The Third Issue! - Lillian Alberti

An e-magazine for doll enthusiasts everywhere!
Published quarterly on-line
The Third Issue!
An
The
Club
E- M A G A Z I N E
Doll
©
An Interview with
Kardenchiki
Recourses, tips, ideas and a freebie!
Come join the fun!
From the Editor:
This spring I attended two, back to back
weekend conventions. Though I was exhausted
when I returned home, I really had a
wonderful time! The offerings at each event
were informative, entertaining, and highly
Lillian Alberti
editor
A graduate of Parsons
School of Design with a
BFA in Fashion Design,
Lillian has been creating
one-of-a-kind Art dolls for
over twenty-five years. Her
dolls have been featured in
national publications and she
now travels the country
teaching doll making to likeminded, creative souls kind
enough to allow her to share
her years of doll making
experience with them.
enjoyable! I find this to be true at most Doll
related gatherings. I always enjoy being in the
company of doll makers and listening to them
share their personal doll making experiences; I
am always curious as to what inspired them to
become a doll maker. Who influenced them?
Whose work do they admire most? Has their
doll making journey been fun? I find that most
will reply with a resounding...yes !
The conversation at the conventions, it
seems, flowed freely and smiles were ever
present. One particular thing is true about
most Doll artists , they are very generous and
enjoy sharing their creative secrets, always
willing to help fledging artists. At Artistic
Figures In Cloth and Clay, for instance, Cyndy
Sieving has a knack for finding the latest rising
"stars" in the art world willing to share their
particular talents. It was there that I met
Michele Lynch and Christine Lenz, long time
artists both new to the teaching scene. In this
issue, true to form, each are happy share
some of their personal doll making
experiences...enjoy!
Happy Doll Making!
Cover artwork “Wingless Angel” by Carol Andrews is Carol's, a cloth doll artist, first attempt at creating a
clay doll. Carol sells her whimsical cloth dolls at Ally, Bally, Mee in Wilton, Ct
The Doll Club would like to offer you an opportunity to have your work published! Do you have a fun idea you’d
like to share, a studio you would allow us to peek into or have an article idea submission, please send us a brief
email with one photo sample of your best work to: [email protected] for review and consideration. It is
the responsibility of the submitting artist to ensure that no copyright infringements have occurred and that all
submitted work is their own. The Doll Club reserves the right to edit as needed. The Doll Club is published
on-line 4 times a year at $3.00 an issue.
What’s Inside …
On-line Connections
Michelle Lynch
Inside the World of:
An interview with Kardenchiki
COLLAGE
A collection of our reader’s submitted artwork
Just 4 FUN
A fun craft project in less than 10 steps
From YOUR Studio
Christine Lenz
The Art of Discovery
Alexandra Wilde Langley
AFICC
Lillian Alberti
Artistic Figures in Clay and Cloth Convention
On-line Connections
Steam Punk Souls
by Michele Lynch
In 2010, I took a high stress, management job. Soon, however, it
became clear that what should have been a creative design job became very
stifling not just for me but for the employees I managed. I regretted my
decision to take the job. The Vice President of the company was not a
leader, nor was he inspiring. I secretly nicknamed him "the soul sucker."
On the long commutes to work, I imagined the "soul sucker" depleting
his kingdom of creativity, enslaving his minions and feeding off of their
imaginations. Soon a whole group of rebels popped up in my mind; misfits
strong enough to fight back and reclaim their creativity. Feeling inspired, I
experimented with some air-dry clay and sculpted what I saw in my mind's
eye; half machine, half human creature...this lead to the birth of the Steam
Punk Souls.
While I work I sometimes see the
characters clearly in my head, at other
times the character develops as I sculpt.
After making an armature, I hand sculpt
each doll out of epoxy, adding in parts
from vintage watches, clocks, rusty auto
parts and other found objects that speak
to me. The designer in me loves mixing
textures and textiles on each dolls. I then
hand paint them with many layers of
acrylic paint, trying to achieve the same
type of patina as their vintage metal parts.
