I create Fine Art dolls in several mediums; polymer clay, air-dry clay, cloth and needlefelted wool. All my dolls are one of a kind, completely handmade by me. No patterns or molds are used. I began my dollmaking journey in the lineup at Michaels, when glancing through an issue of Where Women Create I saw the most beautiful doll I had ever seen. Seized with a desire to make that kind of doll, I went online and discovered the world of the fine art doll and the tutorials their makers generously shared with the world.I have been learning and creating ever since.
Every doll I make teaches me something. I love making every one! I am usually seized by an enthusiasm for or interest in a particular time period in costume when I make a doll. Either that, or I am working on how to get the doll to look or move a certain way. Sometimes I see a doll online and am inspired to create one using the same technique, as in my Izannah Walker historically referenced dolls. Making dolls is all about solving problems.
I work in a small spare room, overlooking a park. It is insanely cluttered, but it is my happy place. While I work, I listen to classical music, or books on disc from the library.
My inspiration comes from the doll itself. I always start with the head, then draw a plan using the height of the head to determine the proportions of the rest of the doll. Once I am into making the doll, it tells me what it wants to be. Many dollmakers have the same experience. Sculpting the face and limbs in proportion can be very tricky. If the intention is to make a doll that is quirky or unique, it takes its own course. Trying to make a doll that looks like a tiny human is much more difficult.
I love all my dolls, but I am proudest of my piece The Little Match Girl, which was published in the last issue of Art Doll Quarterly. I sell my work in my Etsy store www.etsy.com/ca/shop/ArtsOfDelight
You can also contact me directly at [email protected]
I read a lot and knit for pleasure in the times I am not creating.
Meet Linda at The Artisan Fair on November 2nd, 2019 at 90 Hunter St East in Peterborough, 10am-2pm!
You can also contact me directly at [email protected]
I read a lot and knit for pleasure in the times I am not creating.
Meet Linda at The Artisan Fair on November 2nd, 2019 at 90 Hunter St East in Peterborough, 10am-2pm!