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"Art, Like Cookies for the Soul" ~ Nancy Lee |
Welcome to Bess's Page
Page Updated on 10/25/09 |
Only for happiness, repainted dolls . . . a new kind of "canvas"
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Where to find Nancy Lee's dolls . . . 402.274.3040 phone
Such COLOR! Dress by Hankie Couture, made from a vintage hankie ~ October 25, 2009
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| A lined dress to fit Bethany Kish and Bleuette, it has roses on the full-circle vintage handkerchief skirt. The gray background with green flowers adds striking visual interest. On the bodice, Marsha of Hankie Couture individually hand-cut and appliqued a dozen crimson roses. How beautiful!
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Happy Halloween 2009
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Hankie Couture's Favorite Color: Purple FUN! September 2009
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As a mother, I am fond of this sculpt, fond of the toddler (preschool) age it represents. Sturdy legs, full cheeks, serious expression ~ children often are serious. On each of the dolls, the stringing has been a little bit tight, so that her chin often lowers on its own, making her look even more serious!
Helen Kish used the same sculpt for other dolls like Alicia, Deirdre, Flora, Goldilocks, Margarete, Mia ballerina, and Starlight (See “Marks” below).
Here are links to the web pages of my other repaintings of this sculpt. Two of the dolls, like Bess, have new wigs and clothing.
Here is link to Mischa's page! Mischa is based on a movie character.
Here is link to Liesel's page.
Here is link to Abby's page!
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A dress created by Hankie Couture from a vintage embroidered hankie ~ August 20, 2009
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About this doll . . .
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BESS will never be duplicated in my studio.
Here is my gentle, wistful interpretation of 1997 (RETIRED) Starlight as “Bess.” Helen Kish used the same sculpt for other storybook dolls like her Goldilocks (See “Marks” below). Originally she had dark-brown straight hair of a stiff texture and brown eyes.
I purchased a wig of soft-curls in a color to match the brown in her Kish dress (Monique Collection of synthetic mohair, baby-soft, size 6/7). My beautician snipped some wispy bangs. I pulled up a few curls on each side and made two bows, each of which is sewn into her wig with fine thread. To each bow I added a capri-blue 6mm Bicone Austrian Swarovski glass beads. Her bows, beads, and eye colors match the blues in her dress.
When I purchased Starlight on eBay, I opened the box to find that her original brown boots had scuffed (rubbed off) inside the box and also that the boot fabric-surface had disintegrated somewhat during the past twelve years. After painting her toenails and fingernails, therefore, I also wrapped her feet in new lavender ribbons to fit her fairy theme.
CLOTHING: Her sweet dress is worn over a cream-colored one-sie that goes to her knees. The drawings on the skirt are based on Michael Hague illustrations of winsome fairies. I handwashed her clothing to freshen it. The elastic at the ankles and wrists is a bit loose.
If you have other Kish dolls, Bess may become a friend to Kish Bethany or other 11-12” dolls, as well as a little sister to Kish Jo (16-inch, 40 cm). BESS has with her original box, all her original clothing, Kish certificate and my own photo-certificate.
COLOR & PAINTING: Some computer screens may modify the color of the art. Some may make the image lighter or darker than it is. The doll will have finer detail and more subtle coloring than a computer-jpeg-photo shows.
I am using artist-grade alkyd-oil paints (in thin translucent glazes) with the addition of alkyd resin to make the paint surface become as flexible as the doll’s vinyl skin and to make it adhere well.
Just as artists who work on reborn baby dolls do, I used a blush of shadow-colors in creases, dimples, and concave areas of the face, arms, hands, chest and rounded tummy.
Variations of the cheek color are on the nose and chin, at the skin-corners of the lips, at inner corners of the eyes, along the inner edge of eyelids, in the nostrils, on the inner fingertips, inside the ears and on earlobes.
I painted the lips gently, using a wet-into-wet technique of varied colors to suggest natural childhood rosiness and to match her dress.
None of my oil pigments use lead or cadmium. Though I painted this doll for adult collectors, I wanted the paint to be safe around toddlers and babies.
Fingernails
Painted with blush coloring, with half-moons and French tips.
VINYL BODY She has five (5) points of articulation (joints), at her neck, shoulders, and hips. She can stand by herself. She can sit, too.
FINISH:
Resin-oil glow (gloss) on eyes and satin gloss on lips
A thin veil of clear matte (non-shiny) varnish on rest of her face.
BOX, Certificate, Doll Company:
She has her certificate and box. I hope you won't store your dolls in the original cardboard boxes. Cardboard is an inexpensive paper product that is acidic. If you do store your dolls in original boxes, wrap each doll first in a clean white cotton pillowcase to protect it. Starlight was designed by Helen Kish and produced in 1997 and is RETIRED.
KISH MARKS: There is an impressed mark on the back of her head near the neck: 1997 Kish and Company 97F. Base of skull also has an impressed mark of: 974TC = same as on Kish Goldilocks doll. I signed my name there, too. The torso, each arm and leg have the following mark: Kish & Co. 1997
Nancy Lee Moran's POLICY TO SHOW RESPECT FOR HELEN KISH & other doll creators is as follows:
The dolls I use were factory painted. I would never repaint a doll that the artist (Helen Kish) had painted herself, such as some of those in the Kish Signature Line. I would not paint one in a limited edition of fewer than 300 (preferably 500 or more). I consult the beautiful book I own:
Helen Kish: The Artist and Her Dolls by Louise Fecher (hardcover published in 2006). I am NOT affiliated with any doll company, creator or manufacturer.
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Please send your questions and requests to Nancy at nancylee@nancyleemoran.com
or by phone: 402-274-3040 Central Time
All rights reserved. All art and photos on the site are protected by copyright law.
Each may only be reproduced with written permission of the artist. Site page design copyrighted © by Nancy Lee Moran.
Thank you for visiting Nancy Lee Moran's website!
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