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A wonderment; an interview with doll sculptor-painter, Nancy Wiley - part I
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There is a subtle dreamy type quality to Nancy Wiley’s style of doll artistry. And by viewing her work, it almost appears as if one was looking into a portrait of some sort. The characters or subjects that she creates are a visual rendering of an aura that has movement and yet a stillness that holds the viewers gaze in wonderment and awe. With the use of the medium paperclay, not only does Nancy capture the brilliance of doll making, but she also is able to harness the distinct technique seen in well known painters; She seems to apply similar techniques that of water color and oil painters by making a contrast between lights and darks, shadings and shadows, almost to reproduce the duty of the sun; shining a light on a figure, yet leaving a shadow and having it reflected beneath where the figure stands. It is a technique closely related to the artistic school of the Impressionist painters of the 1870s;
In addition to engaging doll enthusiasts all over the world, Nancy Wiley has chosen a suitable and ground breaking venture for her doll artistry; To contribute to a story by way of using her dolls as a great form of illustration. That she did. In this year of 2009, Nancy illustrated the original classic tale of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland. In this book, Nancy created a stunning entourage of sculpted dolls for the classic story book, using paperclay as the medium, as well as vibrant color paints, fabrics and a magnificent background setting, to bring the doll sculptures into full prominence. The dolls are presented as if they were on a canvas painting, only surprising the viewer, as they come closer, that there are three-dimensional figures blending in to the midst of a still scenery.
In part I of this interview, Nancy Wiley shares her vision behind her artistry, shares her life as a doll sculptor- painter and how a dear family member helped to pave the way for her to indulge in an everlasting love of dollmaking.
EA: Nancy, we understand that you approach your doll artistry, as if you were creating a painting. With that in mind, if you could choose a school of art, say like impressionism, realism etc, which school of art would you say your work would be closely linked in style or in vision?
NW: I would say the closest style my work has is Impressionistic. I would like to think that although that is a starting off point, it becomes more of my own style at some point. The brush strokes are very visible and I try to imagine light sources on the faces, painting in the shadows. When I decided to do"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" I really wanted it to have an Impressionistic feel. The publication of Lewis Carroll's story, the first specifically for children, happened around the same time the Impressionists were starting their revolution in art. Since the time overlapped and was historically accurate, that gave me a clear vision for the book.
EA: We have seen your beautiful work of dolls as illustrations for Alice In Wonderland book. Explain what medium you use.
NW: The dolls and figures I made for "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" were made of Paperclay. This an air-drying Japanese product made up mostly of volcanic ash. I later cast some limited edition dolls out of resin that are available to buy with the book.
EA: We also understand this was a book you read as a child. How do you feel about illustrating for such a classic story with your dolls?
As a child, I received a copy of the original story that Lewis Carroll gave as a Christmas present to Alice Liddell. What fascinated me were the drawings that Carroll himself had drawn. They had a quality that I still remember years later. I used those drawings as a jumping off point for my interpretation. That is why I decided against the classic pinafore--his Alice didn't have one. Also, the burlap hair I used for Alice reminded me of the scratchy pencil lines Carroll used in his drawings.
EA: Who would you say is a great influence on you and your work?
NW: My brother William Arthur Wiley was seven years older than I. He was a brilliant artist and an exciting, dynamic person. He always encouraged me and taught me sculpting and doll making skills. Art was all we talked about, thought about. He died in 1991 at the age of 34. That loss was devastating, and I think when you lose someone that early in your life, you have a keen sense of time being short. I just keep creating and working because that is how I live my life. Not a moment to lose, I guess.
Stay tuned for more on Nancy Wiley and her extraordinary vision and doll artistry.
Enjoy the wonderful slideshow of her one of kind dolls. For more information on this article, email Elizabeth.
Photos Are Courtesy of Nancy Wiley
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