9″x12 acrylic on board, 2013. This epic Mother’s Day portrait features the favorite childhood toys of five grown-up siblings. It will be given by Jennifer, whose yellow doll is shown here in a restored state… it is presently a faded and faceless shadow of its former self! One of Jennifer’s brothers [...]
8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. Thirty-six years ago, Sami’s mother’s company had a Christmas party which featured a visit from “Santa.” On that occasion, this doll was Santa’s gift to Sami’s then-two-year-old sister. With her soft, bean-bag body, a sweet-faced, plastic head, and a fabulous floppy hat, “Beans” was a cherished toy throughout [...]
8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. What a treat this project was! Not only did I get to paint an adorable hand-made doll, but I was able to have a “live model” pose in my studio!
Jessica, who lives in British Columbia, sews these beautiful dolls by hand to sell in her etsy shop. Having [...]
8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. Don’t be fooled by the color of his clothes — this sweet doll has been known as “Baby Nathan” ever since 6-year-old Anna recieved him as a Christmas gift when she was one. She named him after her big brother Nathan, and to this day finds it perfectly natural [...]
5″x7″ acrylic, 2012. This sweet doll looks just like eight-year-old Cora did as a baby, and is now her most beloved toy. Cora’s mom Erynn tells me that when Cora’s little sister Hero was born, Cora changed, nursed, and burped the doll alongside Erynn and Hero. Cora adores her little sister, [...]
6″x8″ acrylic on cardboard, 2012. This “Tokyo Toddler” Blythe doll belongs to my friend Madeline, who tells me it’s a collecter’s edition which was made in Japan. Blythe dolls were introduced by Kenner in 1972, but due to a lack of interest (or perhaps an aversion to creepiness) on the part of [...]
8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. This vintage 1970’s Knickerbocker Raggedy Ann is identical to the one I had when I was little. Mine is long gone, as her face was irreparably loved right off! I bought this one (along with an Andy) off of Etsy for Sonja’s recent fourth birthday. So far, [...]
8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. Oh, the expression on this face! I imagine that there is some sort of insertable pacifier or bottle that goes along with this very cute doll, but in its absence we can see through his mouth a slight sunlit glow within his faintly translucent head. Boy Boy belongs to [...]
5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. Six-year-old Lily has adored this doll, “Pinkie,” since she herself was a small baby. Lily’s aunt, Stacy, describes Lily as having an ever-present smile and as being a family hero as she struggles each day with cerebral palsy. “As she transitions to ‘big girl-hood,” Stacy writes, “I [...]
5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. At long last, my first “Barbie” commission! Well, it’s actually a Disney Princess Ariel the Mermaid, presented Barbie-style by Disney and Mattel. This princess is a queen amongst all the Barbies belonging to 4-year-old Annie, whose aunt Stacey will be giving portraits to her two nieces of their [...]
8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. One of my very favorite toy stories is the one where the parent falls in love with a toy and is subsequently victorious in convincing her child to love it too! The bear in this portrait was purchased by Jennifer when she first became pregnant with her twin daughters [...]
8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Twelve-year-old Emma, an avid ballerina, loves her three American Girl dolls. But ever since age two, Bitty Baby has been Emma’s very favorite. Emma will be dancing in the Nutcracker for the sixth time this year, and then, just before Christmas, she will be having some major surgery. [...]
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