In a world where disposable items are the norm and fads come and go with alarming speed, longevity is a rare achievement. The toy industry is particularly influenced by trends and overnight sensations.
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It can be hard to find a tribe — or a flock — to call one’s own. That is why Rose Lacefield and her “Flocklings” are such a rare and wondrous achievement. This talented, creative doll artist lives with her ever-expanding family and critters in Washington state. Her gaggle of kids, grandkids, pets, and barnyard denizens provide her with joy, entertainment, and inspiration. She calls this group her Flocklings, and they resonate across her daily activities and within her sought-after ball-jointed doll (BJD) characters.
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Brettmann knew that art would always be a pivotal part of her life, and she taught herself how to excel at different techniques and media. In 2013, she became a professional artist and her abstract work gained attention and adulation.
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“As a nurse, my occupation was focused on healing the body. As a doll artist, I would like to believe my dolls offer some healing and solace to the soul
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For Shawna Clymer, 2023 will be a year of many adjustments. First, she will be reverting to her maiden name, Burnell, and her business will be renamed Art by Shawna. Additionally, the Washington State artist will be forging ahead in a brand-new direction. “I am privately working in a new medium. I am not ready to share it at this time. However, readers can join my newsletter and watch for updates for anyone interested in hearing of my latest creations. I hope to share them with you in the new year!” Burnell said.
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Beverly Stoehr has enjoyed a long and storied career as a doll artist because each of her creations springs from her heart. Stoehr’s lifelong affection for baby dolls goes back to her childhood, and the artist has never seen that appreciation wane. Dolls have always been a part of her life — as playthings in her youth, collectibles in her adulthood, and symbols of her devotion to making art and making dreams come true.
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When Henry and Zofia Zawieruszynski decided to “retire” after 30 years of creating memorable dolls...
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Being able to see the world in a quirky and comical way is a blessing. That was particularly true during these past few years when a global pandemic and its attendant fear circulated across countries and communities. During these isolating and unusual days, doll artist Judy D. Porter looked around, took stock of the situation, and knew that a special brand of protective dolls was called for. Enter her enchanting line of Little Guardians.
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Laura Tuzio-Ross, who was voted this year’s Artist of the Year in the Dolls Awards of Excellence, has been pleasing collectors for nearly two decades with her vinyl reborns and silicone baby dolls. Her life-size sculpts are so realistic that she’s also become a go-to woman when a producer needs a lifelike baby doll. Her incredible sculpted infants have a thriving life as actors, stand-ins, and supporting players. It’s a path that Tuzio-Ross never would have envisioned for herself, but she is walking it like a red-carpet luminary.
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Doll collecting is a very special hobby. It permits people to hold on to memories and to physically cradle their connections to childhood in their hands. Doll collecting and doll artistry are indeed powerful pastimes — and the term “past” and “times” are extremely relevant to Connie Lowe’s Marbled Halls 2022 lineup of dolls.
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For almost 28 years, Zwergnase has been making dolls that cause collectors to do double takes. Photos of their dolls, frequently posed against natural landscapes, make viewers wonder if they are witnessing actual children at play rather than exceptionally well-crafted dolls.
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Growing up, Virginia Lee’s supportive and caring family encouraged her to discover her own path and to trek it bravely and confidently. Today, Lee lives in the small town of Edwardsville in southwest Illinois, just a few hours away from her family’s farm. That proximity underscores the connection and appreciation she carries in her heart.
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The recipient of DOLLS magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2022 is the late Dianna Effner. The accolade is a posthumous acknowledgment of Effner’s lifetime commitment to doll artistry as an educator, mentor, creator, and entrepreneur. While Effner was lauded for making dolls and doll molds, she was simultaneously making dreams come true. Through her hands-on seminars, classes, and workshops, combined with her business that provided molds and instructional videos, Effner ensured that other women who aspired toward professional success in the doll world would be able to follow their porcelain path.
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The fairy tale of The Frog Princess has influenced Russian artists across all media. Maryina...
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Dianna Effner passed away Oct. 14, 2020, but her legacy lives on. Collectors around the globe have acknowledged the charm and innocence that her dolls convey to all who bought them. Effner’s dolls truly were Little Darlings, the name that succinctly captured their appearance and their appeal.
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The Madame Alexander legacy defines the pursuit of the American Dream, along with the traits that delineate a successful and creative soul. Madame Beatrice Alexander was a successful self-made businesswoman. Born Bertha Alexander in New York, the enterprising young woman borrowed the name Beatrice from Shakespeare’s plays for its more sophisticated and stylish sound. When an advertising executive noted that she looked French, she gleefully added the “Madame” as a nod to fashionable European aristocrats.
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For 2021, Mattel’s Barbie designers are more committed than ever to creating dolls that mirror real-world collectors and their icons.
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American fashion designer Rachel Zoe once said, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” This is particularly true in the case of Arizona doll costumer Edith Schmidt. Schmidt, who designs under the name Edith’s Editions, creates beautiful fashions for BJDs. Her doll models can’t tell you what they want or what they aspire to be. Instead, their completed wardrobes do the talking for them.
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Dolly Dames’ Exstasie Harvey is a walking contradiction. Raised in Ohio, the artist creates her one-of-a-kind (OOAK) cloth dolls from her current Las Vegas home. From a childhood filled with Cabbage Patch Kids to her adult years lit by neon, Harvey knows that her lifestyle and her handiwork are truly unique.
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When Judy Pollard watches a fantasy movie, she could almost claim it as a business trip! While viewing one of these epic films, Pollard finds herself immersed in the costumes, the characters, and the quests. Then the artist meticulously takes these magical cinematic moments and translates them into her lovely fairy dolls. Her outpouring of dolls is like a big movie cast. Each of her creations is a character in its own right.
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