Lauren Jaimes
Interview by
MacPherson Arts & Crafts
1. Where are you from and where do you live now?
I was born in Kansas near Dodge City and moved to a Los Angeles California suburb at age 2. I now live in a small mountain farming town in Central California.
2. Have you always been interested in dolls?
I have always loved dolls! My first dolls were Mrs. Beasley, A doll with big eyes that lit up, and a doll that was a finger puppet you could have her hold chalk and write with her hand. Her name was Scribbles.
3. When did you first become interested in sculpting?
I always had an interest in clay but began sculpting in 2012 when I had to take a break from my RN career. It has taken many years to refine the gift, and I still have much to learn. That is the beauty of the art, it is never finished, an endless opportunity to learn and create.
4. How did you first encounter reborn dolls?
I first encountered reborn dolls when went to the last IDTS show in 2012. When someone approached me trying to hand me a reborn doll I was a little terrified at how real it looked! Needless to say I have fallen in love with them!
5. Have you sculpted dolls from the time you started sculpting, or did you start off with something else?
I have always sculpted dolls. I started off with dolls smaller than 10 inches and sold most as OOAKs. Now I would like to sculpt only dolls 16" and larger and create kits with them.
6. How long have you been sculpting?
I have been sculpting since 2012.
7. What medium do you use to sculpt your babies with?
I currently use Prosculpt Polymer clay to create my dolls.
8. What inspires & motivates you to sculpt?
I am most inspired to sculpt by memories of my own sweet babies and the things they did when they were little. Now I am a grandma and that has opened even more doors of inspiration! I sometimes see a baby doing something adorable and that inspires me. For me, sculpting is a meditation where everything else melts away and I am absorbed in the creation. I love that feeling and it motivates me to no end.
9. Do you sculpt full time & do you have other hobbies?
I sculpt part time and am also an avid equestrian, and enjoy training our two Golden Retrievers. One of them is a certified Therapy dog and I enjoy taking her to volunteer.
10. Do you only sculpt for kit production or do you do custom ~ portrait orders too?
I have sculpted mostly OOAKs in the past. My current work will involve kits, silicones produced by me, and possibly custom orders.
11. When did your first kit come out and what was the baby's name?
My first kit were The Brownies, two mystical forest creatures. Their names are Tully and Tolliver, they have a rideable snail named Shelldon sculpted by Sarah Mellman.
12. How many kits have you produced to date?
Two
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?
I have two kits on the market currently. They are Tully and Tolliver and many more to come!
14. Which baby of yours has been your all time favorite and why?
My favorite baby has to be the "No No" mini baby I did in 2019. This doll was sold as OOAK . I have plans for a full size kit with similar expression.
15. Do you plan to continue sculpting babies for kits?
Yes I plan to continue sculpting babies for kits. I love it!
16. How do you feel about the reborn doll industry? What excites you and what upsets you?
What I love about the reborn industry is seeing what I call a symphony of art. There are so many artists involved in the completion of a reborn doll and each has something amazing to contribute! It is so exciting to see each artists version of a given kit. What I do not like is people copying other people's work and reproducing it. Thankfully, that is fairly rare, but it upsets me when I see this happen.
17. How do you feel about the progression of the art of reborning over the past 10 years?
The art of reborning has come a long way! I think the first ones were created from store bought dolls that had the paint stripped and re-applied. Now we have such a huge market of brand new kits, amazing paints and supplies of all kinds. A reborn artist almost needs a separate house for all the supplies it takes to create these dolls :).
18. Do you think that this industry has a long term future or do you think its just a fad that will blow over?
I think this industry will continue. There are so many reasons love these dolls, for their collectible as well as therapeutic value!
19.What are your plans and hopes for the future?
In the future I plan to create more full size kits, Silicones and would also like to do a line of dolls with stories made just for little children.
20. Do you have something new in the works?
OH yes! I always have something new in the works, but it's a surprise!