My dolls have sold in galleries in the U.S., Canada and Australia. I
also sell online on Etsy shop and EBay. I enjoy interacting with the
collectors of my artwork through these venues. If you are new to
selling online I offer the following advice: there are a few
differences between EBay and Etsy and each have advantages and
disadvantages. I find that EBay's set up drives the traffic to you,
with Etsy you need to drive the traffic to your own shop. Their fees
also reflect this; since you do most of the work, Etsy’s fees are
lower than EBay's. EBay auction's have a limited time frame, this
creates a sense of urgency and excitement, where as there is no
time limit on Etsy making it easier for the collector to return at his
or her leisure. There is also the pricing structure to consider.
Everyone loves getting caught up in the
auction game of EBay and finding out latter
who actually got "the" item. At Etsy the
price is fixed which works well for those
who prefer not waiting. At either online site
though, it is important to update your
inventory consistently to put yourself on
the top tier of listings so that new and
regular collectors can find your work. There
are so many items listed on Etsy so,
frequent and accurate listings will limit
collectors search and help you make a sale.
Michele Lynch
On EBay it's best to list at the same time
every day so that when one auction ends a
new one begins. EBay now offers a "buy it
now" option to add to your listings or a
fixed price auction for an additional fee.
Whichever on-line site you choose, selling
online is a wonderful way to connect with
collectors. Doing so has enabled me to leave
the corporate world and the original Soul
Sucker. I do, however, have to thank him
for inspiring such a great gothic tale! 
To see more of Michele's work visit:
www.michelelynchart.com
Inside the World of
Kardenchiki
by Lillian Alberti
I've been known to say that there must be something
in the water in Russia because of the number of
amazing artists the country produces. This theory of
mine, I find, has once again been proven true in the
cool work of husband and wife team, Denis Schmatov
and Karina Burkatskaya, they are the creative genius
behind "Kardenciki." Theirs is a world evocative of a
past era; characters transported from a Jules Vern
story, if you will. Though from different parts of Russia,
Dennis from St. Petersburg and Karina from a little
Siberian city named Kirov, they now live and work in
Kyiv, Ukraine. The dynamic duo use their combined
names to create the basis for their working title:
Kardenchiki
St y l i s h
t
e
a
m
p
u
n
k
Karina and Denis found each other on the internet through a common
interest in photography. Naturally, that led to meeting in person in Kiev where
they fell in love with the beautiful city...and each other! In the years that
followed, they continued to work in photography improving and honing their
skills but one day they came across on-line article about handmade dolls and,
like all other doll makers, were instantly drawn in to the art of doll making.
Over the next few weeks they read everything they could on the subject and
poured through as many doll photographs as possible. They finally purchased
their first package of LaDoll clay and took the leap of faith.
Their first doll and muse, Manja, was
created a year ago and lives with them
serving as a constant inspiration. Karina
and Denis consider themselves lifelong
artists, experimenting and creating in
various mediums, from a young age but, as
ART doll artists, they are entirely self
taught. I asked them how they came to
settle on the "steam punk" theme. They
explained that they were influenced by a
film called "Hansel and Gretel: witch
hunters."
They liked the image of the Gretel in the
film and used her as an inspiration to make
their own, smaller version. This was the
first step in exploring the theme and I, for
one, am very glad they did! It wasn't long
after their La Doll purchase that they
ventured into experimenting with various
other clays and, more recently, have settled
into using liquid a porcelain called FLUMO.
Although theirs is a joint effort, they divide work. Karina focuses on the
sculpting and painting the facial details...essentially developing the characters
while Denis is responsible for creating the armature, feet and delicate hands.
Working diligently, the dynamic duo can take up to two to four weeks designing
and sculpting their creations. Once completed, Karina will then begin the
costuming process, putting her tailoring skills, something she honed several years
ago, to work. She even makes all their fabulous accessories; hats, shoes glasses,
etc.
Relatively new to the doll world, Karina and Denis are surprised and thrilled
by the recognition and positive feedback they've received at various doll shows
and conventions. When asked where they see themselves going in their doll
making journey they offered this simple Russian proverb: "What soldier does not
want to be a general?" While very happy with their current status, they would
love to see their dolls in prestigious galleries all across Europe...who wouldn't?!
For now they will continue to develop their dolls and experiment with new and
exciting trends in the doll making world.
