■ It was the giraffe that first caught my attention.Tiny scraps of cloth patchworked along his neck to create the caramel and buttercreamcoloured camouflage of picture books. A flower garland around his neck and an African print open neck shirt.Two stubby horns made from cord frayed at the ends. He looks like he’s nonchalantly enjoying a day around the pool.Then were the two little goats: sisters, with jaunty ears, their heads wreathed in summer flowers, wearing exquisite clothing with their faces patchworked too.You want to reach out and take Ella Kearvell’s creations with you, to give them a home.There is something about their patchworked faces that makes you want to care for these creatures, or ‘fabric souls’ as their creator lovingly refers to them.
Art dolls are on the rise. Ella studied Mister Finch at school, purveyor of exquisite characters from a fairytale world.We showcased the art dolls of Johanna Flanaghan of The Pale Rook in our September/ October issue, along with the fun and colourful anthropomorphic animal creations of Bryony Rose Jennings on the cover. But why do we love art dolls so much? Ella has a theory:‘I think people are looking for more unique things to buy and display in their homes. Of course there are paintings and other art pieces, but owning little dolls is a way of expressing a nostalgia for their childhood.’