Terry Merritt Looks to History When Making Dolls
By Hannah Kelley
Photos by Terry Merritt
The past is unchanging, but revisiting it in the present can result in new discoveries and creations. Terry Merritt of Lady With a Past Historic Art Dolls understands this well. An appreciation for history, literature, and art drives her to create dolls based on real and fictional characters from times gone by.
In retrospect, it’s obvious dollmaking suits Merritt’s wide-ranging interests, but it wasn’t on her radar when deciding on a career. She originally considered joining law enforcement like her stepfather, but a passion for science won out. Earning degrees in biology and psychology from the University of Toledo, Merritt was hired at Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s crime lab, which was 20 miles from her home. She said, “I was the first female in the state of Ohio to be hired into the crime laboratory. My specialty was serology, which involved the identification and classification of blood and other body fluids as related to a crime.” After eight years at this job, Merritt and her first husband decided to move to Florida. Merritt was hired at Miami’s crime lab, which she noted was the second in the nation to get DNA analysis up and running. Work in this field was increasingly challenging, but art helped her cope with the difficult subject matter.
Despite not being a doll collector or having a childhood interest in them, something spoke to Merritt when she saw a newspaper ad for classes on making porcelain dolls. “I truly believe that my creating dolls really began as a form of therapy for me to escape the harsh reality of the nature of my work in the lab,” she said. “You need to separate yourself from any emotion when dealing with those cases. The process of creating something beautiful was a welcome counterpart to that negative energy.”
During her time in Miami, Merritt went through a divorce, but she also found a kindred spirit in Doug, her husband of 38 years and counting. They share a love for antiques and restoring old homes. When Doug retired from being a homicide detective, the pair moved to Franklin, North Carolina. In a cottage on the property of their 1874 Victorian home, Merritt opened a doll studio and taught porcelain dollmaking. By that time, she was skilled at reproducing antique French dolls and their costumes.
The couple relocated to Natchez, Mississippi, in 2004 and restored two homes before moving to Monticello, Florida, in 2015. For three years, Merritt’s time was consumed with running a French-inspired tearoom called Lady With a Past, but in 2021, Merritt and her husband moved back to Natchez and the dollmaking picked up again.
Merritt’s art has evolved through the years. Having started with porcelain reproductions, she now creates one-of-a-kind pieces from paper clay. She said, “It is easy to use, can be layered easily over cloth, and can be painted with acrylics or oils. I prefer oil paints; they impart a rich, mellow, aged look to the dolls that I don’t feel can be achieved with acrylics. I want the dolls to look like portraits that have stepped out of the canvas.” In addition to making sure their features are as realistic as possible, Merritt also pays close attention to the dolls’ clothes, following classic styles and using only natural fibers (e.g., cotton, wool, silk). When possible, she incorporates handmade props and accessories, like little toys, stitched pillows, and hats.
Her dolls are inspired by women and girls from history who have intriguing backstories, as well as fictional heroines and Izannah Walker’s dolls from the 1800s. Consequently, research is a major component of Merritt’s work. She said, “My niche, undoubtedly, is creating African American historic dolls. I have always been fascinated with the stories of African American women, especially during the Civil War era in the U.S., and the horrible experience of slavery that they had to endure. I somehow feel that is why I felt compelled to come here to Mississippi, to study their pasts and to try to tell their stories.” When a doll is based on a real person and there is a book written about her, Merritt said she includes the book.
“As a result of this wonderful journey of dollmaking, I have learned that I never want to stop learning!” Merritt said. “I also have gained so much incredible knowledge of history and how important it is to share these stories and give these women a voice.”
With each doll, Merritt not only bolsters her knowledge and improves her artistic skills but also creates an opportunity to converse with others, particularly at shows like the National Doll Festival. She said, “I think the best moments for me as a dollmaker are when I physically attend the doll show and can personally interact with my customers and fellow doll lovers. I have lovely discussions with my clients who buy dolls from my Etsy site, and they have all been so wonderful and encouraging. But there is no substitute for actually being able to speak to your buyers and see their faces as they look and touch the dolls in person.”
Not to be left out, Merritt’s husband and “best cheerleader” joins in the doll fun in his own way. “Doug is very handy and creative with wood and has made some beautiful room props and furniture for my displays,” Merritt said. “He actually enjoys making the rounds of the other vendors at the show and always makes everyone laugh.”
More doll shows are in Merritt’s and her husband’s future, as Merritt plans to make new dolls based on impactful historical figures Sally Hemmings, Fannie Casseopia Lawrence, Kate Chase, and Frances “Fanny” Kemble. “Creating my dolls and telling their stories are so vital in my life. I think others who are creative can attest to the fact that it is almost a necessity! I would not be the same person if I were not creating every day.”
