My Aurum and Muse, before they were separated. I think they miss each other.

I love them both, but I made them each with different personalities in mind. Can you guess what they are? How would you describe their temperaments based on their facial expressions and features?

Here you go guys; you wanted some shots of the lantern pendant being worn, you got it.

I snapped these really quickly just now, so the lighting and picture quality is not the best, but they convey the message well enough, I think. It can be worn casually on a long chain over tops, sweaters and even coats, and it looks very pretty on a shorter chain with low cut evening wear as well. The good thing about the complimentary chain included with the pendant, is that it’s very long and can be adjusted to a desired size to be worn low on the chest of close around the neck. Or you can use your own, favorite chain altogether if you prefer.

The batch of orders for next month is nearly full, so if you want to have your little lantern by the end of June, then email inquiries@enchanteddoll.com with “Lantern Pendant” in the subject line. The pendants are $350 CAD. International shipping is available.

Let me know if you have any more questions regarding this Lantern.

Hey folks!

After much debate, I’ve decided to make the silver lantern pendant available to order. It wasn’t an easy decision, because this piece is quite difficult and time consuming to make, requiring a special assembly and a technical casting. But, having gotten a bunch of requests for it, I think I can pull off a very limited number of orders per month.

I love this Lantern and wear it as a reminder of the things I’ve already done and those I’ve yet to do. It helps me stay focused on my priorities, because whenever I get distracted or lazy, its weight on my chest reminds me that there are still too many dreams yet left to pursue to be lying around on the couch. To me, this little Lantern is a symbol of inspiration, guidance and direction. It’s a beacon of light and hope in a relentless pursuit of happiness which constitutes the essence of life. Perhaps my little charm would mean something profound to you as well.

Metal: Sterling Silver

Weight: 26 grams

Size: 2″x 1″ (5.1 cm x 2.2 cm) + 3/4″ (18mm) crown bail

Price: $350 CAD

Comes with a crown bail and an adjustable ball chain seen in the picture. Production time is 4-6 weeks. Email me if you are interested in having it made at inquiries@enchanteddoll.com, with a subject line of Lantern Pendant.

Also, which one of the four pictures is your favorite? I can’t decide which one to make the principal shot and need your input.

Hey, just a reminder you all, that my first rubenesque doll “Muse of Art Nouveau” will be in the exhibition at Strychnin gallery in Berlin. The show opens on May 11th, but the preview begins today for those who may be interested in this special doll (contact Strychnin for more info).

Also, the gallery has one signed and numbered copy #268 of the sold out, 1st edition Enchanted Doll book available for sale.

Hello All!

This is not directly related to my recent projects, but does have everything to do with dolls. Rather, with my dream of the day when a doll is no longer thought of as just a toy, but a separate art form.

Last week I’ve had a the pleasure of meeting the Honorary Consul of the Russian Embassy in Canada, Mr. Bardin, had paid a visit to my studio. He can be seen in the picture holding my new rubenesque doll.
And since such serious people have begun to pay attention to dolls, it may be that my dream will soon come true!

I am doubly pleased that the Russian diplomats in Canada are interested in the life of Russian citizens abroad.

So, I think it’s pretty cool that my doll Cinderella has been chosen to grace the Spanish language cover of the New York Times bestseller novel Cinder: The Lunar Chronicles, written by Marrissa Meyer.

I just don’t know which cover I love more, the original English version or the Spanish one, featuring my work. They are both so pretty. The publishers requested to use my work for this title a few months ago, but due to the chaos of releasing my own book, I totally forgot about this one until a fan had recognized the image on the cover in Barcelona and written me recently.

The novel is a futuristic fiction about a cyborg girl from New Beijing who struggles to overcome her circumstances and discover her purpose in life. Although I haven’t read it myself yet, it sounds like a pretty intriguing take on the traditional fairy tale. If any of you here have read this book already, I’d love to hear what you think about it.

I love the back cover too. I’m very pleased altogether.

Anyway, thought I’d share this little bit of news while I’m signing my own Enchanted Doll books and shipping them out. My wrist is so busted from the repetitive motion, that I now have to break up signing sessions into just a few dozen copies at a time and take long breaks. You will be receiving a confirmation email before your copy is mailed to you. If you haven’t received a confirmation yet, don’t panic, it just means your copy is still being prepared for shipping. Thanks for your patience everyone. You won’t be sorry.

You’ve seen this sterling silver lantern featured in my latest project The Muse of Art Nouveau. I’ve been wanting to make a tiny lantern for doll ornamentation for a year or so before I was finally able to find the time and put the work into making it.

My sketch was heavily inspired by an actual street lantern in Nice. When I saw it, it took my breath away and I resolved to make a little replica of it. I think I have a thing for lamps and lightscaping, because my place is lit by over a dozen different table lamps. I really hate the harsh ceiling lights, and prefer the warm, muted glow of lamp-lit interiors.

