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'■'WUJ, »>ia» ̂̂ P lay ing w ith dolls h as paid off fo r o n e O akville w o m a n By Carol Baldwin ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Rita Harth has never given up playing with dolls. In fact, she does it for a living now. However, 'playing' may be the wrong word - creating is more like it. Since her parents could never afford to buy her a doll when she was growing up in Germany, Harth never lost her fondness for dolls or her desire to own a nice one. So she began making them, first out of cloth then out of porcelain and cloth. She actually went to a porcelain company and learned how to fire the delicate material. "I checked for the medi­ um that would best dupli­ cate the image of human skin," she says, explaining that she wanted to make her dolls as life-like as possible. Harth has even devel­ oped her own colour-wash technique for reproducing a realistic flesh colour for the porcelain, and she will modify that complexion on request. "I make commis­ sioned look-a-likes," says the Oakville artisan, point­ ing to a photograph of a lit­ tle girl with an identical looking doll. Although Harth will create a new plaster mould from scratch for any look-a-like requests, she has 35 to 50 different moulds that she uses regularly for her dolls' faces. But even though she may use the same mould 10 times, no two faces are alike. "I often start the process and while I'm making a face, it changes. It depends on what kind of mood I'm in when I'm doing it," she says, explaining that something as simple as painting the eye brows closer together can change a doll's whole appearance. Harth began making her porcelain dolls in Germany 15 years ago, and continued her hobby when she immigrated to Canada. But when she moved to Oakville almost six years ago, she decided to turn her hobby into a full-time job. And she's been making head, arm, and leg moulds, painting faces and finger nails, attaching wigs, and creating fashions for her miniature family ever since. And a miniature family it is. She even calls her business 'Rita's Children', and her children are moulded and painted with loving care. And she'll admit to talking to them on occasion. "They have their own personalities," says Harth, adding that if she has a difficult time making one particular doll, she attributes that to a personali­ ty clash. "I don't get along with it." The head, shoulder plates, arms and legs of Harth's dolls are moulded from porcelain. The bodies are made of soft cloth around wire arma­ tures, so the dolls can be manipulated to strike any pose. Harth makes the porcelain parts; her daughter, Sabine, makes the bodies. They both design and make the clothing. "I have to think, 'What colours are in this year?' I spend a lot o f time hunting for fabrics and laces, and hunting for props - a teddy bear for a doll to hold," she explains. "All the dolls come with their own toy or are doing something. They are not for children to play with. They're heirlooms." Once the porcelain pieces are made, Harth paints them all in her unique flesh colour. Then she applies the finishing touches - from painting the eye brows and finger nails to securing the eyes, eye lashes and wigs. "I do the painting...I always was an artsy person. I love every­ thing that has to do with arts and crafts," she says, explaining that several coats of paint and kiln fir­ ings are necessary before the porcelain pieces are ready. "It's a translucent paint. You have to go over it, and in between, you have to fire it. It's the same paint as you would have on china dishes." Harth says she used to make dolls for a Cana­ dian company but discovered that she wasn't interested in mass producing any one doll. She'd rather make a variety. She does, however, make enough porcelain arms and legs to sell to a U. S. company. "I also wholesale parts for other stu­ dios," she says. Harth not only makes dolls, she shares her knowledge by teaching others to make them. Her classes take place every Wednesday, mornings and evenings. And people come from as far away as Newmarket to learn from her. She says her students can complete a doll in about eight weeks, undressed. "Most Come to make a gift for somebody, then they get hooked," she says. With all the hand crafting that goes into each doll, Harth says it takes about 20 hours of labour to make one doll. Her one-of-a-kind dolls cost between $275 to $1,000. And about 30 of them - close to half a year's work - will be available at the One-of-a-Kind Spring Show. Harth says many people who see her dolls for the first time think she purchases all the parts and simply assembles them, selling the finished product. "They can't believe that the faces are actually handmade," she says, adding that she used to sell kits. "Now my dolls are signed and numbered works of art." "I have to think, ' W hat colours are in th is year?' I spend a lo t o f tim e hunting for fabrics and laces, and hunting for props - a teddy hear for a doll to hold. A d the dolls com e w ith their own toy or are doing som ething. They are n ot for children to p lay w ith . They're heirloom