eBay

I found 4 of these cute little people in a box labeled "Mississippi Mud Dolls." They were nestled in tissue

paper at an Estate Auction near Stanford University, south of San Francisco.

I had never heard of these dolls. My research shows these "Skater Girls" were the first creations made

in the mid 1980s by Lorraine Gendron of Hahnville, Louisiana, some 20 miles east of New Orleans, right

on the Mississippi River.

Gendron is now 86 years old, and still creating her folk art. In her older years, she's changed her artistic

medium, from mud to painted wood, and her creations still sell briskly at local art and jazz shows. She's

been tapped at least twice over the years by the White House, to make decorative creations for Easter

and Christmas.

This little Skater Girl has gold Angel Wings on her shoulders, and she is a delight.

Under her pink petticoat is a printed tag, stating she is handmade from Mississippi mud by Lorraine

Gendron, who hand-stitched her clothing. Her face and body are hand painted, including the black hair

which is elaborately sculpted and decorated with vivid pink painted flowers. Her skates are painted,

but the wheels are made from pins and beads. Utterly charming.

This doll is very primitive. Her body and head are one piece; her arms and legs are attached with wire

and movable. The mud is like a ceramic, and would shatter if dropped. Luckily, she skatess proudly and

safely in her metal stand.

Note for International Buyers:

I only ship through Ebay's Global Shipping Program. It does the best job of protecting us both.

Dimensions:

She stands 8 1/2 inches high.

Weight: 10 ounces

Thanks so much for looking, and I love to combine items to save you shipping.

Bio of Lorraine Gendron from the University of Louisiana Press website:

From spirited angels on high to Jazzmen sweet and down low, multimedia artist Lorraine Gendron is inspired by the colorful traditions and rituals of Louisiana. While it was her Mississippi Mud dolls that brought Gendron to national attention in the 1980s, she has concentrated more recently on creating painted wood cutouts and acrylic on wood paintings.

Gendron has received numerous awards and honors through the years. Her portrait "Sweet Emma" is included in 20th Century American, Folk, Self-Taught, and Outsider Art by Betty-Carol Sellen and Cynthia J. Johanson; her work is also featured in other art reference books, including Coming Home! Self-Taught Artists, the Bible, and the American South by Carol Crown; The Traveler's Guide of American Crafts (East of the Mississippi); Fait a la Main: A Source Book of Louisiana Crafts; and Myth, Memory, Imagination: Universal Themes in Life and Culture of the South, by Julia Noreli. Gendron's painting "Feeding New Orleans" graces the cover of Celebrating 200 Years of the River Parishes' History by Judy Creekmore."
  Gendron has exhibited her unique work at numerous festivals in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, and Arkansas, and has for the past twenty-five years participated in the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. She was one of five area artists commissioned by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin in 2003 to create gifts for visiting dignitaries and was one of forty area artists chosen to decorate fiberglass fleurs de lis by the Fore!Kids Foundation in 2007 to benefit local children's charities. Since 1993 Gendron has introduced countless young artists to sculpture by encouraging them to develop their talents during summer camps sponsored by the St. Charles Art Guild.
  Gendron's work has been shown in many prestigious venues and is included in fine art museums across the South and in international collections. Her work has been exhibited at the 1984 World's Fair, the McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina, the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, the Art Museum of the University of Memphis, the American Folk Life Shop in the Library of Congress, and the New York Museum of Folk Art. Gendron's Cajun nativity scenes, complete with alligators, armadillos, and baby Jesus nestled in a pirogue, are part of several collections including museums in Marion, Ohio, and Arles, France. Her large mud sculpture grouping "Preservation Hall Jazz Band" is part of the Ripley's Believe it or Not collection.
  Lorraine Gendron lives in Hahnville, La., with her husband, Louis, and their dog, Deuce.