Artist Spotlight: Lois Simbach

The not-too-hot early humidity surrounded us freshly on 1st Street last Wednesday morning as chance would favor a spontaneous meeting (by way of gracious gallery manager MK Shaw) between Lois Simbach and myself. The previous evening’s rain evaporated effervescently in the morning air while we chatted on the sleepy sidewalk and the village came to life around us.
Jeanine Taylor Folk Art flew Lois in to be artist-in-residence for the opening of their summer show, “Gumbo.” This Louisiana-themed collection was crowned and festooned by Lois’ ju-ju dolls, hand-sewn and greatly fetishized in the New Orleans folk/voodoo/outsider art circles.
Simbach began her art career young— she recalled liltingly that as a teen she used to buy old 1940s clothing from thrift shops and tailor them up into sassy new duds.
“One time my mother was called into the office over something I’d worn to school that day, but she told them to leave me alone and not to give me any more trouble about what I was wearing,” Lois laughed with appreciation.
This passion for costuming would take her far. After majoring in fashion and textiles, she earned another degree in sculpture poising her perfectly for her career as a New Orleans costume designer and outfitter. It was a natural fit: the love Lois had for making her own Halloween costumes as a kid continues to this day. She’s been known to show up to a party at the aquarium wearing a mermaid outfit, always sensible to color and theme. Her career highlights have included numerous grants and commissions to create costumes for the Mardi Gras parades, an impressive retinue of special effects costumes and a very fair hand at fashion, as well.
The idea came about simply enough: she was perched on high from her five-story-walk-up watching the tides of tourist traffic ebb and flow and had been thinking about how to bring culturally significant art to the masses.
Lois mentioned libraries no fewer than three times during our conversations, and the resource checked in again where she rooted out research for these inspired creations. Simbach reported that, at the time, there were few options in African-American art or cultural objects for visitors to take home in remembrance of their stay.
“Sure, but there was a voodoo shop but it was smelly and filthy I though tourists… wouldn’t want to go to that store, that they’d be scared to go in. So I tried to make something that is reflective of the history of the area, but also make it contemporary and current.”
Simbach hit her stride with these enchanting little dolls. They made their debut at a friend’s gallery where the initially plain, unadorned poppets flew off the shelves almost upon delivery. As the ideas evolved, Lois began to ever more ornately adorn the juju dolls with elaborate beading and out-of-this-world hair. She’s aware of the potentially negative connotation that so-called “voodoo dolls” could carry, so is cautious to imbue her creations with loving light and energy. Many of the beads constituting the dolls’ faces are specially commissioned mini-sculptures made by a friend of hers and the hair comes from old synthetic wigs. The dolls’ bodies are each customized with themes like “shaman” and lushly spangled by hand.
“I’ve made so many of them,” said Simbach, “I was beginning to feel like a factory worker stitching all of those beads,” she laughed. Catching the early train, Lois trademarked the word “ju-ju” and has cornered the market on these fetish dolls. By her estimates, she's made many thousands of them, and by my estimates, more than anybody else living.
The charming little fellows have been featured in print ads for the city of New Orleans and prominently worn on the lapels of rocker Paul Simon and his crew among others. They’re made in a variety of sizes from pocket-proportioned to the seven-footer that acted as honored guest at Jeanine Taylor Folk Art last weekend. These charms are an integral part of the “Gumbo” collection which will be around for about a month, so stop into the gallery for a look-see.

Jessica Pirani can be reached at JessieBerger@yahoo.com.