The Strange Dolls of Alla Bears

The artist who makes these one of a kind dolls advertises them as Halloween items, and they do have a Halloween feel to them, so I wanted to share them.

I think this dollmaker has a great imagination. These creations are so amiable and creepy at once. It's a bit confusing. They are more than a little endearing. But there's also just a soupcon of menace or possible danger about them. One wonders if the cuteness might be a veneer and nothing more. What lurks beneath in the doll psyches of these strange, sometimes anime-reminiscent hybrids?

There are some surreal effects for sure. That sheep, for example, gives me the strange idea that its head might be upside-down. Maybe it's just that low placement of the eyes. Also, that doll seems to have tarantula fur on it. Such effects can work on one in subliminal ways. The dolls have a certain cuteness and pathos about them, but each of them has offputting features as well. I could easily imagine these dolls as the villains pulling the strings in a dark fantasy tale, working in concert to achieve their nefarious goals, and using that "cuteness" to their advantage.

I think it's sort of funny that the artist mentions these dolls are "not suitable for small children." Of course, she's talking about safety concerns, but one could easily imagine she's talking about the capacity these dolls might possess to give their owner nightmares.