

My work is largely of the
elderly, the weathered
and worn. These are my
“beautiful people”

Yupik Master

Yupik Master Basket Maker
with commissioned basket by
Yupik artist Annie Hurlbut.
Wood, furs & fabric, grass basket

My figures are portrait sculptures constructed with doll making techniques. Each figure is created as a likeness and intended to be a lasting work of art. They are available by commission.

Previously completed projects include portraits of: an Inuit art collector’s favorite artists; a master quilter in her beloved dress on a household chair working on her prize winning quilt; a Tsimshian woman shaman for a local woman doctor; a series of couples from each major group of Alaska Native peoples; and, three generations of Yupik women with the granddaughter making her first doll.

My work consists of over 100 dolls since 1989. Some of that work is in permanent collections in museums, has been invited to national exhibitions, is in corporate collections and has been featured in national magazines and books.

Mikhail, Aleut Hunter
in commissioned baidarka by Aleut artist Doug Vaubel.
Both - wood, gut, leathers & fabric

Some Background
I always a nagging sense of wanting to do something alone and creative. Life events conspired to shake me loose from my routine then started dropping opportunities pointing in this direction right onto my path.
For example, in March 1988, I took a workshop on portrait dollmaking with master Inuit dollmaker Dolly Spencer (now deceased) at the Alaska State Museum, a repository of a large collection of Spencer’s work www.museum.state.ak.us. Inspired by that workshop, I decided to use my next vacation to study at Arrowmont School of Ar ts & Crafts in Tennessee which connected me with my dollmaking mentor and now friend, Akira Blount, and she offered me an apprenticeship. From my work with her I started attending annual conferences for the National Institute of American Doll Artist (now International), and ultimately applied and was juried into that organization in 1996.

Walter Soboleff

Respected Tlingit Elder with Chilkat Blanket
Wood, fur and leather
Collection of Juneau Museum
Photo by Marilyn Holmes

Sheojuk
Sheojuk Etidlooie, a Canadian Inuit
artist in her favorite get up.
Wood, fur, leather and fabric

My Goals
In creating these works, my goal is to produce very high quality, unique and unusual pieces that will please current and future generations.

Portrait dolls are unique, by definition. My dolls are created to be lasting works of art, of museum quality. The doll’s durability helps to assure they will survive the purchaser, to be passed on to heirs. My subjects, including older, sometimes male figures, and often graced with age and experience, are unusual in the doll world. •

My Inspirations
My inspirations have mostly been older subjects. For the first decade of dollmaking that was almost exclusively portraits of northern Native Americans. My work is largely of the elderly, the weathered and worn. These are my “beautiful people” and they are a group not embarrassed by their age and survival. I have chosen portraits to respectfully show people as they are, or were at a moment.

With the Northern Native Americans subjects, I can explore the objects and clothing indigenous peoples of northern lands have developed for survival, spiritual connection, tribal pride and identification. I continue to work in this subject area but now also do portraits of people’s family members or respected older people.

It takes me two to four months to complete a figure and I tend to overlap projects somewhat. •

How to Proceed
If your goals in owning a doll are like mine in producing one, we should be working together. People who commission work sometimes have a specific idea of who they want and provide photos of the person, or they can get them.

Other times, people come to me knowing generally what subject they want in terms of ethnicity, age, sex and/or activity, but don't necessarily have a specific person or group in mind. In these cases, I build a portfolio of photographs of interesting people to consider.

Finally, people look at the portfolio of interesting projects I have assembled, and pick one out they would like.

A deposit of $100 is required for me to schedule your work. I will quote a price based on the doll or group you are considering. Before I begin work I will contact you to finalize subjects, talk about accessories or associated pieces, and let you know the completed price and expected date of delivery. •

Tsimshian Woman Shaman
with globular rattle and cedar bark adornments. Wood, furs, clay & fabric

Mary Jo Hobbs with her portrait doll at our presentation of the piece at the Juneau Pioneer's Home. My dear friend Roberta Johnson is at the right.
Click on image for larger version

Mary Jo Hobbs
"Mary Jo Hobbs, master quilter and her prize winning quilt.
Clay, fabric, fur & leather

Mary Ellen Frank has published art cards available through Taku Graphics

Mary Ellen Frank lives at 114 S Franklin suite 104. She works out of her studio at 114 S. Franklin, suite 104.

