Friday, February 24, 2012


Alice Mable Gray

Alice is a local legend here in NW Indiana. She was an such an amazing lady!
She was highly educated, and yet chose to escape the "slavery" of her life in Chicago. In 1915 she became a recluse and lived year round on the shores of Lake Michigan. Surviving the harsh weather at the Indiana Dunes in an abandoned shack for the next 7 years.

She was given unwanted notoriety when she was seen bathing nude on the shore by a fisherman trolling near by. Scores of newspaper men and sight seers haunted her constantly for the years she lived on the dunes. Across the country headlines read "Diana of the Dunes".
Her story was an inspiration for my Diana ghost doll. Visit her on Ebay to read more of her sad story.
Some say they have seen her there still. A ghostly lady swimming in the waves, or simply standing alone on the shore, the Northwest wind blowing her hair, there at the Dunes, Alice so dearly loved.

9 comments:

That Crazy Ajumma said...

Wonderful work as always!
I loved the story that inspired her :)

Skellyton Art said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Skellyton Art said...

Thank you so much for your comment.
It so wonderful to hear :)

Hugs
Skelly

madlen said...

Piękna lalka ! Fantastyczna jest ;)
Pozdrawiam
Magdalena

Skellyton Art said...

Thank You Madlen, You are so very kind :)

Anonymous said...

Your dolls always share a story, love them all Shirley.

Skellyton Art said...

Thank you Patty,

I love making the dolls and I love "digging up" the stories they tell. It opens my eyes to their tragedies and sorrow.

Thank you so much for stopping by, I miss you. :)

Shirley

Ally said...

I am in the uk and visit ur blog often. I went to ur ebay link and noticed that Alice Mabel Grey had sold, i think that person got a bargain and she was worth so much more. Beautiful doll and based on a very sad story but one which i think most crafters/artists can relate to in some way.
Thank you for sharing.
Ally x

Skellyton Art said...

Thank you Ally,
Diana was way before her time. She wanted to save the Lake Shore that soon would be lined with steel mills.

Thank you so much for your kind comment. It means so much.

Shirley