cathy broski

It's that time of the year to begin presenting the fabulous dolls that will be for sale at the 4th Annual Change the Truth Friendraiser/Fundraiser!

The dolls, made from banana fiber by the children at St. Mary Kevin Orphanage and now adorned by a great group of Kansas City area artists, have started returning to my doorstep. I am so excited to see them again; they each look a lot different than they did when they left my house a few short weeks ago. Each artist has had free reign to decorate or alter the doll any way she/he sees fit. And just like last year, the resulting creations are magnificent!



Cathy Broski is new to the Doll Project. I am happy to have had the chance to recently meet her and wander around her fabulous studio. I'm so glad she agreed to participate in the project; as you can see, she made a wonderful piece. Her doll, pictured at the top of the page, stands 13" tall.

In Cathy's own words:

"My work is steeped in archetypal and personal symbolism. Figures, houses, boats and pottery are all vessels to contain things we hold dear, and sometimes those things we would cast off. I chose these forms to work with because they have several levels of meaning I find intriguing to explore. The surfaces reflect my experience and attitude.

I love the idea of found objects, because of their wear and marks of their journeys. This is the feel I try to achieve on my surfaces. To accomplish this in my own work, I use a layering technique.

Each piece begins on the potter’s wheel or with slabs. The pieces grow with the application of coils or additional slabs. When each piece is completed, I carve or texture the surface and let it dry. The base colors are applied and fired. Once the first firing is complete, I apply and wipe off a combination of terra sigilattas, slips, stains and glazes, then fire again. This process is repeated until I achieve the desired effect.

Since receiving my BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1990, I have worked in the ceramics field in many capacities. Presently I am represented by numerous galleries, teach many pottery classes, instruct workshops, sell at art fairs, and have been published in several ceramic periodicals. In 2000, my husband and I built my studio right outside our backdoor. And in 2007 we completed a 40 cu ft gas car kiln.

Life is good."

Check out Cathy's website here.

** Notice the skirt? It's made of keys. And there is a lock in the palm of the hand below.