On Friday night, when I heard about the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I felt heavy with sorrow and trepidation about the future of our country. The next morning I pushed aside everything on my schedule and started making a mini tribute to the Notorious R.G.B., as she was affectionately named. To learn about her ground breaking contributions to civil rights and women’s equality in America, please read her obituary.
A high resolution file of the memorial photo above can be downloaded.
For me, the process of depicting Ruth in doll form was pure therapy – painting her face, stitching her hair, bending her glasses. Just holding her in the palm of my hand brought a sense of peace. For the past few days, I’ve been sharing the different steps along the way on Facebook and Instagram and the response has been overwhelming. This project has hit a chord with my followers in a way that goes beyond a focus on and curiosity about my techniques. Followers wrote to say that seeing the photos “made me catch my breath” and “made me smile and my heart calm.”
The finished R.G.B. doll is on display in my retrospective exhibition, WHAT A RELIEF: The Art of Salley Mavor at the Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk Maine thru Sept. 11, 2022.
To measure Ruth’s arm length, I used Greta as a model.
She had many collars to choose from, but I made a simple lace variety.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg 1933- 2020. May she rest in power.
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SALLEY MAVOR 
Been a fan forever. Actually, met you and your sister at a small children’s book store in Portland, Or. I just wanted to thank you for your ever forward thinking/action with regards to current social/political events. Now more than ever, we need every caring human being to step up and make THEIR statement, be it a desire to save the whales, or feed the homeless or stop a mad man from taking over our country. Thanks.
Inspirationally beautiful!!
PLEASE Sally, Make RBG available for your and her many fans – like your fairies. Thank you. Susan Mansfield
Thank you for your enthusiasm Susan. I’m not sure what you are asking, to make more dolls or cards? Well, I made the one RGB as therapy and cannot bring myself to mass produce her. And the download is available for those who want to print out cards or posters for their own use.
Thank you for holding RBG in your hands for all of us.
This is beautiful Salley. It brings tears to my eyes and comforts my heart.
Awesome! You are a bright light during these dark times!
Hi Sally. This is a good way for anyone to mourn the loss of a loved one. Your healing has touched many! God bless you!
Thank you for your heartfelt tribute, Sally.
Really beautiful, Salley. Very touching, and important and wonderful. She was fighting for us all. Rest in power, Ruth.
Thank you. I’m afraid we will be going through some dark times ahead. We must, like Ruth, stand our ground with firmness and a steady, measured voice. Seeing her image depicted as a tiny icon reminds us that although RBG was small in stature, she was a giant in intellect and spirit.
Thank you for your tribute, and for helping to show us a way to channel our grief, frustration, anger into a creative calm.
I have been struggling with this loss. Actually just struggling in general with the stress from the current state of our government, the pandemic, the death of a close friend, wildfires, my own health issues and having to quarantine since February 7th, homeschooling, and now losing RBG. I’m trying to remind myself that while losing her is such a great loss what a gift it was to have her living and doing the work she did in our lifetime. Thank you for this sweet tribute to her!
What a beautiful tribute, Sally! I so appreciate your willingness to share as we all grieve on her passing and celebrate her important legacy. Now, it’s time for us all to be “Ruthless” and persist.
Thank you. I’ve enjoyed watching your whole process.
Thank you for sharing this. It is a troubled time in our world. She will be greatly missed.
Salley your work is frequently inspirational but this goes above and beyond. RBG comes alive in your hands. Thank you for helping us to smile through our tears.
Thank you Salley for this tribute to RBG!
That is so lovely, Salley! RBG was a true champion for truth and justice, and women across the US and the world over, like me in the UK, admired and respected her immensely.
Thank you for your beautiful tribute to her.
Kay
(UK resident, annual US visitor, though unfortunately, not this year due to the pandemic, so sad not to be coming over for the first September since 2005!)
SO uplifting at this sad time. You are such a talent and SO generous.
Thank you, Salley❣️
Well said — I too like many Americans felt sadness and even more fearful for our future.
Thank you for sharing the link to RBG’s obituary.
Salley, thank you for sharing your touching tribute to a champion for justice and equality.
Your love shines through your creation.
I feel as you do and am so scared for our country, Your RBG doll is a fabulous tribute! She was such a hero!!
Your Post does two things for me: 1st) Gives me a moment to smile and think about our dear Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Your tribute to her is just lovely. Thank you! 2ndly) Reminds of how important it is to take the time to clear my head while doing something positive, creative, heartfelt . . . where I can let the world fall away for a while . . . Thank you!
Bravo, Sally! You’ve done our tiny, but mighty RBG an honorable tribute with you wee folk representation of her. I treasure her legacy and hope the arc will turn towards justice in November. Love your books and wee folk. Your art is adorable, heart-warming, and also, at times, courageous and witty. I’ve made a few wee folk of my own during the Pandemic and it has been a delightful hobby, so thank you, Sally!
Thank you for sharing that and putting aside your work to create RBG. We are all in mourning 🙏❤️😢
The abyss between the the political parties in this country has only widened since the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Upon reading of her death last Friday evening, my feelings and thoughts were much the same as yours. I even began rereading the November 2019 book by Jeffrey Rosen “Conversations with RBG : Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love. Liberty and Law” in an attempt to assuage my grief. I believe that your method of therapy has shown a greater benefit…not only for yourself, but also for all of those persons fortunate enough to follow Salley Mavor! Your depiction of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is beautiful and I am grateful for the gift of being able to download the gorgeous photo. This lovely tribute brought to mind something that the British-Australian Buddhist Monk, Ajahn Brahm, wrote in one of his books : “Grief is seeing only what has been taken away from you. The celebration of a life is recognizing all that we were blessed with, and feeling so very grateful.” Thank-YOU! P.S. Were I not already planning to attend the December show of Bedtime Stitches, being able to actually see your Ruth Bader Ginsburg would immediately convince me to do so!
Wonderful! Thank you! That’s just what I needed today!💖
Thank you Salley, your work and words have been healing for me too. Thank you for all you do.
I understand your feelings. You provided a lovely tribute, thank you!!
so happy i ran across your blog. great content 🙂