Magnolia Plantation & Gardens hosts doll-making workshop with renowned gullah artist Genya Stokes-Watson
from Staff Reports
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is adding a meaningful, handmade touch to the holiday season with a special Gullah doll-making workshop led by celebrated local artist Virginia “Genya” Stokes-Watson. Just in time for gift-giving, the event invites participants to create a one-of-a-kind keepsake rooted in Gullah Geechee heritage — a heartfelt alternative to the usual holiday shopping rush.
The workshop, Gullah Doll Making, will take place Saturday, December 20th from 2-4 p.m. in the Magnolia Workshop.
Tickets are $65, which includes full garden admission, all materials needed to craft a Gullah doll, and light refreshments.
Stokes-Watson, who grew up in Mount Pleasant and learned the art of sweetgrass weaving from her mother, Elizabeth Stokes, discovered her passion for dollmaking as a young girl in the 1950s. Her earliest dolls were fashioned from soda bottles, grass blades, and scraps of fabric — playful creations that would eventually evolve into the distinctive Gullah Dolls of Charleston, now widely recognized and collected.
Her handmade dolls, adorned with vibrant head wraps, sweetgrass accents, baskets, and traditional fabric, have been featured in publications and museums across South Carolina and Georgia. They are represented at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as historic Lowcountry sites including Boone Hall Plantation, McLeod Plantation, Middleton Place, Magnolia Plantation, Brookgreen Gardens, The Gibbes Museum of Art, and the Savannah History Museum.
At the December workshop, Stokes-Watson will guide attendees through each step of crafting their own doll, blending hands-on instruction with stories from her childhood, her faith, and the cultural traditions that inspire her work. With their warm textures and meaningful symbolism, the dolls make thoughtful holiday gifts — or memorable keepsakes to enjoy for years to come.
For Genya, sharing this tradition is a gift in itself. “My hope is that you will enjoy owning these dolls, and that gifting them helps spread the Gullah love,” she says.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is located at 3550 Ashley River Road. With space expected to fill quickly, Magnolia Plantation encourages early registration. More information is available at www.magnoliaplantation.com/magnolia-events/gullah-doll.