s." Photo by Ron Kuzyk Rita Harth fits a wig onto one of the faces she has created by hand. Her workshop is a mass of dolls' body parts and clothing. But she loves spending time with her "children." Theatre preview and auction The Children's Assessment and Treatment Centre (CATC) and Theatre Aquarius have partnered to present a sneak preview of the play Ethan Claymore, a romantic comedy by Norm Foster. This special presentation of Ethan Clay­ more on Tuesday, April 6th at 8 p.m. in The­ atre Aquarius (190 King William St., Hamil­ ton) is a fund-raising initiative to support the CATC Good Beginning Program and the The­ atre Aquarius Youth Educational Program. Ticket-holders are invited to a pre-show complimentary champagne and wine recep­ tion at 6:30 p.m. A live and a silent auction will also precede the performance. The specialty auction items open to bid­ ders will include a VIP wine tour for 20 at Hillebrand Estates winery, Toronto Maple Leaf and Blue Jay's tickets, a Robert Bateman print, jewelry, a custom painted wall-mural, decorative bird houses, and the services of a firefighter for a day. Tickets are $30 and include the champagne reception as well as the silent and live auc­ tions. Profits from ticket sales and the silent auction will be shared equally between CATC and Theatre Aquarius. Tax receipts will be available. The Oakville Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee is pleased to announce the 1 9 9 9 edition of the Oakville Visitor's Guide Publishing April '99, this guide will help to promote Oakville and bring tourist dollars to your business! P u t your advertising message directly into the hands of local residents as well as the extended tourist market and boost the business coming through your door! I 1 OAKVILLE CHAMBER COMMERC OPEN YOUR DOOR TO 845-3824 (fax) 337-5568 Don't miss this triumphant production with a cast drawn from North America's leadins opera companies and a 20-piece orchestra. Classic Gershwin melodies including It A in 't Neces- I sarily So, Summertime, and I Got Plenty O ' Nothin'. Three perform ances only! Fri Apr 9 at 8pm Sat Apr 10 at 2pm & 8pm UW l k | / ~ Tickets: $65/$50 evenings $50/$40 matineeA m rc Cal1 today! 905.306.6000A K I O Toll Free 1.888.805.8888 C'TT. U Hwy 10 & 403 • www.livingarts.on.ca2*-' ■ ' Free underground parking * MISSISSAUGA W N i T i D t i m i N t i , & ^ "cAtteiitian 'B $ O O C 0 0 Guaranteed M A ? 7 Surprises! • Legal fees and all disbursements, including GST for residential purchases (new, resale, condominium) • Includes preparation & registration o f one mortgage • Only land transfer tax, if applicable, is extra • Your choice o f solicitor's opinion or title insurance • Personal, professional attention assured • We also offer fixed sale packages S K P O W INDOVINfl BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS 842-6625 North Service Road W. at Dorval Drive, Oakville Ride the 20th century at Sheridan You're in for a wild ride on a train called the Twentieth Century during Theatre Sheridan's production, On The Twentieth Century. This musical comedy pits one of Tinsel Town's leading ladies against her old stage career flame, a nearly bankrupt impresario seeking financial backing from a religious nut cast. The results are nothing less than hilarious. Add to this already potent mix, the leading lady's latest lover, a rival pro­ ducer, some henchmen, passengers, and a crew, and you'll soon find your­ self immersed in an evening of sur­ prises and musical mischief. On The Twentieth Century (book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green) runs in Theatre Sheri­ dan's 300-seat Main Stage theatre from April 14th to May 1st. Curtain time is 8 p.m. Tickets for On The Twentieth Cen­ tury range in price from $15 to $22. For tickets or further information, contact the box office at 815-4049. Theatre Sheridan is located at Sheridan College, 1430 Trafalgar Rd. Parking is free on evenings and week­ ends. HfflMcGOWAN In su ra n ce Services L td. 1Bentley1 T h e O a k v il l e B e a v e r S u p e rQ u b s C L A R IN S To purch ase y o u r tick e ts w ith Visa, M astercard o r A m erican E xpress p lease call D on o r J u l ia a t (9 0 5 ) 25 7 -4 1 3 5 GRAND PRIZE - Caribbean Cruise with Royal Caribbean Cruise lines. One week, two people, air from Toronto. SECOND PRIZE - SuperClubs, Breezes Golf & Beach Resort, Runaway Bay Jamaica One week, two people, all inclusive, air from Toronto. THIRD PRIZE - Antigua, Royal Antiguan Beach & Tennis Resort One week, two people, all inclusive. • FOURTH PRIZE - SuperQubs, Puntarena, Cuba One week, two people, all inclusive, air from Toronto. • FIFTH PRIZE - SuperClubs, Breezes Nassau Bahamas. Three or four nigfrts, two people, all inclusive, air from Toronto. ? tM EARLY BIRD DRAW! • MARCH 18,1999 • Sun Care Gift Basket • Weekend Car Rental Number of Ticket* Printed 15,000 Licence No. 11555818 Draws will be held at the Burloak Canoe Club at 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on the following dates: Early Bird -January 21,1999 March 18,1999 Draws - May 13,1999 Tickets $10 available from: Lions Club Members & Community Partners