NIADA Gallery
NIADA is an international organization of artists and patrons dedicated to the art of the contemporary doll
MessageI like to make dolls because they are so close to human beings that viewers can feel quite touched by them. My pieces are meant to make people smile.
I began doll making after receiving my degree as an illustrator in l975. One of my teachers in art school, a writer and illustrator of children's books, made dolls for fun, for her children to play with. When she showed us those dolls, I was fascinated. Though my teacher was not a professional doll maker, the dolls had the same intriguing character as her drawings. They were simple dolls, with a strong expression.
They are still my source of inspiration for keeping it simple, and the expression I want to achieve. My other motto is: don't stick to conventions.
I consider my dolls three-dimensional illustrations of imaginary stories. The story you may make up yourself.
I work in several materials. Most of my pieces are sculpted directly in porcelain, but I like to use air-dry clay for props. After creating a doll in my head, I sometimes hate to make it because it already exists perfectly in my head—it could still be a masterpiece. Then I feel like the making is only a craft, not a creative process.
In 1999 I became a member of NIADA, the National Institute of American Doll Artists and currently I am a NIADA board member. I am a founding member of DABIDA, the Dutch and Belgian Doll artist organization. I like to travel, exhibiting, giving lectures and teaching workshops.
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