Something sweet
Textile artist Linda Dolack's beaded Mass.-made products are at Mobilia Gallery
Linda Dolack’s show “Made in Massachusetts” at Mobilia Gallery celebrates candies and other products made in the Commonwealth. Mostly made in Massachusetts, anyway – and if not now, then once. Their familiarity strikes a warm chord: Hood heavy cream and the iconic Hoodie ice cream cup (with that awful wooden “spoon,” which is really more like a tongue depressor); Sugar Babies; Candy Buttons; Polar Seltzer. They’re on view now through Nov. 30, in Part One of the show, with more coming in January’s Part Two.
I Zoomed with Linda, who has beaded right onto original wrappers for many years, from her home in Wisconsin. She’s not from here; Mobilia co-owner Libby Cooper pitched her the idea of a Massachusetts-centric show.
“I looked into it and I said, sure, so many things I love are made there, and I had no idea,” Linda said. “The first thing I made was candy dots because I had fed those to my grandchildren.”
It’s the wrappers that really speak to the artist. “It’s like, ‘You ate the candy. But look at what you’re throwing out.’ And if I make it beautiful, then you’ll see it all anew. It’s an idol to worship,” said Linda.
“I see them like a Catholic relic,” she added. “No extra charge for the relic that’s included in these pieces, since I use the actual wrapper.”
There’s more from my chat with Linda in the Globe story.