Mary Ellen Frank
NIADA Artist
P.O. Box 021137
Juneau AK 99802-1137
mef@juneauartists.com
907 586-4969 studio
907 364-2254 home

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My work is largely of the elderly, the weathered and worn. These are my “beautiful people”		Yupik Master Basket Maker with commissioned basket by Yupik artist Annie Hurlbut. Wood, furs & fabric, grass basket

	My figures are portrait sculptures constructed with doll making techniques. Each figure is created as a likeness and intended to be a lasting work of art. They are available by commission. Previously completed projects include portraits of: an Inuit art collector’s favorite artists; a master quilter in her beloved dress on a household chair working on her prize winning quilt; a Tsimshian woman shaman for a local woman doctor; a series of couples from each major group of Alaska Native peoples; and, three generations of Yupik women with the granddaughter making her first doll. My work consists of over 100 dolls since 1989. Some of that work is in permanent collections in museums, has been invited to national exhibitions, is in corporate collections and has been featured in national magazines and books.

Some Background I always a nagging sense of wanting to do something alone and creative. Life events conspired to shake me loose from my routine then started dropping opportunities pointing in this direction right onto my path. For example, in March 1988, I took a workshop on portrait dollmaking with master Inuit dollmaker Dolly Spencer (now deceased) at the Alaska State Museum, a repository of a large collection of Spencer’s work www.museum.state.ak.us. Inspired by that workshop, I decided to use my next vacation to study at Arrowmont School of Ar ts & Crafts in Tennessee which connected me with my dollmaking mentor and now friend, Akira Blount, and she offered me an apprenticeship. From my work with her I started attending annual conferences for the National Institute of American Doll Artist (now International), and ultimately applied and was juried into that organization in 1996.		Walter Soboleff Respected Tlingit Elder with Chilkat Blanket Wood, fur and leather Collection of Juneau Museum Photo by Marilyn Holmes
Sheojuk Sheojuk Etidlooie, a Canadian Inuit artist in her favorite get up. Wood, fur, leather and fabric
		My Goals In creating these works, my goal is to produce very high quality, unique and unusual pieces that will please current and future generations. Portrait dolls are unique, by definition. My dolls are created to be lasting works of art, of museum quality. The doll’s durability helps to assure they will survive the purchaser, to be passed on to heirs. My subjects, including older, sometimes male figures, and often graced with age and experience, are unusual in the doll world. • My Inspirations My inspirations have mostly been older subjects. For the first decade of dollmaking that was almost exclusively portraits of northern Native Americans. My work is largely of the elderly, the weathered and worn. These are my “beautiful people” and they are a group not embarrassed by their age and survival. I have chosen portraits to respectfully show people as they are, or were at a moment. With the Northern Native Americans subjects, I can explore the objects and clothing indigenous peoples of northern lands have developed for survival, spiritual connection, tribal pride and identification. I continue to work in this subject area but now also do portraits of people’s family members or respected older people. It takes me two to four months to complete a figure and I tend to overlap projects somewhat. •
How to Proceed If your goals in owning a doll are like mine in producing one, we should be working together. People who commission work sometimes have a specific idea of who they want and provide photos of the person, or they can get them. Other times, people come to me knowing generally what subject they want in terms of ethnicity, age, sex and/or activity, but don't necessarily have a specific person or group in mind. In these cases, I build a portfolio of photographs of interesting people to consider. Finally, people look at the portfolio of interesting projects I have assembled, and pick one out they would like. A deposit of $100 is required for me to schedule your work. I will quote a price based on the doll or group you are considering. Before I begin work I will contact you to finalize subjects, talk about accessories or associated pieces, and let you know the completed price and expected date of delivery. •		Tsimshian Woman Shaman with globular rattle and cedar bark adornments. Wood, furs, clay & fabric
Mary Jo Hobbs with her portrait doll at our presentation of the piece at the Juneau Pioneer's Home. My dear friend Roberta Johnson is at the right. Click on image for larger version
Mary Jo Hobbs "Mary Jo Hobbs, master quilter and her prize winning quilt. Clay, fabric, fur & leather Mary Ellen Frank has published art cards available through Taku Graphics