By Kristine Thomas and Vern Holmquist
LaVonne Salleé doesn’t mind being called the “Barbie Lady.” Or when people stare at her van decorated with Barbies, buttons and flare.
She credits the 54-year-old plastic fashion icon for capturing her attention and inspiring her creativity.
Salleé is the owner One Of A Kind Barbies, and creator of unique dioramas, not always with a G rating. Barbie can be found sitting on the moon dressed from head to toe in gold; in a Gone with the Wind scene kissing Rhett Butler and playing pool.
While some of her pieces are risqué, her art has won several awards at the National Barbie Doll Convention and at the International Fashion Doll Show.
Growing up, she remembers her creative and artistic abilities were discouraged as not being the kind of skills that lead to good jobs.
One of a Kind Barbies
First Friday
April 5, 7 – 9 p.m.
The Green Store
201 E. Main Main St.
Silverton
www.ooakbarbies.com
email: [email protected]
“At that time, in the ’60s, being an artist was thought to be reserved for hippies, bohemians, and people who were not serious about financial security and did not have their priorities in order,” she said. “I was taught that what other people expected of me, thought of me and felt about me was more important then what I thought and felt about myself or what I wanted for myself, so I did all the things I thought would gain the approval of those I wanted to impress.”
At 47 she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which is aggravated by repetitive movement. By 55 she found herself on permanent disability.
“That actually turned out to be a blessing in some ways, because I now do what I love by creating One Of A Kind doll dioramas. Even though I have this pain, I have 24-hours a day so I can work at my own pace,” the 67-year-old artist said.
She sells her work on her website and at The Green Store in Silverton. She also travels to San Francisco for the annual Altered Barbie Show.
Salleé met with Our Town columnist Vern Holmquist for a chat about her work and her move to the area.
VERN: What promoted you to move to rural Marquam from California?
LaVONNE: More than one thing. More than two things. I lost all my retirement account and the value of my home in San Francisco in 2008 when the economy crashed. I needed to go back to work so I moved to Vallejo, Calif., to open The Barbie Lady Gallery. The downtown was like a ghost town. Instead of recouping my money I was bleeding even more of it.
I met Jerry Grulkey who was there restoring a home. As we became friends, I bitched and moaned about Vallejo, Jerry started talking to me about making Marquam a tourist destination. He wants to make a co-op gallery with my artwork and Jon Deshler’s photography. Jon is also a jazz musician. In the meantime, I am showing my work at The Green Store in downtown Silverton.
VERN: What is your impression of Oregon and our quaint small towns?
LaVONNE: I am a big city girl so moving into a space with a well and cold, cold air coming through the floor has been an adjusted. At first I felt isolated, but I have gotten used to it. I have three children and four grandchildren who all live in San Francisco. All this change feels part of a purpose, part of my existence.
VERN: Will your family follow you here?
LaVONNE: I hope they will come often to visit. My daughter is coming in two weeks to visit. All my kids have good jobs that were not effected b the economy.
VERN: Did you come to visit before moving here?
LaVONNE: Before I agreed to move here, I visited Silverton twice. I have a really good feeling about Silverton. It feels like home and there are more people out and about then there were in Vallejo. This is a welcoming place and I am excited to be here.
VERN: Tell me a little about yourself.
LaVONNE: I was born in Roswell, New Mexico one year before the aliens crashed – I was born on Jan. 18, 1946 and the aliens crashed in 1947. It is said when the aliens crashed their spirits occupied the babies in town. My mother was a waitress and a seamstress. My father was an artist. He was working as a cartoonist for Walt Disney at the time he married my mother. My parents were divorced when I was four years old
VERN: How did you start working with Barbie dolls?
LaVONNE: Throughout my life, I have done artwork or crafts but then I would get bored with whatever I was doing at the time because I felt like a factory worker instead of a creator. In 2007, I was walking in San Francisco when I saw the fifth annual Altered Barbie Show. I stayed looking at all the different things that could be done with Barbie for two hours or more. There was Barbie turned into a motorcycle and artists using clay or paint to recreate Barbie. I love to go to flea markets, garage sales and thrift stores. And now I have an excuse to buy a bunch of junk that I don’t need and recycle it and put it into my artwork. What is great about working with Barbie is that I am never bored. I can do anything I like with her.
VERN: What did you do before you made Barbie your career?
LaVONNE: I was a criminal investigator for Wells Fargo Bank. I investigated white-collar crimes. I started working for the bank when I was in my 20s as a teller and worked my way up to management. I worked as a training officer when automatic teller machines where introduced. The ATMs led to the bank needing to open a fraud and claims department and I became an expert on ATM fraud. I spent 13 years in criminal investigation.
VERN: How do people react to your work with the Barbie doll?
LaVONNE: When I moved to the location in Vallejo, there were merchants who were upset about my work. They didn’t want people like me there and that I would be bad for Vallejo and its reputation. Another merchant organized a church protest and when I went to sign the lease, I was told I could not have any nudity or anything to do with religion in my window. I did some research and found an antique show had something to with fertility fitness and another one had the statue of David in the window. I think some people get upset or infuriated that it’s Barbie and they don’t like what I do with her like Barbie’s Last Sleepover – which looks like The Last Supper. Barbie came about when I was 13 years old. I neither lover nor hate her. What I love is the artwork and how it’s entertaining. I like it when people come into the gallery and laugh out loud. My artwork entertains people for different reasons.
VERN:: Do you depend on sales of your artwork to make a living?
LaVONNE: The cost of living is a lot less here than in California. I was never dependent on sales to support my business or myself. I can get by on my Social Security check.
VERN: Have you always been creative?
LaVONNE: When I was younger, I was discouraged by my mom about becoming an artist. My dad was a cartoonist for Walt Disney and my parents divorced when I was 4 years old. My mom made me think all artists were no good and being an artist was not an acceptable career choice. I also knew I wanted to have kids and support myself and an artist didn’t have a guaranteed income. I have since learned that I can be lots of different things in my lifetime.
