You’re invited to enter the complex, artistically sometimes theatrical, world of Pasadena artist Laura Hackney. Showing now at the House of Borrego Springs, East Gallery.

Curated by Elizabeth Rodriguez, gallery owner, the show features iconographical, hand crafted character dolls presented on tiny stages set inside small intricate, colorful, cabinets. Each cabinet tells a story.

Creating the artwork supported Laura’s mind/body healing after a near fatal motor bike accident 11 years ago that shattered her legs and left her hospitalized for months wondering if she would ever walk again. Concurrent with the accident Laura’s father passed away. Adding emotional layers of grief to her recovery process.

Creating this collection was an artistic journey of emotional self discovery, healing and personal story telling.

The concept for the dolls was inspired in part by Native American story telling Kachina dolls. Emphasis on story telling.

Laura’s dolls are faceless and often gender neutral. The stories the cabinet’s tell represent self compassion, pre conceived perceptions, judgements, and Laura’s heart for, ‘the outsider.’

“We are all the same,” Laura said to an attentive supportive group of collectors during a moving artists talk she gave at the show opening. “The same because we all are touched by the same things in life.”

A self confessed, “oddball,” Laura is attracted to the story of drag queens, sex workers, adults only, people on the outskirts. “Big Top Tease Burlesque Drag Show,” and, “Farquhar’s, Freaks See Them Now! Freaks,” cabinets bring us right into this world. Both ensembles well crafted and thought provoking.

Created in a cannabis box, “Fun House,” deals with appearance, something Laura dealt with after the accident wandering how her mangled legs would look. In the front part of the box is a short chubby figure behind is a tall blonde. Appearance is perception.

An artistic storyteller, wandering naturalist, and “keeper of fragile things.” Laura’s art encompasses all of her. Her ensemble of character doll cabinets offer’s us an alternative artistic point of view. Opening a window to the unusual.

Gallery located at, El Patio, 628 Palm Canyon Drive.