I made detailed schematics for computer rendering. If the scale allowed it, I would have carved it myself, but I found it impossible to translate the richness of the ornamentation of the original into a miniature scale with my human hands. In some ways it was harder than just getting right down to it and carving away, because instead of working organically and relying on my own instincts and my hand-to-eye coordination, I had to approach it from a geometric and mathematical standpoint. I had to transcribe the shape from my imagination as accurately as possible, to make the technician understand exactly what I had in mind.

In some ways, working out the precise measurements of each part was pure torture. Every few hours I would find a mistake in the proportional calculations, lose my composure, curse and yell at the graph paper in frustration, throw my pen against the wall and curl into an upright fetal position in my chair, rocking and crying quietly. Then I would put myself back together and begin measuring and drafting my model all over again.

When the model was finally built, molding it was another can of worms while nearly half of the models fail to cast properly due to the extremely technical casting, but I really love the result and the effort that went into creating it. I had made one into a pendant for myself to wear. I frequently catch myself touching it and pretending that the tiny lantern is some sort of an ancient talisman which allows one to see things hidden from human eyes as it illuminates a path through the dark maze of its wearer’s subconsciousness.

To many people, this pose has become synonymous with James Cameron’s dramatization of the Titanic disaster in film, and by extension Titanic itself. The film made it so real, that I find it difficult to separate the authentic from the imagined. And I’ve been hearing that some people hadn’t even known that the film was based on history.

One hundred years ago today, the Titanic ocean liner has sunk on her maiden voyage in the Atlantic ocean, taking 1514 people down with her. For 73 years no one knew exactly where she lay, until she was found in 1985 and the world was captivated by the tragic and  hauntingly beautiful photographs of Titanic’s wreck.

One of the images from the deep, was a porcelain doll head resting on the silty bottom, lingering sadly on, while the girl who had once loved it was long gone. This image is so poignant and profound, that it inspired me to work with porcelain. I was intrigued by the longevity this material offered and was eager to create dolls that could outlast generations, underwater if necessary. In fact, seeing this photograph was so influential for me, that I have a chapter in my book dedicated to it.

The doll posing as Rose is my second rubenesque doll. Her name is Aurum, which means Gold in Latin. She is mine. And very photogenic.

Her price is €18,000. Please, inquire at the Strychnin Gallery for the availability of this piece.

A Muse is an ancient goddess of inspiration and creativity. She is a personification of humanity’s relentless pursuit of beauty and self-expression.

My own little porcelain Muse is created in the aesthetic of Art Nouveau, drawing from the romanticism and nostalgia of the turn of the century Paris as the city of lights and art. Her feminine, voluptuous form and a magnificent sterling silver crown were inspired by my favorite artist Alphonse Mucha, whose unique and unforgettable artwork embodies the very essence of Art Nouveau, having originated the movement itself.

The Lantern pendants on the other hand, are based on a beautiful antique street lamp in Niece, which takes my breath away. Like tiny beacons of light, these lanterns adorn the crown of my muse and captivate the attention of wondering minds, providing them with guidance, knowledge and enlightenment.

May she bring inspiration and beauty to those who seek it!

She certainly inspired me! Her presence hovered over my shoulder for many months as I worked on her, and now she is finally real and I feel rejuvenated and inspired to create more as if my mind is on fire! I’m quite proud of the entire piece, but particularly so about the little lanterns. They are a dream come true. I based the design on a real street lamp, created schematics and sketches, while the actual model was built by a computer mill. It took nearly 3 months. My technician had said that it in all his years of doing it, this was the most difficult, challenging and exciting project he’s ever done, which I took as a compliment.

This unique crown is the first in the Lantern Series, which I expect will keep me occupied for years to come.

Materials:

Ball-jointed porcelain doll 14” (37 cm) tall, china paint, natural mohair, industrial grade steel springs, leather; Sterling silver crown №1 in the Lantern Series, lost wax casting, construction, 3 Iolite cabochons, 3 pearls set in sterling silver, cubic zirconia crystals; Custom-welded, flexible stand; Decorative reclining dais embellished with 6 hand-sewn velvet pillows.

Well, it’s been a long wait and a lot of work, but it was all worth it. I am very pleased and excited to finally unveil to you my new curvaceous doll - The Rubenesque!

Now, before I hear another word (!!!) about how she is not technically, and I quote “fat enough” to be called a Rubenesque, please allow me to point out that the dictionary definition of Rubenesque states that it is: “Plump or rounded, usually in a pleasing or attractive way”. Now, look at the comparison of my two dolls and tell me that she is not pleasantly rounder than my other doll. I rest my case. She IS a legitimate Rubenesque.

She is also slightly taller than my first doll. The feet are the same size though, as are the hands.

I haven’t had a lot time or space to photograph her in a variety of poses or settings because my studio is filled with stacks of books and boxes right now, but sometime this week you will get to see more of this doll. In a brand new head ornament I made for her. It’s pretty awesome. You’ll see.

This very FIRST Rubenesque doll will be available for sale from the Strychnin gallery at the end of the month. More information and pricing coming in the next post.

So, tell me. How do you like her compared to my slimmer doll?

Like her, love her or, dare I say it, hate her?