Doll artists and their admirers inhabit a mutual world of pure imagination. Willy Wonka and his chocolate factory have nothing on the power of make-believe that creators and collectors share. This is especially true of French artist Sophie Louis, who is also known as K6. The talented dreamer behind Nympheas Dolls envisions a realm populated by sweet woodland creatures and cute mythical beasts.
The characters she brings to life cohabitate in a fantastical forest. She said, “My dolls live in a fantasy world of peace, harmony, and joy. Everyone needs to know this kind of place to feel better, right?” When customers encounter her dolls, she wants them to feel “reconfort” — the French word for “comfort.”
One of the enchanting animals the artist has coaxed into being is a lovely fawn. The Bambi-esque doll has special significance to Louis, who said, “Fanny is a kind of animal totem for me, so she was the first animal I made. Now I think she could be perfect for taller dolls, like Yo-SD, so I made her taller too.”
In Louis’ peaceful paradise, dragons are also friendly and ready to frolic. Her brand-new Epsylon proves that a mythological character can be filled with surprises and joyful abundance. “I dreamed about a baby dragon for a long time. It’s a must-make doll,” she said. “I had a lot of work in illustration — my second job — so I did not have much free time to make him. I spent two years on him!”
The time she spent perfecting his gleeful appearance was well worth it. The baby dragon is a charmer — a creature that rivals the pop culture icon Baby Yoda (aka Grogu) for adorability.
“It’s pretty funny that he was ready in the Chinese Year of the Dragon!” Louis said. While she was searching for a name for the dragon, she said her son was having fun learning the Greek alphabet. “So inspiration was easy. It was perfect for a kind of Greek mythological creature.”
The characters that leap from her mind are endearing and ethereal. They grab a collector by the heart and don’t let go. The artist places a lot of her own personality into the finished dolls: “I’m a very sensitive person. Creation is like breathing for me. I will never stop creating. I always have new ideas and I feel good, thanks to art. If I don’t make anything in a week, I feel depressed. I am happy to see people happy with my dolls. They give them smiles, and I’m smiling, too!”
You can be part of this animal and doll adoption universe by purchasing them through the Doll Peddlar (dollpeddlar.com), a U.S. retailer of Louis’ creations.
