Wee Beings - The fantastic miniature dolls of Cindi Cannon

Over the years Cindi has owned a new age shop, an antique shop, restored Native American baskets, designed and made leather waistcoats coverted by American rock banks, and painted fantasy posters used in Hollywood films. With a talent for miniatures, she has also created and sold dolls houses and handmade accessories. This helped her gain a sense for scale when she began sculpting dolls in the 1990's.

Repainting Dolls

 "I had been repainting Gene Marshall and Mattel's Barbie fashion dolls for some time, and found that I couldn't resist re-sculpting their faces. Sculpting rather than re-painting was where I wanted to go with my art, and I began creating my own dolls."

Bride of Frankestein                            Dark Alice

Cat Geisha                                                  Gothic Pin Up Girl

Sculpting

Cindi was trained in sculpthing by well-known Tacoma artist Carl Gray, who taught a sculpting programme at a local arts and crafts centre. This included nearly all aspects of sculpting including achieving proper anatomy, casting bronze, mould making and more.

Vlad                                                   Three graces

Costuming

Having worked previously for a major costume company in Seattle, she had a sound background for costuming. "While there I did everything from readying costumes for rental, sewing repairs, creating new costumes and window displays." With costuming and sculpting now in her blood, Cindi put all that training to good use when creating miniature fantasy sculptures in 1/12th scale.

Tea with the Jabberwocky                            White Wizard

Fairy and Fantasy Dolls

Inspired by the Art Nouveau movement and juxtaposed with fantasy art and haute couture of the 20th century, Cindi's fully sculpted one-off dolls are beautifully detailed and posed to tell a story. With the telephone ringer off and working 7 days a week eight hours a day, Cindi turns out an impressive portfolio of work each year from 1/12th scale up to 1/6th scale. Her dolls are edgy, ethereal, fashionably gothic, and at times quite quirky. Look closely and you will see the influence of Cindi's many inspirations, poems, fairy tales, movies and music.

Geisha in the Garden                                      Water Lily Faery

Favourite Part

Designing her own costumes is her favourite part of doll making. She loves fabrics that swirl, float and drape beautifully. With silk, quality rayon, linen and vintage lace, ribbons and trims. She makes all her own jewellery, hats, shoes and accessories.

Mexican Painter Frida  Kahlo                          Cindi Cannon herself

Cindi's work can be sseen on her website at: http://moosie71wa.tripod.com (you will have to copy and paste this web address into  your internet browser).

This artice was originally printed in Dolls House and Miniature Scene magazine issue 206. If you love minitures and reading about them, why not order yourself a copy of the magazine, or better still why not take out a subscription so you never miss an issue. If you are a fan of Facebook or Twitter, please use the buttons at the top of this page to share this feature with your likeminded friends.