Dollmaking is my mission. Since I visited an art doll show 45 years ago, I was convinced that this was my mission!  I practiced to become a good doll artist.  I love to see in a doll expression and an inner smile.  It´s the total impression that counts for a doll to be a good doll:

a combination of high standard craftmanship, the recognition of emotional expression and the utility of high quality materials.  That is what I want to achieve.  We love dolls so much because there is an internal connection of the creation with the human spirit.  The doll can give you a smile and a tear on the same moment.  For me the dolls are a 3-dimensional illustration and tells imaginary stories and therefore I think they are pieces of figural art.  The basis of dollmaking is good craftmanship, and art dolls go beyond this.  I love to see the dolls happy, sad, mystic and  more, and to have  a life and a soul.  And I hope that when people see my dolls that they will stay in the memory.

Ankie Daanen