Doll Limb Art and Altered Barbies. The Wonderfully Weird Work of Deborah Colotti.

Deborah Colotti doll limb and barbie art

Welcome to the Weird Work of Deborah Colotti. A few of my favorite textiles, installations, assemblages and altered Barbies by artist Deborah Colotti of Sebastopol.

The Wonderfully Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

The Wonderfully Weird Work of Deborah Colotti
above: A Lawn of Legs by Deborah Colotti

Deborah describes herself and her assemblages as follows:
“I am angry. I am hopeful. I am cynical, yet full of humor. Whereas my working environment is surrounded by vast natural vistas for peaceful appreciation, my studio is loaded with objects and references gathered for their qualitative symbolism, as well as their emotive and aesthetic appeal. My mind roams around seeking connections between the absurd and the commonplace that I then pare down to essential personal and social symbols. As I arrange and rearrange the objects layered meanings are revealed and developed.”

Assemblages/ Sculptures:

The Hunters:
Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

A Slice of Boyhood:
Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

The Body Bureau

Spinal (and detail) and Tree of Limbs:
Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

Installations:



above: wireframes with doll limbs for installations Lawn of Legs and Circle of Legs.

Circle of Legs:

Mannequin Territory:

Christie Tweet:

Christine Tweet (detail):

Jaws and Barbs:

Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

For many years, she has toyed with the Barbie icon. In 1996, she began the ongoing series “the Barbs”. To date, she have created over 150 interpretations of Barb in the real world. Here are some of my favorite from her Barbs collection.

The Barbs

A Gun of Barb’s:
Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

Barbie Virus 3:
Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

Leggy Goggles:
Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

Barbie Legs Mirror (straight):

Barbie Legs Mirror (bent):
Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

Poop’d Barbie:
Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

Harem Boy with Bra of Nails:

Barbie Trinity:
Weird Work of Deborah Colotti

Her textile works integrate obsolete and broken items from her own household (especially toys), hand-me-rounds from her family, and discards from her friends.

Textiles

Ladies:

I Am An Animal:

Mom and Another Birthday Cake:


Conversations with father:

See more of her work at her website