[ MAUKA MAKAI ]

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM "Transition" displays the glittering detail of Marilyn Radzat's sculptures.

Enchantress

Sculptor Marilyn Radzat has
gained fame for her intricate
work with dolls

Marilyn Radzat finds whimsy and wonder in everything around her. "I believe in enchantment in the highest form," she said, "not as an escape from reality, but as a window into what is possible in the fertile and complex world of imagination."

Her inspiration is injected into the one-of-a-kind sculptures she has been creating for more than 30 years. The North Shore artist is profiled in Kathryn Witt's new book, "Contemporary American Doll Artists and Their Dolls."

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM A closeup of "Butterfly Blessings."

Radzat got an early start because she came from an artistic family. "We would always make things for the holidays," she said, having tried stained glass and a variety of mediums, from painting to beadwork. "I was passionate and kept doing it. I'd just put one foot in front of the other. Whatever came through my hands was a gift for me."

Her fate was sealed when she took a pottery wheel class. "I started out bad," she laughed. "I couldn't throw a pot to save my life. But I started playing with clay."

So instead of pots, she began turning out figures, thinking big from the start. "The sculptures were at least 3 feet tall. Some were more than 5 feet tall. Father Christmas was over 6 feet," she said. "I don't know what I was thinking."

She can create smaller sculptures as well, but no matter what the size, none lack detail. Her studio is organized with bins full of beads, sea glass, sequins, material, lace and an assortment of treasures.

She looks for seashells and sea glass on local beaches, and the finds are a continuous source of wonder for the artist.

"I'm thrilled to look down and see what looks like jewels in the sand," she said. "That their beauty can come only from time is the part that I love best."

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Marilyn Radzat works on the details of a doll in her studio.

On a typical morning, during the low tide, she can gather about 20 small pieces fit for her sculptures. The rarest colors are cobalt and lavender.

"This sea glass, and other gifts from the sea, have become my muse as I find myself on this island," said Radzat, who moved here from Northern California about seven years ago.

Radzat is also an avid textile collector and uses her finds to create costumes for her sculptured dolls.

IT TAKES RADZAT approximately a week to 10 days to create one piece, spending about four hours sculpting daily.

"I used to sculpt a lot more than that, starting early in the morning until late at night. Everywhere I would go, when I traveled or went to dinner at a friend's house, I'd have my clay."

The characters appear in her mind without waiting "for inspiration to hit me," she said.

And that's a good thing, because fans of her work snap them up as soon as she posts them to her Web site. For Radzat, this technological connection to collectors is the last step in the creation process.

Demi Moore, the Clintons, Richard Simmons, Ron Howard and author Anne Rice are among the famous folks who have purchased her dolls. "The Internet has opened up a whole new world." EBay also allows her to easily purchase antique lace, among other materials.

"If you make a piece of artwork, the circle isn't complete until a collector takes it into her home," she said, saying she feels the most satisfaction in knowing her work made someone smile.

"I've made many laughable characters," she said, describing Maryhoonies, little creatures that were her version of the menehune, dressed somewhat inexplicably in Maryjane shoes.

Also helping to make her life easier is the development of more user-friendly clays that are increasingly durable, and easy to paint and embellish. "I can fire the (polyform) clay in the oven at home."

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Details of works "Crystal Blessings..."

ART DOLLS WERE introduced to the American buying public in the 1980s. "Not many people were doing it," Radzat said. "It was a real fun time. You could make anything and people would buy it."

All of Radzat's pieces are one-of-a-kind collectibles, averaging $2,500 to $3,000. "100th Angel" is a unique rectangular piece that contains 98 cherub heads and one large angel. The 100th angel appears when you look into the mirror, so that anyone can become the angel that can change the world, she said.

Many of her works are made with gourds that open up to reveal surprises inside.

Radzat's love of rhinestones and glitter shows in a work entitled "Crystal Blessings," with a doll positioned in a chair made of wire and cardboard. Her hands represent a Taoist blessing. Crystal chandelierlike pieces hang from the chair, which comes with a matching embellished footstool.

Radzat is currently working on a piece for a mother who lost a child. "The small girl was killed. ... Drawings of butterflies were scattered around the site where she died. Butterflies also lingered around her home."

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM ...and "100th Angel."

Radzat will share her talents beginning this fall when she hosts her first retreat, conducted with the help of fellow fantasy artist Gail Lackey. The small group of students will attend two classes a day and have their meals cooked by a chef to free them to create. Participants will also be able to swim and go kayaking.

"We will also conduct meditations to open the mind," she said. "Most people want to know how to find inspiration ... and how to embellish.

"Inspiration is everywhere," she said, hoping to help others discover what she's learned over time. "Art is a good way to learn life principles. I've learned a lot about myself, and it helps me to be positive."

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM On the cover: "Butterfly Kisses" displays the wonder sculptor Marilyn Radzat explores in her work.

Click for online
calendars and events.