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For more info on Kardenchiki and their work,
visit:
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http://www.kardenchiki.com/
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Collage
Readers Submissions
"Tashi" by Katie Jones
www.kateezstudio.com
fuzzy friends by Kim Stone
Ingrid Samberg from Holland
JUST
4
FUN
As someone who
sews, it is always
important for me to
have my necessary
sewing implements
close at hand. I also
love beautiful things.
But not many sewing
implements are
beautiful so I cooked
up a sweet and simple
pin cushion that can be
customized with fabric
and trim to your
liking...give it a try!
A Pincushion
by Lillian Alberti
You'll need the following:
6" l x 8" w cut of muslin
6" l x 8" w cut of choice fabric
color coordinating thread
Estes play sand
sewing needle
ruler
scissors
embellishments of choice
such as ribbon, beads,
embroidery floss,
sequins, etc.
and a sewing machine...of
course...lol!
Finding the right combination of fabrics
and embellishments will not only make
this sweet pin cushion one-of-a-kind, it
will also make it a small treasure to
cherish for many years!
1
1. Fold each of your rectangles in half "length wise" so that
they are now 6" long and 4" wide. * If using a patterned
fabric on the outside layer, make sure to match your
pattern at the side seam. Lightly sketch an "arrowhead"
shape the same size on both your fabrics.
Begin with the muslin piece first. As this piece must fit
inside the next, sew about 3/8" inside your sketched line.
Use pinking shears to trim...turn inside out.
2. Fill your muslin casing with ART sand usually found
at craft stores. Make sure to pack as firmly as possible.
2
3
3. Sew a running stitch across the top while evenly
distributing the gathers. this will prevent unsightly
bulges when the pincushion is finished.
4. Next, sew the top opening securely to prevent any
sand from leaking out.
4
5. Now work with your outside rectangle.
*Remember to match your pattern at the side
seams if using a patterned fabric. I chose velvet.
Make sure you sew directly on the sketched line.
5
6
6. Use pinking shears to trim, turn inside out
and drop the sand filled muslin bag inside.
7
7. Cut your ribbon to your desired length and sew to
the top of the inside "sand" bag.
4
8
8. Sew a running stitch across the top close to the
ribbon and, again, evenly distribute the gathers. Now
you can decorate with your desired embellishments.
Choose beads, sequins or you may even choose to
embroider with pretty embroidery floss.
9. I chose an extra large durable paper
flower that complemented the velvet
nicely and strategically placed so that it
covered any slight flaws at the top.
10. Finally, I chose some lovely,
daisy shaped sequins and, using
dress pins, studded them evenly
around the surface. Ta-da...my
finished "strawberry" pincushion!
9
4
10
from
U
From Christine Lenz's inner sanctum…
I have been creative all my life. In school, I took every art
class available and, after graduating from high school, I enrolled
R
in art school. But soon after, I dropped out. I was afraid I wasn’t
good enough, but, even worse, I became fearful of the world. I
didn't stop creating but my creations and I never left my home.
STUDIO
My studio walls enclosed my own little world. It seemed a lot
safer than the world outside but it also became it a miserable
place to be. I loved creating but instead of growing and sharing, I
spent years using it to hide from a world I was afraid of. Nearly
20 years passed before I was finally sought help. I was eventually
diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder and immediately began
treatment. Therapy was really difficult but I soon started to become more comfortable
and my fear of the world began to lessen. Best of all I began sharing my creativity.
Before long, the idea of “Wee-Mee Whimsies” was born and I opened my Etsy shop. My
characters began as paintings but I kept thinking they would make wonderful art dolls. I
didn’t know a thing about doll making, but I finally got brave enough to design one. I
was thrilled with how she turned out and she quickly sold on my Etsy shop! I made two
more and they sold, too! I’ve been creating them ever since. I create most of my
dolls using cloth for the
heads and bodies but I
enjoy mixing a variety
of vintage or up-cycled
materials as their arms,
legs and bases. Painting
is the part I love the
most and use paints to
add detail and
personality. I also like
to use vintage jewelry or
buttons as
embellishments. I have
been told by some that
my dolls are whimsical,
“no worries” kind of
characters that just
Christine at home
make you smile.
Creating them is pure
joy because I am no
T
longer building walls. I‘m finally
sharing, and it’s so much fun!
