Reborns...Cute? Creepy? Admit it...they're Fascinating!

First off what's a reborn? A reborn is a baby doll or child doll that goes beyond red lips and rosey cheeks at the local toy store. A reborn doll is an astonishingly lifelike doll (usually vinyl) which, if done well, can even be mistaken for a real baby or child. Every crease or roll of baby fat is detailed to be as close to the real thing as possible. You can even see veins and capillaries beneath the "skin" if done properly. They are weighted to approximate real babies, right down to the semi-heavy and floppy head that needs support. The hair is most often hand rooted one or two hairs at a time, appearing as though it has grown out of the scalp The more realistic the better. Realism is the measure of a reborn doll.

For those of you who think reborns are eerie or creepy, I can't fault you, but I'm pretty sure that shows like "My Fake Baby" didn't help any. That program gave a very stilted view of a few people that, as far as they showed, seemed to treat these works of art as though they were real babies ~ taking them out in strollers, or into stores to buy clothes, etc. There have been other shows of a similar nature, all of them focusing on the few odd fish they could dig up to depict the strangest or most extreme among us. Lets face it...Sensationalism Sells! Pish-tosh I say! There are people everywhere who treat inanimate things as though they were real or "alive"...you probably know some (by the way, ever talk back to your TV or computer?)!

For those of us with a firm grip on reality, but who still love dolls as much as we did when we were children, this art form (and take it from someone who creates these artistic dolls) is simply another and more sophisticated type of doll, but also one that is an expression of the artist him or herself (yes there are some male reborn artists). As an art form, they are not so different from any other. They are prized, displayed, collected and treasured.

Since the beginning of time people have made dolls. They are an integral part of being a child. And since the beginning of doll making, those who make them have, to the best of their abilties, tried to make them look like children. No one thinks it weird or strange that dolls resemble children...in fact that's the whole idea! Why then do some look at reborns as strange, eerie or creepy just because they are the state of the art in realism? The fact is that reborns are an evolutionary "moment" in doll making. Through the years, commercial toy makers have continually tried to make dolls that look like real babies or children and have done well, but it just isn't possible (at least not yet) to mass produce a doll with features so realistic as to be mistaken for a real baby or child.

Enter Reborns!

Reborns are, by nature, one of a kind dolls. No two could ever be made exactly the same (just like children...funny that!). The reborn artist can even make two of the exact same sculpt (blank doll parts), but they will never come out the same. Reborns are a combination of fine artistic talent, and a love for the beauty of children. You love a child, but that does not preclude you from loving or wanting a painting or picture of a child. A reborn is not intended as a replacement for a child, though some people do request dolls resembling a particular child, just as one might want a portrait of a child. The simple truth is that they are meant to bring joy to the people who "adopt" them, and they do that exceedingly well!

Reborns can be expensive. As a reborn artist, I can tell you that it takes a great deal of time, materials and excruciatingly detailed work to create each doll. However I believe that the majority of the time reborns sell for little more than the cost of the materials the artist has put into them. For artists such as myself, the object is not profit, but merely to fund the next reborn. I doubt that many (if any) reborn artists make a living out of reborning. In my case it's a passion ~ an outlet for my artistic abilities. Having someone purchase one of my reborns is like applause! It's all about the appreciation...not the paycheck.

It is no wonder that there are so many opinions on the issue of reborns, the people who love them and the people who make them. They are stunning...they are ugly...they are sweet...they are creepy. Whatever your point of view about reborn dolls, I think most people would admit that they are fascinating!

I love creating them. Get on board...I'll make your baby doll an heirloom...something your great-grandkids can sell on Antiques Roadshow for enough money to put them through college!

Have some fun...get yourself a reborn!

Bye the way...look closely at the picture at the top. Is this my niece Celeste, or ?