My love of dolls as an only child has never quite been lost.  They were my playmates as a child and admired objects of art as an adult. Collecting dolls has been an enjoyable hobby. Making figurative art is an expression of my creativity and creating these figures is a true passion.

A little about my past…

Doll collecting became an active hobby in the mid-nineties.  Heloïse, Monika, Maggie Iacono, and Hildegard Günzel were among my favorites.  Discovering polymer clay soon after, I began sculpting and making dolls for my own enjoyment.  They were for family and friends at first, then reached a wider audience when they were sold through a local doll shop.  A job promotion a four years later sadly did not allow time for doll making, but my love of dolls and sculpting continued.

After retirement in 2013, I began taking local sculpting courses and online classes with figurative artists, Diane Keeler and Deb Wood. My love of doll making was rekindled.  The focus of my art is on children and fairy tale or fantasy characters in polymer clay. I also continue my fine art sculpting, making adult figures in water-based clay.

Always a joy, creating the human figure satisfies something deep in my soul.  Seeing a figure come to life in my hands, enjoying the sculpting, painting, sewing, cobbling, wig-making, and all of the other skills needed to finish a doll is so gratifying. Making works that display my best work possible and evoke emotion in the viewer is what I aspire to achieve with each new creation.

Doll making is a solitary journey. A special benefit of this work has been discovering a wonderful community of doll makers and collectors who, as friends, support and inspire me. They have opened my world and provided so much encouragement as this journey continues. In addition, my doll “Juliet, Heart on a String” winning First Place in the Advanced Fantasy category of the 2019 Professional Doll Makers Art Guild Gold Awards has inspired me to keep making what I love…art dolls.

Please enjoy looking at my pieces. You can follow my work through Facebook (@johansenstudio), where you’ll find work-in-progress photos and more. I do not actively market my work on Ebay or Etsy at this time, but most pieces are available. Just drop me a note through the “Contact” link on this site or PM me on Facebook.

See below for some examples of her work.