European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 04, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Russia by Leslie Shepherd the associated press. For More than a Century artists and woodcarvers made traditional nesting dolls in cramped Dingy quarters on the grounds of Russia s most important monastery. Now the oldest manufacturer of the brightly painted matrix ska dolls May go Oil of business a victim of the transition to a Market Economy. Workers at the state owned arts crafts and toy factory in Sergeyev posed fear that will mean the death of an Art form that future generations of matrix ska makers will follow profit rather than tradition. The Story is a microcosm of Russia s economic woes and of its future a protected state Industry is giving Way to private entrepreneurs who make the same products often with refreshing originality but guided by the profit motive rather than an official mandate to preserve a traditional Art. The arts crafts and toy factory can no longer afford Linden Wood its essential raw material. It was evicted at year s end by the russian orthodox Church which seeks to reclaim property seized by the soviet state and is Josing skilled workers to higher paying cooperatives that compete with it. We fear the factory May close altogether said Lubov Okuneva the Quality control manager. There Are so Many problems and deprivations in the country she said. Farming is dying children have nothing to eat. People Aren t thinking about matrix shias the first set of smiling Rosy cheeked matrix shias was made in the late 19th Century in Moscow based on a japanese children s toy discovered by Sawa Mamontov one of Russia s leading merchants. These dolls made in Kiev Ukraine Are typical of the matrix shias made in the former soviet Union. On the left Are the brightly painted dolls. On the right arc the popular political matrix shias depicting soviet leaders from Lenin to Yeltsin. He commissioned a Well known artist Sergei Vasin to design a similar doll in the russian style. The matrix ska evolved into a distinctive National Art form and one of the most popular souvenirs of Russia. Around the turn of the Century Mamontov moved his workshops to Sergeyev posed a noted woodcarving City and spiritual Center of the russian orthodox Church. The City was known As Zagorsky under soviet Rule. Zagorskis not the Only place matrix shias Are made but As the oldest manufacture the arts crafts and toy factory claims the right to say what is authentic and what is not. T the traditional nesting doll is painted in primary colors and dressed in russian peasant costume with billowing sleeves an apron and a kerchief that must be tied under her Chin. Each set of seven to nine is painted by one artist unlike the Assembly line production of the soviet Era. Makers of traditional matrix shias have stiff Competition from cooperatives created after the end of the state monopoly on production and marketing of arts and crafts. Their artists including Many former employees of the state factory paint the dolls however they choose. Especially popular Are political matrix shias depicting soviet leaders from the first Czar to Boris Yeltsin. Tourists also can buy nesting sets of beatles Snow White and the seven dwarfs or magic Johnson and the National / basketball association All stars. That s not Art Okuneva said. That s just for Cash people who want to rip others off. We Don t do those  Misha Filipov who Sells matrix ska dolls to tourists in Moscow s arbat pedestrian mall agrees with Okuneva but makes no apology for his products of course it s a violation of All our traditions he said. But i Don t care. This is How i Earr  the marketing director of a matrix ska cooperative insisted that his artists help preserve a tradition that suffered under the tight control of unimaginative soviet bureaucrats. We Are in this business for profit of course said Stanislav Sidorov of the Agate cooperative in Moscow but the shape of the dolls is still the same. The painting of course depends on the demand. Still we make some " of the dolls in the traditional style because fashions come and go and the old tradition is Here to  besides he said most of Pur people Are professional artists and they Are actually training gifted Young people to make matrix shias thus spreading the tradition.". Okuneva said the state factory is losing Many artists to the higher paying cooperatives which could put them out of business. The 25 remaining woodworkers and painters had to move their lathes Watercolours and Squirrel hair paint brushes out of the old quarters in the Shadow of the Blue and Gold domes of the Trinity monastery of St. Sergius. They now share a nearby factory that makes wooden cutting boards and plastic toys. Valentina Andrianova administrator of the doll factory said demand for matrix shias remains High. Many russians can no longer afford them but she said few tourists leave the country without one. Production is falling however because cooperatives outbid the factory for the soft Pale Linden Wood favored by matrix ska makers. Artists Are often Idle for several Days each month because there Are no dolls for them to paint Okuneva said. That Means lower pay since painters Are paid by the set which in turn makes the cooperatives More attractive. Angered traditional  with Economy 10 Stripe mag be february 4, 1993