Old dolls and puppets with their enigmatic spirits and hidden past lives have always fascinated Valerie Bunnell. Her mixed-media sculpture explores the spirit between make-believe and reality. Each dreamlike figure starts with a hunt for found objects that possess a mysterious logic. Clay is carved, and a narrative identity emerges. Part marionette, part automaton, Bunnell’s work is an expression of the human condition. She says, “I see viewer participation as the final step in the animation of the figures" "Lens", ceramic and found objects. 5"w x 3"d x 26"h.