Dawn Alice Designs Bio

I grew up in California and attended an art school affiliated with the California College of Arts and Crafts. After graduating from California State University at Sonoma, I worked in video and post-production for the U.S. Gymnastics Federation. In 1996 I returned to coaching gymnastics while at the same time rekindling my interest and talent in mixed-media art. This decision to return to creating was the start of a wonderful and rewarding journey for me, and it continues to offer up serendipitous bends along the way.

I've been creating art dolls since 2003 when I took a cloth dollmaking class with Akira Blount. Akira taught me how to sew using a machine and more importantly how to make patterns from my own ideas. I fell in love with the process and spiritual nature of dollmaking and have been creating my own figurative beings ever since.

Creating my dolls is a consecutive process for me, each phase contributing to my initial character concept. I continue to build upon my original intent until the doll becomes a rich, full spirit harboring both physical and emotional layers.

I use a combination of the following materials in my figurative art characters: air dry clay, cloth, wire, ribbon, hand stitched beading, feathers, seashells and other natural materials. Each one is one-of-a-kind hand sculpted-using no molds or patterns and bears my signature.

I reside in  Connecticut with my  two adorable, active little girls-who sometime model pieces from my clothing line, plus a happily-active little dog named Trixie.