Deborah Ferree (B 1954) American, Clay and Cloth Figurine "Baggie Mermaid." Tag with name and information. Delicately crafted figure adorned with a multi-colored fabric bag to cover her body. 

Size: 14 1/2 x 6 x 4 1/2 in. 

#2440 #90 . 

Deborah Kay Ferree was born in Bolivar, Ohio in 1954. Her parents were both involved in the arts, as her father was a professional photographer and her mother was portrait painter. They traveled extensively, and Ferree’s childhood was athletic and immersed in nature as she hiked, fished, and sailed around the country. After pursuing a degree in photography she worked for a photo finishing company until the late 1980s when it was sold and her entire department was downsized. Seeking inspiration, she moved to Tampa, Florida, where she began to focus on ceramics and opened Dragonfly Fireart Studios, becoming a professional potter and teacher for the next 20 years. Her most beloved creations were so-called “Baggie People,” which were mixed media assemblages of clay figurines with cloth and fabrics used to create the main torso. Many were mermaids, Bon Bon ladies, comical jesters, and voluptuous figures stylized after actresses like Mae West and Marilyn Monroe. During the COVID-19 pandemic she pivoted back to photography as well as painting, crafting nature-inspired pieces with acrylic on canvas that seek to bring awareness to environmental issues.