Welcome!!! I am so happy that you have found my website and hope you
are enjoying your visit here at the Nursery! I will be adding new work on a
regular basis, so I hope you stop by often! Let me tell you a bit about myself
and how I discovered this wonderful art form!
Birthplace and Childhood
I was born in Pittsburg, California to a Military father and stay at home
mom. I have three sisters, two are older and one younger sister who happily
shared in my love for dolls as I was growing up. Thank goodness I had someone
to play with that was younger, it extended my doll playing for years!!
We had a very colorful life with my father in the Military. There were exciting
moves that we made, to Texas and then later on all the way to Germany! My fondest
childhood memories are of my time in Europe. My Czech mother has a gypsy soul
and had us taking small excursions all over Europe. Italy in the summer months
and Holland for the Tulip Festival in the Spring. A trip to King Ludwig's Castle
in Bavaria and to Lourdes, France too. After our European years we moved to Washington
State where my father retired from the Military and became a Golf Pro. When
the first snow arrived he decided we needed to be in California's sunshine!!
So we all packed up and moved to California again where I have been ever since.
Early Influences
I have always been completely mad about dolls and babies. Every opportunity
I had to view some darling little one in a stroller was a thrill. I would even
cross streets if I noticed someone coming down the road with a baby to make
sure that I got a close look at the baby and find out how old he or she was!
Can you see how perfect it was for me to discover how to make my own little
baby dolls? Who would have known!! Even though my daughter wasn't a doll lover she would receive one every Christmas
just so I could have that familiar smell of a new doll around at the Holidays!!
Artistic Background
I am self-taught in the art of doll making. I was fortunate to have a very
artistic family and my daughter and all of my friends are into some form of
art. It helped always being surrounded by great creative energy and seeing really
wonderful art, I am continually inspired by hand crafted treasures. About 5
years ago I bought a dollhouse at a garage sale for $3 that was in need of a
complete make over. It was evident that it had spent many nights outside in
the rain, and had been unoccupied for many moons. I saw an opportunity to jump
into a creative project that really intrigued me so after taking some time to
ponder how I could renovate this dwelling I dove in. I painted it and learned
how to integrate the old dollhouse parts that were so pretty, with my new renovations.
I was so pleased with how it came out, I created a prime spot in my living room
where I could enjoy it all the time. That year I decorated it for Christmas
and had small lights all over it. I covered the top of the table where it lived
with winter snow and small trees with lights and was so amazed at how darling
the little scene was! That really triggered a yearning for all things miniature.
When I started making dolls I realized that with my love for babies and miniatures
it was perfect for me to make the 1:12th scale dolls!! I would have gone crazy
to have one of these little babies to play with when my sister and I in our
younger years were making little dollhouse stories and playing.
My Journey into the Doll World
As I began shopping for miniatures for my new dollhouse, I was noticing all
of the wonderful one-of-a-kind dolls on ebay when I discovered Julie Mansergh's
fairies. They took my breath away and I felt a small electrical charge go through
me and all I could say was "I want to do this!!" I waited for about
5 months before I even picked up any clay and spent all my time devouring any
literature I could on doll making.
I knew I wanted to create, but what was it that I wanted to do? I happened
upon an article in Miniature Collector from a 2002 issue and saw the work of
Catherine Muniere and that was all it took for me to realize that I wanted to
sculpt babies!! In the fall of 2003 I decided to have a try with the polymer
clay that I had bought the prior month. My first doll had me melt. I thought
it was the most wonderful thing in the world! (it was so ugly, I had a very
blind eye in those first few months, Thank Goodness , or I might not have gone
on) I fell in love with every little baby that I made and with each one they
started to look more and more normal!
It has become a passion for me and I am really striving toward continuing to
improve my skills with each sculpt that I make to produce a doll that is as
lifelike and realistic as I can make them. Every detail that you would see on
the human body is there, all of the little creases and softness. Whether I am
sculpting these little babies or dressing them I am always striving for perfection
so the babies have an heirloom quality about them and can be enjoyed for years
to come. All the babies range in sizes from 1" to 1 ¾" and
the toddlers so far have been 2" to 2 ¼". I am really looking
forward to seeing where my doll making will take me. Who knows…….maybe
an adult might show up in my clay some day!!
Publications and Recognition
Doll Magazine Feb. 2006
Dollhouse and Miniature Scenes Sept 2007
Dollhouse Magazine Sept. 2007
I gained IGMA Artisan status in May 2007.
