United Federation of Doll Clubs, INC. – doll clubs | doll history & more

Christine Shively-Benjamin

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:23:25 +0000

The first artist we would like to introduce you to is cloth doll artist, Christine Shively-Benjamin. Christine will be making each doll for us completely by her own hand so each one will be unique and original.

Christine’s website opens with the words “Imagination takes flight on the wings of dreams” and that perfectly describes her work. Christine lives in Carson City, Nevada. She is an active member of ODACA and served as President of this prestigious artist group from 2007 to 2010.

In Her Own Words

Exploring the possibilities of creating a character with fabric is an extension of a life time fascination with three dimensional forms. My characters emerge from familiar tales of childhood and from stories of the heart and soul. Fabric, color texture and pattern all play intricate parts in creating interesting figures that tell their own stories to the viewers who meet them.

I begin by drawing the body shape and structure I wish to use for my fabric figures. I use a template to create the basic silhouette of the drawings. The shape is transferred to the fabric. Sewing on the line gives a great deal of control over the shape I am envisioning. Some of the body shapes are an abstraction or somewhat stylized. Most of my figures have an economy of line, a simplified structure. The costuming and embellishment are the key elements. I use paint, pigma pen and colored pencil to create the faces on the cloth figures. An extreme light and dark technique is employed to give the illusion of depth in the face.

Fabric, creative manipulation and embellishment are key elements to my figures and chairs. I use appliqué, picot, brick and spiral beading techniques in layers over fabric and ribbon.

An ancient connection to doll making and storytelling is ever present in my work. Experimenting with new techniques in drawing, painting, beadwork, embroidery, problem solving structural and aesthetic problems, and educating myself on historical and cultural heritages, contributes to the continual growth and change in my figures.

Manipulating basic shapes in new and different ways plays an important role in the creation of my characters. Paper and wire manipulation have added a whole new page to my book of characters. The fabric and paper speak to me in many voices, the combination of these voices gives life and harmony to the finished figures.

To learn more about Christine’s work visit her website at: www.fancifulclothimages.com

What’s Cookin’? Convention 2012 Artist Spotlight

“Jambalaya Jubilee” may be months away but our event artists are already hard at work. Each month UFDC is pleased to introduce you to the artists whose work will be showcased at the meal events planned for New Orleans.

Greene & Lam Design Studios

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:15:54 +0000

Greene & Lam Design Studios is a new doll and collectibles development company made up of partners Honny Lam and Joan Greene. When Greene and Lam began collaborating on designs for a new fashion doll in 1994, they became friends in the trenches of doll product design and manufacturing. Both pioneers in their fields, the two innovators soon revolutionized the doll industry with their work on Ashton-Drake’s Gene, the most successful fashion doll ever created for a direct response company.

UFDC is pleased to announce that one of the dolls from Greene & Lam’s “The Beautiful Vault” line will be featured in New Orleans. The Beautiful Vault line of dolls was introduced at IDEX by Nashville-based Greene & Lam Studio Designs on January 28, 2011. The lovely line of dolls comes with an intriguing story combining fashion and history that begins in Paris in 1938.

“With the fear of war top of mind, the proprietor of one of Paris’’ best guarded secrets, Le Beau Voute™ sent his beloved niece and nephew to America to open a couture shop. For decades, the Rousseau family had sold lightly worn couture, as well as, items sent over from esteemed couturiers. Ah, the clothing they sold was prized, but it was the beauty of their wax mannequins and charming windows that stopped many in their tracks. This is the story of the mannequins who made the journey, the unique clothes they modeled and the shop Therese and Claude Rousseau opened in the heart of San Francisco.” (Story and dolls written and designed by Joan Greene. The dolls are produced exclusively by Greene and Lam Studios.)

