Thursday, March 5, 2009

Mary Jane Campbell Davis

Mary Jane was entered in the "Rocky Mountain Sew Festival/Denver Doll Artisans Art Nouveau Challenge recently..the fantastic news is that she was awarded a Blue Ribbon and Best Story Category! She took months to create due to extensive research and the fact that I hand sew all my sculptures. To be as authentic as possible I used antique and vintage materials that would have been used in the 1890's. Her "suit" is deep blue velvet lined with blue twill and embellished with black French lace and trims. To also follow tradition she wears 3 petticoats, a beaded corset, corset cover and bloomers. To compliment her suit I also created two tone high top lether boots, leather gloves, organza purse, parasol with a pewter Celtic motif and her fantastic hat that is adorned with peacock feathers and antique trims. The brooch she wears is an actual photo of the real Mary Jane Campbell Davis who was my Great Great Great Grandmother! Mary Jane was a decendant of Lord John Campbell of Scotland. Her husband was Benjamin Franklin Davis, a Civil War veteran, whose family was from Wales. Later family connections will include a decendant of the Royal Stuart's, Andrew Jackson, and the artistic Douw family of Holland. I started my genealogical research at age 12...who would have known that 40+ years later it would be honored by awards!

2 comments:

dibbledabble1dolls said...

I forgot to add..huge thanks to Mary Tressler! I used one of her body patterns because I wanted to be sure of a figure with a slender waist and my faeries and other sculptures tend to be more "filled out".

Megan said...

Hi Deb
Wow - what an idea - combining love of genealogy with your doll making! I love genealogy too but hadn't thought of that. Thanks for visiting my new blog too.