Kyla Janell

 Interview by

MacPherson Arts & Crafts

1. Where are you from and where do you live now?I grew up in Austin, TX. After high school I studied Fine Art in Florence, Italy and New York City. Now I live in the Los Angeles area with my husband and 2 children.

3. When did you first become interested in sculpting?While most of my artistic background was in drawing and painting, I did some sculpture in high school. I actually did not sculpt again until I began making silicone babies about 5 years ago.

4. How did you first encounter reborn dolls?I stumbled upon reborns while browsing eBay several years ago. The elements of realism and beauty resonated with everything I enjoy about being an artist. I actually started out by painting reborns, which I did for a few years before attempting to sculpt one.

5. Have you sculpted dolls from the time you started sculpting, or did you start off with something else?Aside from the sculpting I did in high school, I did go straight into babies. However that also prompted me to study portrait and figure sculpture, which I continue to do on my own time.

6. How long have you been sculpting?

Seriously, for about 5 years now.

7. What medium do you use to sculpt your babies with?

I sculpt with a wide array of mediums. By favorites include water based clay, Super Sculpey, Living Doll, Chavant NSP, and Monster Clay.

8. What inspires & motivates you to sculpt?

In every sculpture I do, I enjoy the challenge of capturing an expression or a small nuance that brings the work to life. It’s magic when all of a sudden the clay turns into something with a life of its own.

9. Do you sculpt full time & do you have other hobbies?

Aside from raising 2 toddlers and doing fine art projects on the side, sculpting babies has become my focus. I often work into the night hours, when everyone else is asleep ?

10. Do you only sculpt for kit production or do you do custom ~ portrait orders too?

I only do original sculptures, which might get a little inspiration from a source photo but are mainly done from imagination. I don’t do custom sculpts.

11. When did your first kit come out and what was the baby's name?

My first silicone baby was Isobel, and she came out in 2013. My first vinyl kit was Brynne, which was released in 2018.

12. How many kits have you produced to date?

I am just releasing a set of twins (Cammie and Cori), and if counted separately that would make 4 total. I have two more future kits in progress.

13. Do you have a list of names of all of your kits you have produced as we would love to have an archive directory for your sculpts?

Brynne, Emery, and soon Cammie and Cori.

15. Do you plan to continue sculpting babies for kits?

Oh yes, sculpting babies has become my career and calling ?

19.What are your plans and hopes for the future?

I am planning on releasing at least 2 kits per year going forward, as well as one silicone edition. My hope is that all the many talented reborn artists out there will have fun bringing my babies to life. There is nothing I love more than to see all the amazing work done by such wonderful artists.

20. Do you have something new in the works?

Yes, currently I am working on 2 new vinyl kits, as well as a new silicone baby.