The theme for the event will be “Dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor Mardi Gras 1950. In 1950 the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were guests at the Mardi Gras celebrations. New Orleans was all a buzz when the royal couple announced that they would attend the Mardi Gras festivities. The big question was, “Would they honor the Carnival rules for the men to bow to the Mardi Gras Kings and Queens, and the women to curtsy.” Only those in the most elite circles would see firsthand that, in fact, the Duke bowed low and the Duchess dipped in a royal curtsy.”

To learn more about Joan Greene and Greene & Lam Design Studios please visit their website at www.greeneandlam.com.

UFDC congratulates Joan on her recent Doty award for the “Dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor Mardi Gras 1950” doll from her Beautiful Vault collection. This doll is presented in an exclusive costume for UFDC and will be the event doll at Joan’s dinner in New Orleans.

What’s Cookin’? Convention 2012 Artist Spotlight

Kathe Kruse

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:05:38 +0000

The Kathe Kruse Doll Studio is the oldest German Doll company that still continues to make dolls using the techniques established by Kathe Kruse herself decades ago.

The story begins in 1905 when Käthe Kruse´s daughter Maria, also called Mimerle (pictured with Kathe Kruse above), asked for a doll as a Christmas present. Her father, the famous sculptor Max Kruse, went to all the stores in Berlin, but all he saw were dolls that appeared to him to be stiff and unnatural. He thought that such dolls could never awaken motherly feelings in his daughter and so he told Käthe Kruse to design her own doll. Using the materials she had readily available, she took a towel, filled it with sand and created the head from a potato. The first doll was born! Little Mimerle instantly fell in love with it. The potato didn’t last long and so inspired by her daughter´s love for the little doll, Käthe Kruse decided to develop her doll making skills. At that time, she never would have dreamt that this would be the beginning of a worldwide career! In 1911 Käthe Kruse started making her beautiful handmade dolls in an apartment in Berlin. Her first important order came from the American toy shop, FAO Schwartz. Today the company continues to flourish employing the same loving care and attention to detail that Kathe Kruse brought to each of her dolls. The Käthe Kruse Company is proud that they have been providing quality items to children for more than 100 years. They continue to uphold the spirit of their founder and her motto, “the hand follows the heart” continues to inspire them.

To honor the founder of their company, the Kathe Kruse Company is planning to produce a child doll replica of Kathe Kruse for UFDC’s convention in New Orleans. They will be assisted by Two Sisters Studio who will be hand making a special surprise to accompany each of these beautiful dolls created in the traditional Kathe Kruse manner.

To learn more about the Kathe Kruse Company please visit their website at: www.kathekruse.de.

What’s Cookin’? Convention 2012 Artist Spotlight

Madame Alexander

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:50 +0000

One of the most recognizable names of all American doll companies, Madame Alexander has been a fixture in the doll world for almost ninety years.

Standing a full 21 inches tall this fully articulated Cissy is dressed in a marvelous outfit by fashion designer Jason Wu and is ready to explore the streets of the French Quarter in New Orleans along with her equally stylish canine companion.

Love Is In The Details

For many of UFDC’s members, the dolls of Madame Alexander evoke happy childhood memories. For others it is the adult joy of collecting the beautifully dressed and appealing dolls of this firm.

Golidlocks and Bear has a bent knee and created on one of Madame Alexander’s most popular sculpts – Wendy.

In 1923, Madame Alexander founded the Alexander Doll Company based on her belief that dolls should engage a child’s imagination. More than eight decades later, the company continues her mission with a full line of collectible, fashion play and baby dolls that are heirs to her impeccable taste and standards. To the delight of children and collectors alike, the dolls of Madame Alexander incorporate contemporary character, modern materials, and talented new designers into their works while maintaining Madame’s original vision that “love is in the details”.

Madame Alexander has also been a feature of UFDC’s conventions for many years. In keeping with the feel of New Orleans their event is titled “Mystic Tea Leaves – Tea Houses, Beignets and Café au Lait!”. As dramatic as the event name, this doll will be a delight to both Madame Alexander collectors and fashion doll enthusiasts alike.

