Kimberly Lasher

About the Artist:

I have been an artist as long as I can remember. I have always been drawing, painting, sewing or crocheting little blankets for my Barbies. Making dolls was just something I did from a very young age. Then I saw my first one of a kind polymer doll and I knew that was what I had to do. Formally trained as an illustrator and graphic designer, my career path changed when I pursued my love of doll making. In 1990 an artist representative in Chicago, saw some of my dolls and took me, along with several other of his artists, to Toy Fair in New York City. My dolls, Victorian and turn of the century girls and faeries, sold out in 30 minutes and I had orders to keep me busy for the next year!

I have been published in Dolls Magazine and Contemporary Doll Collector and have won awards over the years for my doll making. My dolls and fairies are collected by well-known Hollywood celebrities and have been shown in many galleries and stores throughout the country and in Paris. I took a 10-year hiatus in the late 90's to work in advertising and web design, but then upon having my first baby and being home with him, I picked up the clay again and from that moment on, I cannot stop. Weather it be sculpting babies, or little girls, the thought of the next "perfect" doll always calls me. I am very blessed to be able to work from home and be with my children... all while I play with dolls.

My sculpting and “obsession” took an interesting turn in 2008, when I saw in person my first Asian BJD. I was fascinated to see all the detail in the jointing and the pose ability was amazing. It was something I always missed doing with my one of a kind dolls. When I was done sculpting them I always wanted to play with their pose, to hold a doll, or seat them on a chair. So I purchased my first BJD for that very same reason… to “play” with her. I was thrilled to have a doll that I could dress, buy different outfits, shoes, hats for. It brought me back to playing with my Barbies as a child, where I had all kinds of furniture and settings for them.

I see my new line of dolls not as BJDs first, but as an art-doll that you can pose and dress. The faces and bodies are still my style; really the only difference is that one can actually play with these art dolls! This new line from me will all be very limited editions, all will come dressed in their own unique outfit, custom designed for each individual doll. All will be hand painted and assembled by myself in my studio.

BJDs have been around and widely popular in the Asian market for many years. It will be interesting to see how American doll collectors may start to gravitate toward the BJDs as these types of dolls become more and more available and affordable here in the United States.

Lotus

SOLD OUT!