Lidiia Marinchuk’s Handmade Toys Are a Joyful Reminder to Imagine and Play

several colorful toy animal figurines lay on a white table.

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Craft

#animals
#humor
#Lidiia Marinchuk
#sculpture
#toys

July 25, 2024

Jackie Andres

an orange bird with a striped belly and knit bonnet, a tall pink flamingo with a tie-on crown, and a kiwi bird with the fruit on its belly wearing a knit scarf all sit together on a wooden shelf.

All images © Lidiia Marinchuk, shared with permission

Wide-eyed, boldly-dressed, and keen to play, an exuberant ensemble of characters created by Lidiia Marinchuk nudges us to remember the most precious parts of childhood.

The artist (previously) crafts each figure by hand in her Lisbon studio where she operates her online shop, Marli Toy Art. From initial sketches to sewing limbs and painting features, Marinchuk takes a great deal of care and precision as she shapes each character’s likeness and personality, adorning her creations with crocheted bonnets, striped shirts, and fish-shaped brooches. She even goes on to name each toy, providing short biographies on her website in which viewers can learn about the unique personas. For instance, Big Black Bird “loves detective novels, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, jazz, and dark chocolate,” while Yellow Elephant is “romantic, a dreamer, and a poet.”

This ability to pretend and find enjoyment within imaginary worlds is crucial for Marinchuk. Her toys are an ode to the simple pleasures in life and the importance of play, especially for grown-ups. “Their mission is to remind adults of their childhood, the memories of which live inside each of us, and of dreams without limits or rules,” she says. “A fox can have wings, an elephant can have long slender legs, and a bird can have four legs because it likes so and it finds that comfortable.”

Marinchuk continues to work on adding quirky new members to her growing cast, so keep up with the artist’s Instagram and online shop.

a wide-eyed green rhinoceros with blue polka-dot horns wears a colorful geometric sweater.

three vibrant, red foxes stand stop each other. each wears its own colorful patterned sweater.

a hand holds up a yellow moose with long, skinny legs. it has pink antlers and wears a purple and white checkered sweater.

several colorful toy animal figurines lay on a white table.

a hot pink elephant with a swirly trunk smiles. it has large yellow ears and long, stocky striped legs.

three identical bright blue rabbits wear striped red and white tops, white knit bonnets, and fish brooches.

a fish donning primary colors, black and white stripes, and four long, stocky legs stands atop a wooden surface.

three vibrantly colored elephants with swirly trunks stand in descending height order, each adorned with patterns like stripes, checkered squares, and polka-dots.

an overhead shot of the artist painting a red fox figure with paint. many jars of paint surround the area.

#animals
#humor
#Lidiia Marinchuk
#sculpture
#toys

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