11″ Porcelain Andy & Deer by Yolando Bella for the Petting Zoo Collection. Andy came with the following information:
“What could be a sweeter, truer look at the innocence of a childhood than when a child meets a baby animal? It’s not for nothing that babies, puppies, and kittens are almost irresistible when you put them together! And when little ones are introduced to different animals;as at a Petting Zoo, a place where children can reach out to meet baby animals from the jungle, the farm, and the forest,it brings out the best in all the babies, human or not.
First comes a little fear or shyness. Then, curiosity. And finally, real delight when the child and animal make contact. Little hands reach out to touch a nose, to stroke a furry coat, to offer a morsel of food for the baby to eat. Big smiles light up the faces of the children, and the gentle trust fills the faces of the little animals.”
The brochure goes on and talks bout Ms. Bello:
“Doll artist Yolanda Bello has chosen to celebrate her tenth anniversary creating award-winning dolls for Ashton-Drake with this Petting Zoo collection, doing what she does best. In this collection, she adds a special twist by bring together lovable babies of different species for you to enjoy together. There’s never been another collection quite like Petting Zoo…from an artist who has earned the title of American’s Foremost Dollmaker for her enduring portraits of childhood. We hope you will treasure it always as part of your important doll collection.”
Then the article returns to the story line:
“It’s an exciting day at the Petting Zoo for this eager litttle boy. There are so many little animals he’s never seen before. And it’s okay to pet them, and even feed them, because this is a zoo especially for children.
The little fawn is Andy’s favorite. He wants to feed the fawn, but both of them are a little shy. So Andy extends his hand very slowly. The fawn turns to look right at him, and then nuzzles his hand gently for the food. “Oooh! His nose tickles!” Andy exclaims in little boy delight.
Andy is the first in the Petting Zoo collection by Yolanda Bello. Andy and all the dolls in the Petting Zoo collection are crafted in porcelain and dressed for summertime play. The children and their adorable baby animal friends are beautifully hand-painted, just for you!”
The remaining three dolls consist of: Kendra & her lamb, Cory & his lop-eared bunny, and Maddie and her Chick.
“The Petting Zoo children and their gentle friends are true Yolanda Bello masterpieces, with a tradition of investment potential …But even more important, they ‘re a sensitive look at childhood you’ll treasure forever.”
“Ms. Bello adds,”Baby animalls and little children share a sweetness and innocence that was my inspiration for this Petting Zoo collection. I hope they bring that into your life, too!”
I purchased Andy in 1997 from Ashton Drake Galleries.
