Ravishing Ruth, 2007

12" x 10" x 8"
Cloth over Paperclay face with cloth body. Body painted with a dark brown acrylic paint, covered in crackle medium, and finished with a flesh-tone acrylic. Face painted with acrylics. Dress made from vintage silk. Leather shoes, cotton panties with vintage lace trim and polymer clay lollipop. Hair is styled lamb's wool. Base is covered in canvas and painted.

Ruth was done for the TAODA Storybook VI Exhibit. She will travel with the book Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo? by Carlyn Beccia.

"I have always wanted to do an overstuffed doll, so when I saw this book, I was inspired. I added the crackle technique to give her a vintage feel. She almost seems to bursting out of her skin. Ruth Pontico, who weighed 16 lbs. at birth, was the Fat Lady of
Ringling Bros. Circus in the 1930's. She lived a very colorful life, but died at 37, falling short of her goal of 1000 pounds."