Paper Doll c. 1937

Beverly Chichester's "Paper Doll" is a watercolor work, though we don't know when she made it. I love the way she's built up this character, giving her a real sense of presence. You can tell that this wasn't just about illustration; it was about the process of making. Look at how Chichester's used the watercolour; it's so thin and washy in some places, and then she's built it up in others to give a sense of depth. The texture in the dress gives the doll a sense of material reality. Check out the ruffles at the hem, she has painted layer upon layer, building it up. You can see a little bit of a similar effect in the blue ribbon around her waist. I'm reminded of the outsider artist Henry Darger, who also made a lot of work about childhood, though his work is quite different in terms of style. But for both artists, there's this sense of using art to create another world, a place that's both real and not real at the same time.