Sherri Williams

Interview by

MacPherson Arts & Crafts

1. Where are you from and where do you live now?
I was born in Layton Utah USA, just five miles from where I live now, in Kaysville. I am a home body, and love my life here, near family.

2. Have you always been interested in dolls?
I have loved dolls my whole life. I have never loved pretending, role playing. But, loved dressing them, fixing their hair, making them clothes and accessories. I guess I am still a little girl at heart. I still love doing that.
I made dolls out of anything I could get my hands on. Straw, wood, beads, paper, cloth and clay.

3. When did you first become interested in sculpting?
I started sculpting as a child, and never stopped. I made Christmas ornaments and figurines out of salt dough. Then, the polymer clays came available.
I made ornaments and figurines for boutiques, and friends and family. I did that from the 70’s until 1994. I took a sculpting class from Jack Johnston who lived near me. I wanted to sculpt more real looking pieces. I was hooked. And, have been making baby dolls every since.

4. How did you first encounter reborn dolls?
I was sculpting babies and noticed that Bountiful Baby had some adorable babies. I was buying their cloth bodies and supplies as I was sculpting. Denise ans Nevin lived only about 10 min from my home. I would go to their home and buy my supplies. They had their warehouse in their garage at the time.

5. Have you sculpted dolls from the time you started sculpting, or did you start off with something else?
I was sculpting figurines, and then switched to dolls.

6. How long have you been sculpting?
I’ve been sculpting for 60 years. I’ve been sculpting dolls since 1994.

7. What medium do you use to sculpt your babies with?
I love polymer clays.

8. What inspires & motivates you to sculpt?
I do work almost full time. Sometimes more than I should. Sometimes more than full time. I have a habit of letting it take over and, I neglect my house. Lol

9. Do you sculpt full time & do you have other hobbies?
I do have other hobbies. I love to sew. Make doll accessories, reproduce my dolls into silicone. Paint silicone. But, most my hobbies involve dolls. Lol.

10. Do you only sculpt for kit production or do you do custom ~ portrait orders too?
I sculpt for companies, my own reproduction, a few custom and some just for fun.

11. When did your first kit come out and what was the baby's name?
I started sculpting for Secrist first. My first kit was Sweetie Pie. I sculpted for them for several years, until they sold their company.

12. How many kits have you produced to date?
I have actually lost count. I haven’t kept track.

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 don’t. But, I could probably make one.

14. Which baby of yours has been your all time favorite and why?
I really love baby Boo made by charisma. She was one of my first dolls, that was reproduced as a finished doll, and advertised as me, being the artist. Secrist didn’t do that. It gave me confidence, to continue. And, I am very happy with my full body Jean doll, she was my first full body ‘real life’ baby, in silicone. It had been a goal of mine to make one. I was so thankful and pleased I was able to do it.

15. Do you plan to continue sculpting babies for kits?
Yes, I hope to be able to sculpt the rest of my life.

16. How do you feel about the reborn doll industry? What excites you and what upsets you?
I hate that so many people and companies are stealing dolls and reproducing them as their own.

17. How do you feel about the progression of the art of reborning over the past 10 years?
I love to see how more realistic the dolls are getting each year. Honestly, there are many times I look at a photo and have to study hard to determine if it is a real doll or a reborn.

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 it has a long term future. It is probably going to continue to change. But, hopefully it is for the better.

19.What are your plans and hopes for the future?
I hope to be able to sculpt. Continue improving my skills both in sculpting and silicone. My mind is always going 100 miles an hour. I have so many things I want to create.

20. Do you have something new in the works?
Yes I have three new dolls in the works. Two are almost ready to mold. I’m excited to share them soon.