Real Women in Polymer

I thought I knew all the really amazing polymer clay doll artists but as usual, there are more!  Eneida Rosa makes the most amazing sculptures – not just because of their realism and her obvious skill with the material – but because these are real women with the small ‘imperfections’ that certain industries would like us to think don’t exist.

This piece, “Alisha,” has to be my favorite. This woman is no waif. She has healthy curves and all the things that make a woman truly sexy (so says a survey of my male friends). She’s still looking to be in better shape than me (I so need to cut down on eating out!) but how wonderfully refreshing to see a not-so-flat belly and a little unevenness across the thigh.

There is now a backlash in the fashion industry against those emaciated looks and unhealthy demands made on fashion models that too many woman try to compete with. We should keep this in mind in our artwork as well.

Although one of the advantages – as well as a draw for making art – is creating whatever we think beauty is, even when it’s unrealistic. How much more helpful can we be to society and the female self-image if we portray the beautiful women of polymer sculpture as gorgeous emulations of real, healthy-looking women that we could realistically all aspire to be?

So hat’s off to Eneida for her wonderful and realistic work.