Heartfelt Dolls
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Thinking about ... endings and beginnings.

2/9/2017

0 Comments

 
The challenge I set myself has been completed.
101 dolls in 101 days.
I feel excited ...
and deflated.
I liken it to the feeling after attending an invigorating retreat
or a stimulating conference
or reading an engrossing novel -
my perspective on life is forever changed.
And I wish it wasn't over
because the euphoria lifts my spirit.
And I feel I can do anything
but the excuses are already lining up in my head!
Possibilities abound in my thoughts
but the nay-sayers are circling the wagons -
the self-critic; the negative voices of people long dead;
the judge (and the jury); those who demand I conform.

But I have demonstrated ...
perseverance and determination,
trust in myself and in the divine,
discipline,
lateral thinking,
a sense of purpose.
All of these qualities I can apply in all life's endeavours -
creative, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, physical.

And I will.
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Doll 102: Wilhemina Buchanan

1/9/2017

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I couldn't leave Quinn without his life-long partner...
so Doll 102!!!

Wilhemina Krautz was born in 1907 in Germany.
Her family emigrated to South Australia shortly after, in 1908.
Germans were the largest group of non-British or Irish settlers and their descendants
in Australia.
They were industrious and had a strong work ethic.
However, after World War 1,
anti-German sentiment was strong.
Quinn's mother, Constance, found it hard to accept his new bride,
as her husband had been killed by German soldiers at the Battle of the Somme.

Wilhemina grew up in a small settlement
and worked alongside the local doctor.
She quickly learnt practical skills of midwifery and homeopathy.

After her marriage to Quinn Buchanan,
Wilhemina continued her midwifery and homeopathic medicine.
She set aside a quiet room in her home for sick patients,
and another room for expectant mothers.
Her fee was one pound.

Quinn and Wilhemina were married in 1925.
They had 9 children:
Britta b. 1926
Derk b. 1926
Rosa b. 1927
Gerhard b. 1929
Johanna b. 1930
Georg b. 1931
Friedrich b. 1933
Caspar b. 1934
Catharina b. 1936.

The children helped Wilhemina look after the chickens, cows, horses and the large garden.
They helped with milking,  making butter, and collecting eggs.
These they sold to passing paddle steamers.
Picture
The shoulders fit the template,
but that is all that can be seen.
A large bulbous head at the end of the neck.
The torso is an amorphous shape,
hiding all feminine shapeliness.
Curved legs are stitched
into the hem line.
Long narrow arms are buttoned
at the base of the neck.
For reflection ...
Wilhemina overcame anti-German sentiment through compassion
and commitment to the people in her community.
What is my response when I feel rejected or persecuted?
0 Comments

Doll 101: Quinn Buchanan

31/8/2017

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Quinn was the youngest child of Constance and Kevin Buchanan.
He was born in 1903.
Quinn was a masterful storyteller.
He listened to stories told by everyone he met -
parents, grandparents, colleagues,
Aboriginal neighbours, his wife's family.
Quinn gathered these
and shared them whenever he could -
as he steered boats up and down the Murray River;
as he drove visitors to and from the Port of Adelaide,
as he interacted with the families his wife, Wilhemina, treated,
with his children.
Everyone was enchanted.

Quinn and Wilhemina were married in 1925.
They had 9 children:
Britta b. 1926
Derk b. 1926
Rosa b. 1927
Gerhard b. 1929
Johanna b. 1930
Georg b. 1931
Friedrich b. 1933
Caspar b. 1934
Catharina b. 1936.
Picture

Quinn's figure is similar to his brothers.
The lower torso is teardrop shaped.
The upper torso is long and thin,
with sloping shoulders.
The neck is extended.
Long narrow arms are sewn to the shoulders.
For reflection ...
Quinn was a gatherer and teller of stories.
How important is the oral tradition in our communities?
How are stories collected and shared in the 21st century?

0 Comments

Doll 100: Lucy Buchanan

30/8/2017

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Lucy Johnson was born in 1905 in Adelaide, South Australia.
She studied law at the University of Adelaide.
This university has a long history of championing the rights of women
in higher education.
She was admitted to the bar,
but had to leave her practice after she married.
Lucy then went on to establish a practice with another woman.
They were advocates for child welfare reform and social work.

Lucy met Reagan Buchanan while studying at university.
They married in 1928.
They had 3 children:
Janet b. 1929
Kenneth b. 1931
David b. 1934.

Picture

The template cannot be seen in this figure.
A long neck stretches up to a large round head.
The shoulders are gently sloping.
All womanly shape is hidden beneath the dress form.
Short fat curved legs
are sewn into the base of the dress.
Long narrow arms are sewn to the shoulders.
For reflection ..
Lucy was discriminated against because she was married.
Do I accept inequality in the workplace?

0 Comments

Doll 99: Reagan Buchanan

29/8/2017

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Reagan was born in 1907,
the 4th child of Constance and Kevin Buchanan.
He was very intelligent, excelling at mathematics and the sciences.
Reagan studied engineering at the University of Adelaide.
After graduation,
he became involved in civil engineering projects on the Murray River.
The Murray River Agreement was signed in 1915.
This proposed the construction of 4 storage reservoirs in the river's headwaters,
and at Lake Victoria, Lake Hume, Lake Mulwak and Lake Dartmouth.
There was also a series of locks built on the river.

