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Oh My Goth! Quirky Doll Emerges from Attic to Make Her Formal Debut

"The weather on the night of Evangeline's birth was as expected: the wind was howling, the moon was full, and the doctor was unavailable." And so begins the story of Evangeline Ghastly™, the first-ever resin ball jointed doll sculpted by renowned designer Robert Tonner for the New Jersey based Wilde Imagination, Inc.™ - she dresses like Morticia Addams - and inspired by Barbra Streisand?

Mullica Hill, NJ - August 7, 2007 - Could a doll born in Ipswich, England in 1924, who lives in an attic with a pet skunk named Mouette, be the next doll phenomena around the world? That's exactly what the folks at Wilde Imagination are hoping. And to make sure she gets the attention she deserves, they hired designer Joe Petrollese to come up with the concept and design, and award-winning artist Robert Tonner to do the sculpt.

Evangeline Ghastly will make her formal debut at the upcoming Doll & Teddy Bear Expo in Washington, D.C. August 10-12, with a special presentation by creator Joe Petrollese.

During the program, Joe will speak to his inspirations - Tim Burton, Edward Gorey, the Addams Family, - and Barbra Streisand? "I took the gracefulness of Barbra, whom I adore, and the elegant way she dresses, and incorporated that into Evangeline - it's my tribute to her," said Joe.

The concept involves a quirky girl who lives in the attic where she was born - totally unaware that this may not be the norm. A mysterious diary entry on the date of her birth, and another when she turns four sets the stage for a doll and mystery that collectors are sure to love.

"Evangeline is completely ball jointed and very impressive at 19" tall," said Debra DeForte, Marketing Director for Wilde Imagination. "She's made of luminescent pale resin. Because of the delicate nature of resin, each doll must be individually hand-poured, strung, and hand painted. It's a very time consuming process and can take hours to complete just one doll, but the results are amazing."

Robert Tonner, the award-winning artist commissioned to sculpt Evangeline, agrees. "Collectors are going to love Evangeline - her sculpt is very different from the typical anime-inspired Asian ball jointed dolls and the pricing will make her affordable to those that have so far hesitated getting into this hot collectible trend."

And a hot trend it is. Ball jointed dolls (BJD's) are typically made in South Korea and Japan and follow a traditional Asian view in their aesthetics. They can range from $175 for a basic doll to $1,200 or more for the higher end versions. And collectors can't seem to get enough. According to Jill Jackson, editor of Doll Reader Magazine, "BJD's are now accessible, affordable, beautifully made, and the most exciting addition to the world of doll collecting in years."