Education: Perm State Institute of Arts and Culture, Cultural Studies Department
I have been a professional porcelain doll artist since 2011.
I am the author of lectures:
The history of the Doll.
The history of the Porcelain.
The history of Linger
My journey to become a doll artist was a long one: since 2006 I had mastered various techniques of doll making (papier-mâché, living doll, paperclay), which brought along priceless experience, but only porcelain let me discover my unique style. I am specially focused on BJDs because I prefer my dolls to have multiple layers of expression combined with the elements of gameplay.
I normally create one collection a year, and start from scratch: make a new master doll, followed by a plaster mold. No more than ten dolls will be cast in the mold. Even though their basic shape is the same, each doll has its own character. I put a lot of effort into creating their distinct personalities - smiles, eye contours, melancholic or joyful poses. I personally perform every step in the doll creation process without external help: make the master doll out of papier-mâché, create the plaster mold, cast porcelain figurines, fire them in the muffle furnace, paint the dolls over the glaze, and design costumes and accessories for them in my studio.
I use highest quality porcelain Parian for my dolls. The initial firing takes place in the muffle furnace at 1250 °C. Next step is painting the dolls with special over the glaze paints, followed by the firing at 800 °C. This method guarantees that the doll’s look would not fade even after a hundred years.
I pay a lot of attention to costume design for the doll. Before commencing the design work, I take a deep dive in the history of the particular epoch, which my doll will live in, and study the history of costume art. Following fashion canons of that time is crucial when designing a costume. All clothing items are removable and made of natural and antique materials. I introduce a new collection at the year end. My dolls always get a lot of praise and admiration from international doll collectors. My porcelain beauties found their home in Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, UK, and USA.
My credo: beauty is hidden in harmony. I attempt to achieve harmony by combining lines, materials, and factures. This goes deeper than outer beauty, it creates depth and commands attention – you want to look at it again and again, discovering new details. And then my goal is accomplished, and I can happily say: “This is it! The doll will live on!”