Reagan married Lucy Johnson, a graduate in law, in 1928.
They had 3 children:
Janet b. 1929
Kenneth b. 1931
David b. 1934
Picture
The third figure using a similar pattern.
The teardrop shape is evident in the lower torso.
The curve of the legs follow the template.
There is a long triangular upper torso,
and a long neck.
Long narrow arms are sewn to the shoulders.
For reflection ...
Large civil engineering projects often walk a thin line
between catering to the perceived needs of the people and conservation.
How important is consultation with all interested parties?
How do we strip away all the spin doctoring to understand the fundamentals?
What is our role?
Can we morally and ethically be silent?

0 Comments

Doll 98: Lillian Buchanan

28/8/2017

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Lillian Mathis was born in Aberdeen, Scotland.
She emigrated to Adelaide with the parents in 1910,
who were weary of anti-Catholic sentiment in Scotland.

Lillian attended Kindergarten Training College,
which had opened in 1907.

She met Sullivan Buchanan at a Church dance.
She immediately fell in love with his amiable and caring nature.
They married in 1930.
They had 2 children:
Helen b. 1932
Kate b. 1934.
Picture
I did not use the teardrop template.
The shoulders are very sloping.
There is a slight nip in the waist.
The base is gently curved.
Longish legs are attached
to the bottom edge of the dress.
Long narrow arms are buttoned
to the top of the dress.
For reflection ...
Lillian married a man with a disability.
Am I able to see the person in front of me
before I see their abilities or disabilities?
Do I let a person's disabilities blind me to their unique abilities?
0 Comments

Doll 97: Sullivan Buchanan

27/8/2017

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Sullivan Buchanan was born blind in 1906.
He was the 3rd child of Constance and Kevin Buchanan.
After his father was killed in the Battle of the Somme in 1916,
Constance was unable to cope with 5 young children.
Sullivan went to live with his paternal grandparents in Adelaide.

When he was old enough, he began work at Gerard Industries,
producing conduit fittings at the Old Blind School in North Adelaide.

The Royal Society for the Blind was founded by Andrew Whyte Hendry in 1884.
Blinded at age 6,
he wanted to create a place where blind and visually impaired people could learn an occupation, allowing them to be active and valued members of their community.

Sullivan met kindergarten teacher, Lillian Mathis, at a Church dance.
They married in 1930.
They had 2 children:
Helen b. 1932
Kate b. 1934
Picture
The second of 4 brothers
who all have a similar body shape.
The lower torso and legs are very rounded.
The upper torso has some shape at the waist.
The shoulders are quite level.
There is a long neck
and slight indication of a head.
Long narrow arms are attached to the upper torso.
For reflection ...
Sullivan lived and worked with a disability.
Does the community have a responsibility to employ those with disabilities?
Should they take jobs away from the able-bodied?

0 Comments

Doll 96: Neil Gallagher

26/8/2017

0 Comments

 
Neil Gallagher was the eldest son of English immigrants.
He was born in 1904.
Neil worked in local government as a Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Neil met the outgoing and exuberant Jean Buchanan
when she came in to register her mother's death.
They developed an easy rapport.

Neil married Jean in 1925.
They had 4 children:
Alice b. 1925
Eric b. 1926
Freda b. 1928
Peter b. 1929.
Picture

The upper torso reflects the teardrop shape.
The shoulders are very sloping.
The lower torso is quite fat.
The legs are straight
with a slight indication of feet.
Long narrow arms are sewn
to the base of the neck.
For reflection ...
How important is it to keep records of all who are born, marry, divorce and die?
Should these be in hard copy or computerised?
Who should have access to these records?

0 Comments

Doll 95: Jean Gallagher

25/8/2017

0 Comments

 
Jean was the only daughter born to Constance and Kevin Buchanan.
She was born in 1904.
11 years later, her father Kevin was killed in the Battle of the Somme.

Jean was a talented and creative dressmaker and designer.
She established a reputation throughout Adelaide
for her exquisite designs.
Jean loved to use imported European and Asian fabrics,
especially silk and embroideries.

Jean married public servant, Neil Gallagher, in 1925.
They had 4 children:
Alice b. 1925
Eric b. 1926
Freda b. 1928
Peter b. 1929.
Picture
This body shape is very similar
to that used for her mother and grandmother.
The teardrop shape has been stretched sideways to create generous hips.
The legs follow this shape
and are very large.
The head is a polystyrene ball.
Long narrow arms are sewn to the base of the neck.
For reflection ...
Jean loved to use imported textiles in her creations.
How careful should we be in understanding the provenance of the materials we use ...
consider child labour, sweat shops, ethical growing conditions,
fair trade, impact on the environment, conservation?

0 Comments

Doll 94: Doreen Buchanan

24/8/2017

0 Comments

 
Doreen Thompson was born in 1903,
the eldest child of wealthy English free settlers.
She loved the stories of flight and dreamed of being a pilot.
Doreen wanted to emulate her heroines.

Millicent Bryant became the first Australian woman to gain an Australian pilot's licence in 1927.
Nancy Bird-Walton became the youngest commercially licenced female pilot
in the Commonwealth in 1934.
She then ran an air ambulance service to Outback NSW.
She became known as "Angel of the Outback" for her work with
the Royal Far West Children's Health Scheme.

Doreen met Colm Buchanan when she was learning to fly.
They married in 1927.
They had 2 children:
Colin b. 1928
Rose b. 1931
Picture
The lower torso is an enlarged version
of the teardrop template.
The upper torso is very shapely,
and has been fore-shortened.
The legs are quite narrow.
Long narrow arms are buttoned
to the top of the leather jacket.
For reflection ...
Who are the people we want to emulate?
As we follow in their footsteps,
how do we make our own mark, reflect our own uniqueness?

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