Miniatura

I started making porcelain dolls some nearly 3 decades ago and as usual started with a closed eye sleeping doll. My first teacher inspired my love of small dolls and I later progressed to a passion for the 1:12 scale miniatures.

In the meantime I followed an education programme with the Doll Artisan Guild (DAG) and today am an Instructor and Judge for the DAG. I teach porcelain dollmaking classes and present seminars. I have been privileged to enter many competitions and to judge at a number of their competitions in many places in the USA, UK and recently in Japan. I am lucky enough to see so much beautiful creation when judging dolls and often wonder, if we had to try and count, how many ‘crafty’ hours have been spent in the final items at any show! I love the atmosphere of anticipation when attending all shows. All events seem to come alive with anticipation of what treasures we will find.

I work from my home in either my converted garage studio or in my sewing room. I pour, clean, fire, paint and dress all of my dolls from my collection of 1:12 molds and my ‘stash’ of laces, cottons, silks and other supplies, and of course from what treasures I find at shows. I think we all learn something every day, even from our own endeavours. Miniatures are fascinating and no two are exactly the same.

I constantly keep up with what is is happening in the doll miniature world and very much admire Dana of Minatureart and do love Annamarie Kwikkel and Jan Clarke’s work. Jan gave me some very good advice a long time ago.