All images © Lidiia Marinchuk, shared with permission
Wide-eyed, boldly-dressed, and keen to play, an exuberant ensemble of characters created by Lidiia Marinchuk nudges us to remember the most precious parts of childhood.
The artist (previously) crafts each figure by hand in her Lisbon studio where she operates her online shop, Marli Toy Art. From initial sketches to sewing limbs and painting features, Marinchuk takes a great deal of care and precision as she shapes each character’s likeness and personality, adorning her creations with crocheted bonnets, striped shirts, and fish-shaped brooches. She even goes on to name each toy, providing short biographies on her website in which viewers can learn about the unique personas. For instance, Big Black Bird “loves detective novels, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, jazz, and dark chocolate,” while Yellow Elephant is “romantic, a dreamer, and a poet.”
This ability to pretend and find enjoyment within imaginary worlds is crucial for Marinchuk. Her toys are an ode to the simple pleasures in life and the importance of play, especially for grown-ups. “Their mission is to remind adults of their childhood, the memories of which live inside each of us, and of dreams without limits or rules,” she says. “A fox can have wings, an elephant can have long slender legs, and a bird can have four legs because it likes so and it finds that comfortable.”
Marinchuk continues to work on adding quirky new members to her growing cast, so keep up with the artist’s Instagram and online shop.
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