****This listing is an EXAMPLE of my work and NOT FOR SALE. ***DO NOT PURCHASE. Thank you. Follow me on FB Leo Moss Dolls By Tutu.
****Leotis the mischievous boy with the straw hat recently won art work of the week in Honolulu and will be on display in a Hawaiian Museum.
My art dolls are one-of-a-kind, however I can make a similar doll if you see one you love. Please feel free to reach out with questions. I put a lot of time in creating my art dolls. Prices vary depending on the size, dress and elaboration of the doll . ****The price shown in this listing is a number value only. Aloha from Hawaii.
How my journey with Leo began……
I am an ambidextrous self-taught doll artist of Cherokee Indian heritage and enrolled tribal member of Cherokee Nation. Since the onset of the pandemic, I began my journey with papier mache and the art of Leo Moss. I fell in love with his poignant story and his dolls. They are truly works of art and it is a great honor in owning several of them. I call this a gift of first-hand knowledge and as close as it gets to Leo Moss and his techniques. Holding his dolls I get to experience how his dolls really look and feel, his sculpting and coloring techniques and their wonderful expressions. When our country "locked-down" I had to find a creative outlet to keep myself occupied so I channeled the sadness and difficulties of an ongoing pandemic into creating dolls.
I call my dolls poignant paper, because they are. "Toilet paper was the hottest commodity when the C-19 Pandemic hit, I used mine to make dolls." - Tutu Souza, 2020
Dolls are wonderful for the human spirit and I am so grateful to have dolls and Leo in my life. Studying and learning from my Moss dolls, I use similar materials and techniques. I have been an artist all of my life, earning a cosmetology license in my 20's and with this experience I learned hair textures, styles and coloring, which has helped me greatly in creating my dolls. In my 30's, I returned to school for my passion earning a Bachelor of Arts in Dance.
The story of my pandemic art dolls is published in periodicals and the UFDC u-tube channel "Adventures in Dolls." My journey with Leo “ The Healing Power of Dolls and Tears" can be seen. It's important to connect with the artist to understand their raw emotions as they create their work. That's what makes it compelling. My dolls are now world-wide and I am so thankful to all of my supporters and new friends I have made along the way.
“Tears are a powerful healer, releasing stress, sadness, anxiety and joy. Our salty tears are cleansing like the ocean, lubricating our eyes, reducing stress hormones, and removing irritants. Pent up emotions can cause illness, fatigue and pain. Crying can simulate the production of endorphins, our bodies natural painkiller. Tears heal the heart and help us process loss, so go ahead, hug your doll and release those tears." - Tutu Souza, 2021.
In the late 1800's Leo Moss survived tragedy and began making magnificent dolls. Now, nearly 150 years later our paths crossed and he has made a huge impact in my life. "What you do now matters, it matters today, it will matter tomorrow." Tutu Souza 2022.
I put heart, soul and the spirit of Leo in every doll. **Cross-listed on other platforms with Layaway available.