When I look over the dolls I have created over the past 35 years I find myself reminiscing about my childhood. I was the little girl who loved playing in the woods finding microscopic seeds, and also the scrawny little girl who had to have the pink organdy party dress with the big embroidered rose and velvet sash. So it seems only natural that my work as a doll artist is characterized by elegantly costumed, imaginative fantasy figures and whimsical fairies that reflect a strong connection with the beauty of nature.
I create dolls ranging from one inch to 15 inches high. I use traditional dollmaking techniques (my own plaster molds, porcelain slip and china paints), but strive to go beyond the limitations of traditional dollmaking. Although I make molds of my work, I individually sculpt each clay piece after removing it from the mold, giving each its unique character. This also means the figure’s movement and expression is not limited by the restrictions of my moldmaking. Some of my dolls are dressed in antique textiles that are recycled from other lives and times; others wear tiny bits of nature found on walks in the woods.
I am proud that I can excite and inspire people with my work. My most memorable moment in dollmaking is being invited to have a doll in the permanent collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs at the Louvre in Paris; my biggest pleasure in dollmaking is the people I have met.