Meet Master Doll Artist Violet Parker, the renowned artist behind some of Ashton-Drake’s most beloved dolls! Growing up as the fifth of eight kids on a Navy base in Rhode Island, Parker affectionately refers to her childhood as “hectic!” Yet through it all, she discovered her love for dolls at a young age.
Pictured below: Cuddle Caitlyn Baby Doll
“My favorite playtime consisted of cutting out paper dolls, playing and dressing my dolls, and of course, watching Shirley Temple shows,” Parker remembers. “I truly loved my baby dolls.”
When Parker grew up, she married her high school sweetheart. Together, they had three children, two boys and a girl. “When my daughter was little, I would make soft material dolls and bunnies – hand-sewing their body together, making homemade outfits and painting their eyes and face,” Parker remembers.
Now, Parker and her husband have five adorable grandkids! Four boys and one girl, Izzy.
“Izzy shares with me the joy of each baby that I create, and of course we regularly play babies together,” says Parker with a smile.
Pictured below: Kaylie’s Brand Sparkling New
But the boys certainly weren’t left out! “My grandsons loved my dolls! I caught my 6-year-old grandson play-riding on a motorcycle with a doll on the back,” Parker says. “And I took pictures to remind him of that one day!”
Pictured below: Cuddle Buddy Baby Doll
Although she had no formal schooling in art, a friend encouraged her to try her hand at sculpting. Parker was immediately hooked and devoted herself to perfecting the art form. “In 2007, I found the time and really put forth the love I have for doll making,” Parker explains. Since then, it’s grown into her full-time profession.
“My favorite sculpting consists of capturing the different facial expressions of innocent children and babies,” explains Parker. “Like the look of a baby with excitement just ready to burst, a smiling happy baby or a sweet shy look on a child. That’s where my goal is when sculpting, to give my dolls a personality you see as when looking into a child’s face.”
Pictured below: So Sleepy Sophie
We love working with you, Violet, and can’t wait to see what comes next!
Do you have one of Violet Parker’s dolls? Who? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to see where they are now and hear what you love about them!
