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My first doll was a Libby Littlechap; after that my mother bought my older sister a Barbie and me a Midge. We all know that how story goes! Barbie, the beautiful model, and Midge, a doll with the same name as a bug.
When I was six, we moved to Thailand, and at seven to Vietnam. Dolls and toys as we knew them were unavailable. I started drawing, making paper dolls and elaborate paper doll costumes. I once made a paper Thanksgiving feast for my sister and me. While we played at eating our paper dinner, the turkey blew off the balcony. I ran down to get it, only to be confronted by a very scary snake that seemed to want my turkey too!
During my school years, my expression turned toward people-sized clothing. I made my own clothing and usually looked like I was dressed from some period other than the present. I’ve studied portrait photography, and have degrees in Graphic Design, Art, and Fashion.
Many years later, I saw my first Gene at an FAO Schwartz while shopping with my sons. I thought about that blue-eyed movie star doll with the nostalgic wardrobe for three years. By the time I got my first Gene, a Champagne Supper, I had discovered eBay and the endless fascination of the repainted fashion doll. For me there couldn’t be a more satisfying endeavor than creating gorgeous faces to enliven these wonderful dolls and their fashions, combined with the art of photography.
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“My friends were impressed and delighted when I showed them my treasured Jewelianne repaints. Remarkable depth of color, shading and form shine out from Jewelianne dolls. She is very original and her experience as an artist shows beautifully in her dolls.”
–"Skipper from Prego" |
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In January 2002, I went to IDEX in San Francisco. There I met the delightful Tom Courtney of the Robert Tonner Doll Company. I’d been giving repainting a go, with hysterical results starting with just how to get those black smears off her cheeks! He gave me a lot of encouragement, a couple of tips, and after six months of dedicated practice I listed my first repaint, Tia, on eBay. I’ve been selling successfully since then and taking commissions.
In Chico, I’ve been lucky to meet and make friends with Denise Van Patten of Katherine’s Cottage doll shop and writer of the online Guide to Doll Collecting. She has seen all my dolls since the beginning and introduced me to a device called the digital camera. (I needed a shaking of my faithful dedication to the Single Lens Reflex camera.) Thanks, Denise, for everything!
My thrills and fulfillment come from seeing the dolls’ faces come to life during the painting process, and hearing from my collectors how much enjoyment they receive each day from my repaints. The friendship and warmth we treasure is the most remarkable accompaniment to these beauties we love to share and enjoy.
A huge thank you to all my collectors who have shared their thoughts about my repaints, and to my husband, James, for cheering me on in my trials and successes.
–Julie
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