Recently, I was invited to
teach in Ohio at the Artistic
Figures in Cloth & Clay
Convention by Cyndy Seiving.
Although I was delighted and
terrified at the same time, I
accepted. As it turns out, it was
one of the best experiences of my
life. I made many friends, my
students enjoyed my workshops
and my art work was well
received...I couldn't have asked
for more. I was amazed and feel
so grateful that I was no longer
that girl hiding away from the
world. Although the world still
gets scary for me at times, I
remind myself that there’s no joy
in hiding. Everyone has
something to share and even if
you‘re afraid, share it anyway.
When you‘re hiding, the fear
never leaves you. When you step
out and share, scary as it may
seems, the fear gets replaced
with joy and a sense of
accomplishment...and that is
truly priceless! 
For more info on Christine and her work, visit:
www.etsy.com/shop/weemeewhimsies
The
of
ART
A doll maker’s story by Alexandra Wilde Langley
DISCOVERY
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
Such tricks have strong imagination,
That if it would but apprehend some joy,
It comprehends some bringer of that joy.
--William Shakespeare, A Midsummer
Night’s Dream
Years ago, sitting on a vendor’s blanket at market in the city of Bruges were two dolls.
These dolls were hardly the playthings of my childhood—not Barbies, Thumbelinas, or
even the fancy porcelain dolls I wasn’t allowed to play with. They were, the best word I
can come up with ...creatures. They weren’t at all pretty. I even remember their feet
looking misshapen, but they absolutely mesmerized me...and provided that spark!
Ever since I spied the dolls, an ocean away, I’ve been exploring the realm of doll
artistry. And I’ve embarked on this adventure in a very serendipitous and roundabout
way. My background is in literature, not fine arts. At the time I spotted those dolls, I’d
recently completed a graduate degree in English. That training has provided me with an
abiding, somewhat academic, interest in fairy lore, exploring legends and archetypes
from around the world. I think of this imagined world as a personification of nature.
Sometimes, when I’m taking a walk or riding my bike and I see a field of tall grass with a
whisper of wind running through it, I imagine the world behind the veil…. Even when I
see littered cans and debris, I imagine homes for little beings: I think it’s the way I’ve
come to appreciate nature in all of its minutiae.
I should state that I don’t imagine the world behind the veil as one necessarily
populated with wee little beings, but rather something a little other than our day-to-day
world. So my dolls, while they might include small, winged fairies, really represent my
idea of people and beings one might encounter in a storybook. As mother of four, I can
state with certainty that mothering has played the greatest role in bringing me back to
the world of imagination, fantasy and make-believe...to the art of Arthur Rackham,
Richard Boyle and the story book images I grew up with.
My dolls usually begin with a story, one that I hope to realize in clay between my
fingers. That’s when things get tricky. All of my dolls go through a somewhat strenuous
birth process—especially if I have a fixed idea of what I want the doll to be. First, they
seems to go through a sort of unattractive embryonic phase that I refer to as the ET
stage and at times I find it hard to forge forward. But I do—often having to lay fabric and
lambs’ wool against the half-formed doll just to imagine hair, a body—to get past this
stage and try to adhere to my vision and keep honing and honing. Sometimes I find it
best to let go of my vision and just make the doll—often surprising myself with
something I really like. Always, my mantra is to just keep going. Thus, each doll often
involves 40 hours of work—starting with research, ending with the last stitch.
While my first dolls were very crude paper mache creations, the last few years I've
been using different polymer clays and blends for the head, hands and feet and am
currently experimenting with paper clays. Recently, I’ve created a few figurative
sculptures with Paverpol, and I’m excited about exploring more work with that medium.
In the nearly twenty years I’ve been making dolls, I’ve taken classes with Wendy
Froud, Marlaine Verhelst, Wil Keltjens, and have had the opportunity to participate in
mini-workshops at many doll guild events with many renown doll artists. A long-time
subscriber to the Doll makers’ List and a recent patron member to NIADA, I am also
a member of several regional doll guilds: DollsAsART (formerly, Central New York
Doll Artists’ Guild), Hudson Valley Doll Artists’ Guild (a guild I founded in 2007),
and The Warwick Doll Crafters Guild. Through these venues, I’ve had the
opportunity to exhibit my dolls in galleries and doll shows. And, for a few years, I had a
booth at the NY Renaissance Faire where I sold my dolls.
