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While much of the world considers dolls mere playthings, there
has been a slow, steady, growing interest in dolls as artwork. Dolls
as mediums for textile artists, hobbyists, beaders, crafters, painters,
and more, have slowly found themselves alongside, and perhaps surpassing,
conventional children's dolls. In many cases, collectors coveting
dolls by a particular artist can pay respectable amounts to own
a signature piece. Artists are enouraged to experiment, find their
own style and perfect their chosen craft. With the advent of the
internet, such doll artists can now network and support each other.
Amongst the more notable of such groups is Art Dolls Only.
One of its founders, Nicole Johnson, takes us into the fun, far
out labyrinth of her world, and the world of ADO.
 When
did you begin creating dolls? What inspired you/led you to
dollmaking?
Actually, I am fairly new to making art dolls. My background
has always been in some sort of art, be it sculpture, printmaking,
drawing, or watercolor, but it has always changed. I would get bored
and move on to something else. I feel like I have finally found
a medium which keeps me interested and intrigued.
I came across my first art dolls on ebay, and thought, wow, what
are these, I want to make one. Then I forgot about them, a few years
later I came across art dolls again, but this time I made up my
mind that I was going to try my hand at it. So in the spring of
2008 I made my first art doll.
I am inspired by so many things, life, art, movies, books, but I
think my biggest inspiration is my husband. He is very supportive
of my art and a great inspiration to me.
What medium and process do you use for your art pieces?
How long does it take?
I use polymer clay. When I first started I only used clay and detailed
in acrylics, now I have expanded to include fabric, hair, some soft
sculpture, and whatever works for my current piece. I have a sketch
book that I like to sketch out ideas that are swimming around in
my head. If I don’t sketch them I tend to forget
them, this is a result of three kids, lol.
I am one of those people that cannot move on to another piece until
my current one is complete. On top of that, I can not rest until
my current project is finished; all I do is think about it until
I can finish it. So when I start a piece I have to work on it until
it is finished. Sometimes I can finish in a day sometimes it takes
longer, two or three. It all depend on what kind of doll I am working
on and how much time I can devote to the doll on that given day.
Is there a rewarding aspect to your art-making? Is
there a frustrating part?
I love making art dolls, and I would have to say the number
one reason is I feel like I have found myself. When I was younger,
teenage and early 20s I was obsessed with creating, and then life
started to change and so did I. For a time art was not a huge part
of my life. It was always in the background lurking but it just
did not fit in the foreground. I got married, had my babies, and
took on the role of mother and wife. I would say I used to be an
artist…now I am proud to say that I am a working artist. I
feel like I have an identity again. I can say that I am a mother,
wife, and artist. That is very rewarding for me.
Frustrating part, oh yes, so many. Not having enough time in the
day would be number one, having to go to sleep instead of finishing
up, second guessing my work; oh the list could go on.
When and why did you begin Art Dolls Only (ADO)?
Art Dolls Only was founded by Colleen Downs of LoopyBoopy,
Eva Buchala of Lady Artisan Dolls, Ky Eliza Ivy of KyEliza dolls,
and myself.
ADO was formed out of a need for a true Art doll group on Etsy.
When I say true art doll, I mean a group to showcase art dolls as
an up and coming art form. There are other art doll groups on Etsy,
but they allow any doll maker to join and our group is specifically
for dolls as art forms that are not intended to be toys. Also to
bring artists together to discuss techniques, share ideas, and promote
art dolls and the artists that are members of our group.
So in November of 2008 the four of us got together in Etsy chat
and hashed out the details and so ADO was created.
What is ADO's mission?
Our main mission is to actively promote art dolls across
the web and beyond. To support members with advise, critiques, and
promotion. To give art doll artists a place to come together and
share ideas, techniques, and challenge the artist to leave there
comfort zone and take a leap to try something new.
Describe some of the things that ADO is currently doing?
Currently we are working on the Shakespeare quarterly challenge,
Much ADO About Art Dolls. Basically members are challenged to take
any character from any of Shakespeare’s work and create! It
is called a challenge because as you can imagine this puts some
people out of their comfort zone with their work, myself included.
ADO is also hosting the Traveling
Doll Project, a collaboration
of artists, all working individually on a group doll. A team of
6 artists will end up with 6 dolls. Two teams are participation
for a total of 12 dolls being completed. Each doll will take a journey…starting
and ending in the same place with a whole new look and story. A
journal will travel with each doll that tells the story and adventure
of the doll from start to finish.
We are also gearing up to start our first Blog event. The Four Elements
Art Doll Challenge. ADO blog will be hosting the event to challenge
anyone and everyone to make there own art doll with the four elements
as inspiration. It will begin in May.
 Is
it easy keeping up with a bevy of talented artists? What is
the most rewarding part of ADO?
Having such a large group of art doll artists in one place
is both inspiring and a little challenging. Inspiring in that just
taking one look at all the members pictures of there work fuels
me to try harder and challenging in that I want every voice in the
group to be heard, promoted, spotlighted, and to succeed. And I
am still trying to find out to achieve this for our group.
The rewards of this group our numerous and vast. To pick one I would
have to go with the comraderie I feel with my members, I think of
them as friends, I talk about them with my family, and feel like
I know them. I know if I have a problem with my work, a concern,
a idea, I can go to the members of ADO for advice and help. I am
so happy that I have found this.
What do you foresee ADO doing in the future? What
are your hopes for ADO?
For the future of ADO I have really big plans and dreams.
I say plans and dreams, because some things I am sure I can achieve
for the group and some things, well maybe I will be able to achieve.
But I will try my hardest.
I see us continuing to grow in numbers and strength, Magazine publications,
continuing to challenge members, and hosting web based events.
My hopes for ADO, well let’s just say I dream big. A book
would be nice; an annual ADO convention would be awesome, getting
to meet in person some of my team members and world domination.
LOL
To see more of Nicole's work, please visit Mealy
Monster Land
To see more of the dynamic and creative artists of ADO, please
visit their BLOG
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