On a polished wooden surface, a doll leans forward as if caught mid-sentence. Her wide green eyes sparkle, her pale hands extend in a dramatic gesture, and her gauzy gray gown drifts around her like mist. Tousled blonde hair falls across her face, suggesting she has just turned toward you to whisper something important.

This doll is one of many created by Robert Craner, a Pontiac artist who has turned clay and fabric into a world of characters that are equal parts whimsical and profound.

A detour to art

Craner grew up in Pontiac and graduated from Pontiac Northern High School before earning a degree in graphic and commercial art from Oakland Community College. He struggled to find work in his field, so he headed to Texas, where he found himself behind a switchboard.

“I became a telepho

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