Perhaps not as well known to all our members is the extreme generosity that Gale Jarvis, President of Madame Alexander, and her team have demonstrated to UFDC. For the past few years the company has donated wonderful dolls to the Junior Collector’s tea and has been actively involved in this event. They are helping UFDC prepare the next generation of collectors. This year the Junior Collector’s tea event is called “Babycakes” and in keeping with this theme Madame Alexander will ensure that every child attending will be “adopting” a baby from their nursery. UFDC salutes Madame Alexander for their role in this event and their generous donation of the dolls that will be cherished keepsakes for each of the children participating in this very special and important UFDC event.

Fully articulated ballerina from The American Ballet Theatre’s Copelia is an example of the company’s alliance with the arts.

For more information on Madame Alexander please visit their website at www.madamealexander.com

What’s Cookin’? Convention 2012 Artist Spotlight

Maggie Iacono

admin — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:38:22 +0000

Expressions In Felt by Maggie Iacono

For over 25 years Maggie has been creating felt dolls in small editions and one of a kinds.
Maggie is happiest when creating dolls, and has created thousands of them that grace the
collections of doll collectors from all over the world.

Each precious face of a Maggie Made Doll has been sculpted by Maggie herself. And when the demand for her dolls grew she recruited seamstresses to help with the sewing of costumes and taught her husband to take on some of the simpler tasks to keep production moving smoothly. Always striving to improve, Maggie began adding features to her dolls to make them more lifelike. The unique ball jointing system she developed made it possible for collectors to pose their doll for more realistic play and even the tiny felt fingers can point and hold an accessory.

With a background in sewing, Maggie’s love of fabrics and textures naturally lead to designing outfits for her many editions. Collectors fell in love with her combinations of felt and silks, and were charmed by the colors she chose. Story book characters came to life in her small studio but they always had the unique touch of Maggie’s hand. And little girls, in fashion forward outfits, rose from the piles of felts, silks, and other natural fabrics that Maggie would find. And when the fabric she was searching for did not exist, or come in the ‘just right’ shade of blue or green, Maggie would dye it herself to achieve the perfect combinations.

Whether inspired by a sketch in a children’s book, or the feel of a fabric on the shelves of Mood in New York City, Maggie manages to come up with a design that is strictly her own, with those special
Maggie touches. Costumes, colors and accessories are chosen by Maggie and must enhance each doll for the collector.

Since 2005 Maggie has created souvenir dolls for UFDC Convention events. And to entertain
the collectors attending her daughter Emily, who studied movie making, created stop animation
videos starring Maggie’s dolls. Each year, keeping with the theme of the convention, Maggie
would create a souvenir doll that conventioneers took home and lovingly added to their collections.

This year convention attendees can look forward once again to a Maggie Iacono event. In keeping with the New Orleans feel, the event doll will be called “Praline” and is guaranteed to be as sweet as her name.

For more information on Maggie Iacono please visit her website: www.maggiemadedolls.com.

What’s Cookin’? Convention 2012 Artist Spotlight

Maryanne Oldenburg

admin — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:29:13 +0000

Maryanne Oldenburg is a name that is very familiar to UFDC members. Maryanne will be starting things off in New Orleans with her luncheon “Hanky Panky Hors D’Oeuvres”. This event will truly be the appetizer to all the wonderful things planned in New Orleans. Maryanne’s doll will be wearing a dress created from a vintage handkerchief that really captures the feel of the twenties and thirties.Artist Statement

Boy, I hate this part… trying to tell someone about oneself! Where does one start? Okay… In the beginning….well, I’ve always loved art in any way, shape or form. Even though I was a tomboy at heart, I remember drawing my own paper dolls and all kinds of outfits for them.
In seventh grade, I had a wonderful nun who told me “you have a talent Maryanne, and if you don’t do something with it, it would be a sin”! Well, one doesn’t take that kind of thing lightly, so I went on to study art and shortly after, became a freelance commercial artist.

