San Diego Artist Creates Unique Dolls
by
Stacey Montgomery, editor, CelebratingChildren.com.
The San Diego residence is also
home to the studio where Petrina designs and crafts her line of
dolls, Trina's Kids™. The 11" dolls are made of all-fabric and
have big bright eyes. Petrina uses many different African prints
to make the dolls, including Kente and mud cloth patterns. She
designs both girl and boy dolls. The boys wear little caps and
the girls have beautiful ponytails, often braided and adorned
with several ribbons. Some of the dolls carry backpacks. In addition
to using African patterns, she also makes dolls with black gowns,
caps and Kente stoles to celebrate graduation, as well as one
in a pretty pink tutu. Not only are Petrina's dolls favorite gifts
for baby showers, graduation, Christmas and "just because," they
are also held by many doll collectors including Rep. Maxine Waters
and are currently touring with an exhibit called "Wrapped in Pride:
Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity." "Wrapped in Pride"
is an exhibit that examines the historical and contemporary uses
of Kente, and its impact on cultures beyond Africa. The exhibit
is a collaborative effort between the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural
History and The Newark Museum. The next stop of the exhibit will
be at the Detroit Museum of African American History in April,
followed by the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and
on to the Alaska, Georgia and back to California. Petrina started
to make dolls about six years ago. She reflects that she "was
motivated by the lack of African American dolls in the marketplace.
African American children should have dolls and toys that are
a reflection of their culture and heritage." Petrina started by
marketing her dolls at local craft fairs. People loved the dolls.
Petrina found fans in both women and men of all ages and races.
People bought them for themselves and for gifts for children and
adults. They were purchased both as toys and as collector's items.
Although Petrina has been interested in sewing and craft making
for most of her life, she did not ever expect to make dolls as
a business. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School,
Petrina spent several years working as a corporate attorney and
now does regulatory work for Sempra Energy. She is also very active
in several community activities including in her role as First
Vice President of the San Diego branch of the NAACP. When asked
how she reconciles her academic and professional background with
her doll business, Petrina notes that she has "academic and law
related interests as well as athletic and artistic interests.
Making dolls, which is an expression of my artistic interests,
is just one of many elements of me. Moreover, making dolls is
relaxing. It's a nice change of pace from the intensity of my
professional life." .Part of the reason Trina receives so much
joy from creating Trina's Kids™ is because she enjoys seeing the
happiness on the faces of people who see the dolls. "I enjoy the
many smiles that appear on people's faces when they see my dolls.
I enjoy the creative process. I get a sense of satisfaction from
creating something that can put a smile on someone's face." In
fact, in an effort to add some happiness to as many lives as possible,
Petrina has donated several dolls to children attending Camp Crescent,
a camp for children with sickle cell disease, children in South
Africa and to children with AIDS. In addition to donating dolls
to children through organizations, she also gives dolls to children
that she meets in the course of her daily life. For example, the
first child to whom Petrina gave a doll was a 4-year-old boy named
Justin who has AIDS. She met Justin on a plane. After spending
most of the plane ride talking to Justin and his mother, Petrina
sent Justin a doll.
CelebratingChildren.com
offers articles, books, tips, gifts, etc. primarily for parents
of African American children under age 10.
April
14, 2000
