Collector will show years of acquisitions at Laney museum

Audrey Wood's love for doll collecting began more than 30 years ago with help from her daughter.

"This all started with her when she was young," said Dr. Wood, referring to her daughter Tiffany. "I would buy her dolls for her birthday, Christmas and as gifts during special occasions. It then went from me providing the dolls to other relatives buying dolls for her as well."

Over the years, her daughter obtained a small collection of dolls, some that she played with while others were only displayed, Dr. Wood said.

"By the time Tiffany went off to college, she had a sizable collection; however, she didn't take the dolls with her, so the collection remained at home," she said. "That's when it became my collection.

"With each doll I bought for her, I found that I had grown to love collecting dolls. It became my hobby."

More than 80 dolls from Dr. Wood's collection will be on display at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of History through the year.

This is the second time she has showcased dolls from her collection. The first was during an exhibition at the museum of several people's dolls. This time, her dolls are the sole feature.

"Each year, we have a doll exhibition featuring dolls from doll collectors or dolls from doll-makers," said Christine Miller-Betts, the executive director of the museum. "Dr. Wood's dolls have stood out to me, and I wanted to give our visitors the opportunity to see different kinds of dolls from a local collector. They are a wonderful sight to see."

Dr. Wood's collection contains dolls in various categories, including spiritual inspiration; schoolchildren; multicultural; German, from her family's visit to Germany; and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She is a member of the sorority.

Many of the dolls were purchased on trips or were given to her by family, friends and co-workers from the Richmond County Board of Education, where she is the director of curriculum.

With the collection still growing, Dr. Wood said her next goal is to record the history behind each doll.

"Each doll has a story behind it, such as where it came from, what makes it special," she said. "It's the memories that each doll holds that makes this collection special."

Dr. Wood said that she hopes that the collection will inspire visitors to reminisce.

"I believe that everyone will be able to connect with something in this collection," she said. "I hope that it will bring back memories of childhood fun, social gatherings, travels abroad and other special moments."

Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3336 or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.