In the late ’60′s I discovered dollhouses and miniatures as a way of compensating for wishing I was an interior decorator. By 1972, after experimenting with every conceivable media from cloth to wood, I created “families” for most of the houses.

After discovering this new clay that could be cured in a regular oven (Sculpy), the dollhouses fell by the wayside. I immersed myself totally into teaching myself sculpting, anatomy, costuming, shoe making and even wig making.

A public library asked me if I wanted to do a display of my houses in 1973. I agreed and asked to add some new figures that I created from the polymer clay. Two days after the display opened I received a call letting me know there were several doll collectors interested in buying the dollhouse dolls. I said “what dolls…those aren’t dolls they’re “figures”! So I sold my first “dolls”, four of them, for a whopping $25.00 each.

In June of that year I attended my first doll show in Algoma and in August, I attended my first national doll convention in Louisville KT for UFDC (United Federation of Doll Clubs). I entered several “original creations” categories and came home with 4 Blue Ribbons. While there I met and became friends with a number of doll artists…it was so exciting, since I didn’t even know this world existed.

From 1973 on, I traveled to several different Doll Conferences as well as the National Doll Convention, each year. At these shows, I displayed and sold my one-of-a-kind dolls. In 1974 I met a wonderful doll collecting couple from Ohio, Margaret and Dick Schively, who took me under their wing. Margaret convinced me to try my hand at porcelain doll making. She invited me down to her shop where she taught me how to pour, clean, fire and paint porcelain in one week. Later that year I taught myself to make plaster molds and another new world opened up for me.

In 1975 I began producing my dolls in porcelain, in additions of 6-10 dolls for each new design. Thank heavens; my young family was so supportive of my efforts, not to mention my travel time to do all the shows each year, to “promote” my wares. During the late ‘70’s and all through the 80’s, my husband and I produced anywhere from 300 to 800 souvenir dolls, for several different Conferences.

In 1990, my two daughters, Kelly Paulson and Bambi Gulig joined me in my doll business, “Oldenburg Originals”. From 1990 until 2001, I designed 12 new dolls each year and we produced, as a team, anywhere from 300-500 dolls per year.

In 2002, I felt the need to return to designing my polymer clay dolls, due to a desire to spend more time being “creative”, rather than being a “production machine”.

I created mainly OOAK’s and occasionally limited edition resin pieces, with my main focus being on children, toddlers and babies. I strive to portray my children in a timeless way, always showing their sweetness and innocence.

I have designed dolls for a number of doll companies. I served as Director of Creative Design for the Oren Village Doll Co. Affordable Designs is another company I’ve worked with. Two different young ladies, “Leeann” and “Leneda”, have been designed for that company. I have also recently designed six new 18” ethnic dolls for a Florida company called “Faraway Friends”.

In 2007, I talked my daughters Kelly and Bambi to come back into business with me and we formed a new company called “Oldenburg & Co. LLC”. I designed 6 little 10” children, which are produced in vinyl for the doll collector market. The grouping called “The Playmates of Willow’s Way” includes 7 year old “Willow” along with her best playmates, “Poppy”, “Holly”, “MerryRose”, “Heather”, and a little boy named “Kip”. In 2009, we added 3 new 7 ½” little girls, with 13 moveable joints, that I designed, named the “Kinder Kids”. They are made of cold cast resin and. I continue to design new outfits and accessories for them, along with dozens of patterns so the collectors can sew new wardrobes for them.

For more information on Maryanne’s work please visit her website at: www.oldenburgandcompany.com.

What’s Cookin’? Convention 2012 Artist Spotlight

R. John Wright

admin — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:23:51 +0000

“Santa Claus” is based on the original images of Thomas Nast.

