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Enchanted Doll
Designed to Captivate

Although I have been working hard at perfecting my methods and techniques and establishing my own aesthetic style over the last couple of years,” says artist Marina Bychkova of Enchanted Dolls, “I’m also always experimenting with various new mediums, techniques, and approaches because I believe that one’s art should never stay in one place but evolve and grow continually.”

This experimental nature described by the artist is easily seen in the unique styles, materials, and media used in the creation of her dolls. Marina, who readily admits to being “easily bored,” sometimes delves into porcelain as a medium for her ball-jointed dolls, a practice often eschewed by other artists. She also likes to include fabrics and materials that at first glance seem at odds, such as gemstones and steel, or leather and painted polyester fabrics, resulting in an interesting dichotomy of natural vs. man-made fibers. Marina’s curiosity and penchant for experimentation ensure there is always a new doll idea “just around the corner,” whether it is a one-of-a-kind piece, one of her limited-edition porcelain nudes, or a new line of ball-jointed, resin dolls, such as the one Marina is presently working on for 2009.

All of this creativity requires constant stimulation, often obtained through travel. Says Marina, “I’m getting ready for art shows in North America and Europe throughout 2009, and I’ve just come hack from a Paris Creation Doll Expo in France. Having spent three weeks in the fashion capital of the world, T can already feel my aesthetical preferences changing and evolving under the influence and close proximity to high-end contemporary fashion.” Marina prefers to draw her influences from outside the doll world and strongly believes artists should not rely on other dolls for inspiration but draw instead from other aesthetics and art forms, such as classical sculpture, anatomy, and painting. “In other words,” says the outgoing artist, “I believe there should be a lot of cross inspiration and contamination of medium to produce more different breeds’ of dolls. When doll artists draw from one another too much they produce regurgitated work and simply re- circulate outdated ideas.”

With this adventuresome outlook, 2009 promises to produce many surprises from the mind and hands of Marina Bychkova.

ALICE

Alice, a porcelain ball jointed dot, is 13-V2 inches (34 cm) tall with 18 points of articulation. A departure from the Disney version of Alice as well as other Victorian-themed renditions, this adaptation was inspired by a different culture and time period than those of the original character. Marina did, however, incorporate some of the features of Disney’s Alice, so her new appearance maintains a sentimental connection to the familiar character.

VENETIAN

(Above) Venetian, a limited-edition, nude, porcelain, ball-jointed doll is 13-1/2 inches (34 cm) tall. Her china is painted and she has leather-lined joints, hair of natural mohair, and steel spring-tension

ELEINA
(Opposite page top right) Elena the Beautiful is 13.5 inches (34 cm) tall with 18 points of articulation. She is made of porcelain and finished with China paints. Elena wears a sterling silver crown and shoes and a Chinchilla muff, and has industrial steel springs.

CONCUBINE
(Right) Concubine, a porcelain doll, is 15 inches (38 cm) tall. Her one-of-kind costume is hand-embroidered with glass, seed beads, and gemstones including star rubies, garnets, freshwater pearls, and Austrian crystals.