DOLLS

Maggie Made’s latest creative project started out on a small scale … literally.

Kari Byron is the typical girl-next-door; that is, if the girl-next-door can detonate a bomb, swim with a shark and good-naturedly pal around with a frat house of techno-savvy dudes. The Californian native is the cheerful and remarkably competent host of the Discovery Channel’s MythBusters series.

Kazuyo Oshima was born on the Awajishima Island of Japan in 1946, just one year after the defeat of World War II. At the time the Japanese were very poor, far from where they are today. Her father, an atomic bomb victim, worked entire days in the fields as a farmer; while her mother, a kimono dealer without a shop, daily rode a bicycle piled up with merchandise selling her goods. Meanwhile, little Kazuyo was left at home during the day playing with dolls, such as “Ichimatsu-ningyo,” fashion dolls, or popular toy dolls like “Dakko-chan” (manufactured by Ta­kara in 1960). The dolls were gifts from her mother, who wished she could spend more time with her daughter.

Her Art Is as Lyrical as Her Name

Patricia Rose is a “girlie-girl” kind of woman. When she joined the Women’s Army Corp in the late 1960s, she showed up for basic training wearing a sexy dress, white gloves, high heels and a wide-brimmed hat, with matching white luggage in tow. She swears the 1980 movie Pvt. Benjamin, starring Goldie Hawn, must have been written about her.

Michelle Fagan’s Realistic Babies Seem Poised to Giggle and Wriggle

When South Carolina artist Michelle Fagan is asked, “What would you be doing if you weren’t creating unbelievable baby dolls?” she immediately answers, “I’d love to be a photographer.” Though that secret yearning is undoubtedly true, she could have just as easily answered, “A juggler. A world-famous, ovation-grabbing juggler.” Fagan, a 41-year-old supermom of two, is a master at balancing artistic pursuits, home chores, professional obligations and a hectic, energetic life. She has mastered the art of mixing the mundane with the marvelous.

International Artists Showcase Otherworldly Creatures and Surreal Specters

There’s been much talk recently of global responsibility and citizenship. The popular mantra, “think globally, act locally,” has permeated political, environmental and artistic movements from all corners of the world. Talented men and women in the doll art movement dig deeply into themselves and unleash works of staggering beauty and brilliant imagination. Whether the artist resides in the steamy environs of Brazil or the cold clime of New Hampshire, they share the common bond of fantasizing and making their dreams come true.

With Every Successive Line, Heidi Plusczok Seeks to Outdo Herself—Her 2009 Line is No Exception

One heartfelt request. That’s all it took for Heidi Plusczok to embark on a craft that would lead her to becoming a revered and award-winning doll artist.  Almost 30 years ago, when her then 10-year-old daughter, Katja, asked for a porcelain doll, the die was cast, introducing Plusczok into the wonderful world of dollmaking—a career that has served her well.

Lorella Falconi’s Dolls Are Adorable and Ethereal, Winsome and Realistic

Fire and ice are a dynamic pairing—definitely opposites, the two elements are often linked in poetry, mythology and popular culture. In doll artist Lorella Falconi’s life, fire and ice, likewise, mesh together. Born in Italy, in a small town by the Adriatic Sea, the talented sculptor resides today in the colder clime of Toronto, Ontario. Passionate by nature and proud to declare that “dollmaking is the fuel that feeds my fire,” Falconi glided toward this vocation because of ice hockey. The coldest of sports led her to discover her most fiery ambition.

Companies, Artists Offer Stunning Work and New Perspectives

Can’t afford a trip around the world? Fortunately, doll artists and companies bring international flavor and their dollmaking perspectives to collectors everywhere. Each widens the scope and breadth of dollmaking in her own special way.

Xenis Family Carves Out an Incomparable Niche

There’s a tried-and-true saying: “The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.” In the case of Marlene Xenis and daughters Tania and Jesse, this wood-themed maxim takes on a whole new significance.