R. John Wright is one of the most renowned and respected of all contemporary artists. Established in 1976, R. John Wright Dolls, Inc. has delighted collectors worldwide with beautifully designed and hand crafted dolls and animals. All are designed by John and Susan Wright and produced in numbered limited editions at the R. John Wright workshop in Bennington, Vermont. This year UFDC is delighted that these two national artistic treasures will be interpreting the work of a legendary doll maker to produce a true American classic. The work of R. John Wright has proven to be a favorite with UFDC’s collectors and their event in New Orleans will surely prove to be a convention highlight for those fortunate few who are able to attend.

A Christmas Message from R. John and Susan Wright

Dolls and history . . . . seem intertwined throughout our lives and our career. First inspired by the dolls of the early Steiff company – and then by the dolls of the Lenci and the German Kathe Kruse companies, we feel honored to continue the tradition of bringing innovation and artistry to the production of cloth dolls. The key word here is “production” because without our talented team of 30 dedicated workers, we could never realize our dream of making dolls in the same spirit of those early companies. Everything is made at our workshop here in idyllic Bennington, Vermont under our direct supervision. As Christmas draws near, it becomes a real Santa’s workshop!

We have long had strong associations with the members of UFDC who also recognize the importance and the pleasures of doll history. Next year, we will once again produce not one but two iconic doll characters “Patsy” and “Skippy” at a special ticketed dinner event. We look forward to seeing old friends and making new acquaintances. We hope to see you there! In the meantime, please accept our best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year.

R. John Wright

Susan Wright

The mice above each hold felt “sweets” and were made in R. John Wright’s studio ‘kitchen’ this month.

“Mary Frances” and “Baby Grace” were introduced at a Christmas dinner event during the R. John Wright 2011 Convention. Both dolls are part of the Victorian Children series.

Susan and R. John Wright pose with members of the Shaker Doll Club. They describe this photo as “a fond memory of our ties with UFDC.”

The Wright’s daughter Emily poses in front of their tree decorated with real candles. On behalf of both the Wright family and UFDC best wishes are sent to all our members for a happy holiday and a wonderful new year!

What’s Cookin’? Convention 2012 Artist Spotlight

Alan Scott Pate

admin — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:33:43 +0000

Miss Fukishima

Japanese Friendship Doll by Takizaku Koryusai, 1927

Alan Scott Pate is the leading world authority on Japanese dolls. A prolific author, Alan has published articles in a variety of magazines, produced lecture videos and written books including Ningyo: The Art of the Japanese Doll (Tuttle, 2005), and Japanese Dolls: The Fascinating World Of Ningyo (Tuttle, 2007). Alan has a gallery located in St. Ignatius, Montana. His gallery is dedicted to the sale of the highest quality Japanese dolls from the Edo Period (1612-1868) with additional select examples from the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho Eras (1912-1926). Alan has also curated many exhibits and currently his exhibit “Entertaining the Gods and Man: Japanese Dolls and the Theatre” is on display at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens located in Delray Beach, Florida, from October 2^nd through to January 27^th, 2013.

Alan has given many lectures and seminars at UFDC Conventions. This year is a first for UFDC and Mr. Pate. Not only will he be putting on an exhibit for UFDC but he will also be the focus of a meal event. Alan will be sharing the story of two of the original “Friendship Dolls”. The “Friendship Dolls” were gifts sent to the United States in the 1927. Fifty-eight of these dolls were sent originally and today only 46 are accounted for. The two Friendship Dolls that will be the focus of the convention exhibit and Alan’s program are: Miss #46, recently discovered and now back from restoration and exhibition in Japan, and Miss Kyoto, also just returned from restoration and exhibition in Japan. We are thrilled that the New Orleans convention will be the first time they will be displayed together in the United States. Miss Kyoto belongs to the Little Rock Museum of Discovery and will be on loan before her formal return to the museum.

Alan has also been working with the original factory that produced these dolls and these “Friendship Dolls” in miniature (the originals stood 33 inches tall) will be the event dolls given to attendees. A special and unique event and one not to be missed!

For more information on Alan Scott Pate please visit his website: www.antiquejapanesedolls.com