Many objects seem to harbor within them something of the soul: tools, books, pictures, and especially dolls.

The Soul Mender (2013). Digital collage created & copyright © by Eric Edelman. All rights reserved.

Playthings in human likeness assume the lives given to them by the children who love them. Like portraits, dolls project the invested souls of their owners.  And long after being relinquished, a doll continues to emanate a certain quality that enchants or disquiets us: that remnant or hint of the soul once breathed into it.

But few places act as repositories for these physical containers of the soul, or as restorative sanctuaries where the broken ones among such vessels may be made whole once more. And the number of such havens decreases with the passing of  years. Who now has time to mend a doll, or have one mended? How much simpler it will be (or so we think) to buy another, and coax the child to adopt it.

Caught in the paradox of moving fast so as to move faster still—to save time, which we hope to sell ever more dearly as we age—we end up wasting our time.  Finally, nothing is worth spending time to do, except to buy new things to replace the old, broken ones.

We have broken the habit of repair, and replaced it with the habit of abandonment.

(All artwork, descriptions, & other text created & copyright © by Eric Edelman. All rights reserved.)

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{ 44 comments }

{ 44 comments… add one }

• self sagacity February 19, 2013 at 3:10 pm edit

  Happy WW! Have a wonderful week.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 19, 2013 at 8:17 pm edit

    Thanks, and happy WW to you as well!

    Reply
• Alissa Apel February 19, 2013 at 5:27 pm edit

  I’m a doll lover, so of course I love this piece.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 19, 2013 at 8:24 pm edit

    While I can’t say that I love dolls, I do recognize their power and importance in collage and assemblage. And I’ve been using doll parts for many years in my sculpture and constructions. Thanks very much for your comment, Alissa!

    Reply
• Joyce February 19, 2013 at 7:12 pm edit

  Wonderful artwork!

  http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/2013/02/wordless-wednesday-appreciated.html

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 19, 2013 at 8:26 pm edit

    Thank you very much, Joyce! I’m very glad you like it.

    Reply
• Sukhmandir Kaur February 19, 2013 at 7:26 pm edit

  We seem to live in a disposable world with an incredible amount of waste piling up. Love the collage!!

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 19, 2013 at 8:42 pm edit

    This is true. But recycling and re-purposing through collage, assemblage, and other means offer a potential answer to the problem of waste. Thanks very much for your kind words!

    Reply
• Pumpkins Coming w/linky February 19, 2013 at 8:36 pm edit

  Lovely collage. Thanks for hosting and Happy WW!

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 19, 2013 at 8:53 pm edit

    Thanks very much; I appreciate your kind comment! Happy WW.

    Reply
• Judy Haughton-James February 19, 2013 at 9:11 pm edit

  Beautiful collage. Thanks for hosting Eric.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 19, 2013 at 9:48 pm edit

    Thank you so much, Judy! It’s always a pleasure to host you. Have a great WW!

    Reply
• Faythe @ GrammyMouseTails February 19, 2013 at 9:49 pm edit

  this one is a real mind bender to me. very creative as always.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 19, 2013 at 10:38 pm edit

    Thank you very much, Faythe–I appreciate your kind words. Have a great WW!

    Reply
• Brisbane Timber Doors February 19, 2013 at 10:49 pm edit

  What a great artwork. I was just a little intrigued with that rainbow thing.
  I could not figure out what’s the deep meaning of that.

  Ashleen – Brisbane Timber Doors

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 1:42 am edit

    Thanks very much! For me, the rainbow here represents how loving care and repair can bring something like a doll back to life.

    Reply
• jessica @peekababy February 20, 2013 at 1:03 am edit

  I wish my kids would abandon some things instead of hanging on to every last toy forever. It is strange how inanimate objects gain personality, though, isn’t it?

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 1:38 am edit

    Well, I am sympathetic to how they feel; it can be painful to face loss. And their attachment to their things, what they feel about them, is how those objects seem to take on a life and personality of their own. And after all, we’re not so different when we grow up; many of us also have things we cherish, which come alive for us. Thanks very much for your comment!

    Reply
• Nan February 20, 2013 at 1:48 am edit

  Thanks for link up at my blog.
  Nan

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 1:52 am edit

    Thank you, Nan!

    Reply
• Leovi February 20, 2013 at 2:02 am edit

  Excellent collage that takes us to mysterious corners of the mind.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 2:33 am edit

    Thanks very much for your kind words, Leovi!

    Reply
• Gattina February 20, 2013 at 2:21 am edit

  Great ! very creative !

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 2:35 am edit

    Thanks very much, Gattina!

    Reply
• Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly February 20, 2013 at 2:22 am edit

  Your Wordless Wednesday always stretch the imagination and I love that!

  Happy WW!

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 2:37 am edit

    Thanks very much, Tracy! I’m very glad that you find them interesting. Have a great WW!

    Reply
• Andreea B February 20, 2013 at 3:36 am edit

  Nice collage. Happy WW!

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 7:44 am edit

    Thanks very much, Andrea–happy WW!

    Reply
• Rosey February 20, 2013 at 6:16 am edit

  This is a thoughtful write-up, and you’re right certain things do have the qualities you discussed. It’s pretty amazing if you think about it. I’m glad you wrote w/the picture this week. I think it was a perfect post.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 6:53 am edit

    Thanks very much, Rosey! I’m glad you liked it.

    Reply
• Daryl February 20, 2013 at 7:39 am edit

  another fascinating collage …

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 7:46 am edit

    Thank you very much, Daryl!

    Reply
• Robin (Masshole Mommy) February 20, 2013 at 8:30 am edit

  Amazing collage! Thanks so much for hosting and have a great week.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 12:52 pm edit

    Thank you very much, Robin! My pleasure hosting you, and I hope you have an excellent week.

    Reply
• Paula J February 20, 2013 at 11:17 am edit

  I feel that dolls do project the souls of their owners. Just looking at an old doll you can envision their previous life.

  Happy WW!
  Paula
  lifeasweknowitbypaula.blogspot.com

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 12:56 pm edit

    I believe that many people sense that, but cannot identify that feeling. Hence, their discomfort and “creepy” feeling when confronted with dolls. Thanks for your comment, Paula–have a great WW!

    Reply
• posh February 20, 2013 at 11:30 am edit

  Really interesting use of color!

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 12:57 pm edit

    Thanks very much–have a great WW!

    Reply
• Karren Haller February 20, 2013 at 8:40 pm edit

  Kinda crazy collage of objects in the picture, Im not good at interpretation of art, Im glad you shared the explanation. Hope you can stop by. Thanks for hosting!

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 20, 2013 at 9:18 pm edit

    Yes, I just stopped by to comment on the twig terrariums. They’re great. Thanks for your visit and your comment.

    Reply
• Kiks February 23, 2013 at 2:32 am edit

  a thought provoking piece…nice one..

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 23, 2013 at 9:31 am edit

    Thank you very much, Kiks!

    Reply
• Wayne February 23, 2013 at 2:42 pm edit

  Nice and thought provoking. Thanks for linking up with me this week – I appreciate it.

  Reply
  • Eric Edelman February 23, 2013 at 3:47 pm edit

    Thanks for the kind words, Wayne! Glad to link up with you.

    Reply