At the moment, I have several projects on my work table: a commissioned doll for a
friend, several ideas for doll makers’ challenges with various guilds and magazines and a
dream of starting a doll artists’ gallery near my studio in Kingston, NY. In the meantime,
I people my studio with little beings, hoping they will become companions for friends
and collectors.
Right now, I’m bribing my two youngest children to collect lifeless cicadas for me for
fairy wings…the cicadas are everywhere!! It will be another seventeen years before they
return and, hopefully, I will still be making dolls and can send my grandchildren on this
unusual quest! 
"Snow queen"
"Tamara"
"Sylvara"
"Aniday & Speck"
Visit www.undertheooaktreedolls.com for more information about Alexandra's dolls
The Party hostess herself!
Artistic
Figures
in
Clay
and
Cloth
2013
In late April, I had the great fortune of teaching a workshop at the
Artistic Figures in Cloth and Clay convention held biennially in
Columbus, Ohio. For those of you still not familiar with this wonderful
event...I will try to fill you in. The event is owned and operated by Cyndy
Seiving. Cyndy, a cloth doll artist herself and fellow lover of dolls, is known
for seeking out and finding the latest talent in the ART doll world.
In the ten years since it began Cyndy, along with her wonderful and
highly organized crew, has managed to put together a fun filled event
eagerly anticipated by doll lovers everywhere. In attendance this year were
two lovely ladies that traveled afar to join the fun...one from Alaska and the
other from Puerto Rico!
The event traditionally opens with the "Hat 'n' Heels" kick-off dinner.
What does one wear to this auspicious occasion you might ask? Well, hats
and heels, of course! This is an opportunity for everyone to show case their
imaginative "Millinery" creativity as many of the ladies, and the occasional
gentleman, come up with some wild and outlandish creations:
a lovely attendee with look-alike doll hat...cool!
taken literally... red heels makes for a fabulous hat!
An imaginative fairy house and a sparkly sequin number
The next three days are filled with many cool happenings like: a Doll
exhibit in the grand hall, where everyone attending the convention are
invited to display one of their own creations, an ice cream social, demos,
caricatures and a shoppers midnight madness which always linger just
past midnight...lol! You'll also enjoy the Doll Artists book signings,
Celebrity Art doll auctions and, all the while, vendors selling the latest doll
making supplies, gadgets and hard to find goodies. And, last but certainly
not least, the wonderfully eclectic workshops. This year, Cyndy added
"cloth" to the event, not just dolls, to sweeten the experience for cloth
artists eager to join the fun.
high
lights
from
the
Doll
exhibit:
"Cheshire Cat" Kristin Morris
"Talking Tree" Jodi Miller
I don't know who created this cool piece!
A fun piece by Janet McMullen
a fun piece by Dawn Schiller
A handsome fellow!
I love this wonderful cloth piece
I love this piece by Gigi Gallaway
This year's instructor's rooster in addition to myself, included: Stephen
Allen Rausch, Christine-Shively-Benjamin, Barbara Schoenoff, Jean
Bernard, Dawn Schiller, Lucy Landry, Ute Vasina and two longtime artists
but new to the teaching world, Michele Lynch and Christine Lenz. Also
joining the fun, as no doll making event would be compete without her, was
the venerable Gloria “Mimi” Wiener.
As always Artistic Figures in Cloth and Clay is the place to gladly
set aside the stress and cares of daily life and prepare to meet and make
new friends. Together, you'll share many laughs as you dig into the creative
fun. It's also a place to learn from and socialize with your favorite ART Doll
artists. No experience is required, either. You take the creative challenge of
your choice and progress at your own pace to create a piece of art that's
truly your own!
A big thank you goes to Cyndy and her GREAT posse! They made sure to
take care of everyone's needs. They work diligently behind the scenes to
insure that everything goes smoothly…and it does! The food was great and
the activities were plenty and we all, myself included, returned home
exhausted but with smiles on our faces! The next AFICC convention will be
held in 2015...see you there! 
Until next time...Happy Doll Making!