The Tryon Doll Maker Corps

December 12, 2008 For Immediate Release: Hand-Made dolls from the African-American community in Tryon are now available. Tryon, NC- The Tryon Doll Maker Project emerged this holiday season in Tryon's historic African-American community as several single mothers and their families banded together to confront hard economic times with needles, spools of thread and scraps of fabric. These mothers, grandmothers, children, and grand children struggling with poverty and how to make Christmas in Tryon a little sweeter during challenging economic times, turned to what others discarded -- and found a resource. With the help of the whole family (from pre-school to middle school children) they collected bits of fabric, paper, plastic, twigs, buttons, leaves, shoelaces, and an assortment of any number of other discarded materials and recycled them as raw materials. Using these materials they reached deep into their creative hearts and nourished their sewing skills to create unique African-American southern vernacular dolls. Invigorated by early sales, the Doll Maker corps continued to work and found the children readily joined in during meaningful family time centered around the making of the dolls. The whole family contributes to the naming and writing of a short story about each doll. "I think there is something going on here that is very good" said Atlanta photographer and art collector, Lucinda W. Bunnen (who is exhibiting her work in the Upstairs Artspace's 30th Anniversary show). Ms. Bunnen purchased ten dolls for her grandchildren and while photographing the family -- ordered 10 more. "Mrs. Lucinda, she was a big help" said Andea Miller, one of the Registered Tryon Doll Makers, "I'm still making the dolls and people are buying them." Using time, imagination, and quality family interactions, these mothers turn recycled material into dolls which reflect the rich diversity and heartwarming soul of the tapestry of African-American cultural heritage. Their new community entrepreneurial venture is planning to grow far beyond the holidays. Through the Tryon Doll Makers Corps (which works to expose others in the neighborhood to the importance of hands-on creative activity), a portion of all proceeds from the sale of Registered Tryon Dolls is reinvested in Tryon's historic African-American community through programs that help fight poverty and help build a sustainable future. The Tryon Doll Makers have received business assistance and encouragement from Mountain BIZWorks and the Small Business Center at Isothermal Community College. These organizations are developing a series of Kitchen Table-top Seminars to take to the Doll Makers and others interested in cottage industry business development. Kitchen Table-top Seminars bring the most basic business assistance and community coaching into neighborhoods that need it the most. In a related project, The High Road Neighborhood Garden Project is working to create community gardens in Tryon's historic African-American community by reinvesting in the community and creating jobs. This community-based project continues the Tryon Doll Maker Corps' commitment to helping their community through recycling and returning the benefits to the whole neighborhood -- in this case, in the form of juicy fresh vegetables. Locally-made African-American vernacular garden ornaments will be for sale directly from the garden with proceeds going back to sustaining the project and growing new ventures in the neighborhood that repeatedly strike blows at poverty and address issues of early childhood development. Register Tryon Dolls are being available through December 24 at the Red Clover Gallery, 214 East Rutherford Street in Landrum, SC. For more information, on the Tryon Doll Maker's Corp, call Celia Kudrow at (864) 457-3311