“Betye Saar: Black Doll Blues” opens this Saturday at Roberts Projects! I never had a Black Doll as a child because Black dolls were not manufactured. It wasn’t until college that I even saw a Black doll, Amosandra, a character from Amos and Andy, a popular TV show. In the midst of the civil rights movement I saw a Black rag doll at an antique store. In spite of the racist intent of the doll, I bought it. That was the beginning of my Black doll collection, and since then it has grown to include dolls from all over the world. Over the quarantine, I began experimenting with watercolor painting. I decided to make portraits of my Black doll collection. I loved the ease and vibrancy of the medium. I also felt a connection to the dolls, as though I was experiencing a second childhood at 95. These paintings are meant to depict the Black dolls as they are, with the purpose of providing love and comfort to their owner. #betyesaar #betyesaarart #robertsprojects #robertsprojectsla #blackdollblues #blackdolls #blackart #blackartists