Best Of Artists & Artisans

Camille Allen from British Columbia, Canada loves babies. She learned the art of making dolls from her husband’s grandmother, Clara Allen. Though her dolls are life-like, they certainly aren’t life-size. Instead, they are miniature babies created in clay.

Her first creation was so small she found it would fit inside an egg and now she has a line of “Egg Babies." She says, “I think the fragile newborn baby is complimented by the egg shell, reminding us of how fragile new life is and how gently they must be treated and cared for.”

Later she put one of her miniature babies in a sea shell. “The shapes of and textures of different seashells either echo the soft curves of babies, or they provide an interesting contrast to emphasize them. Some "Shell Babies" have pearls in their navels or are holding a pearl, like two little treasures found in one shell,” states Camille.

The miniatures babies are made of polymer clay. Camille explains, “It is soft, but it can hold the tiniest detail, even fingerprints. Once I have completed a sculpture, I then fire the clay with heat to harden it. Sometimes the babies are cast into a mold and made into other materials like Resin or Porcelain or Silicone.”

Camille does not take commissions, instead shesculpts limited edition or one of a kind miniature babies that come from her heart instead of a photo. She has sold to people all over the world, and has even had her babies featured on the Montel Williams television show.

Some babies are available for sale on her website: www.camilleallen.com. All babies vary in price, but here is a rough estimate of the price ranges: Resin Limited or Large Edition Babies: $99 - $400. One of a kind: $1500 - $4000+ (US dollars). She is expanding to different lines of babies that will be available in more price ranges. She also has an email list for anyone who would like to see photos of new babies as they are created.

I asked Camille for some tips on sculpting as well as more about the process. "Starting from a lump of clay, and tiny tools including toothpicks, sculpting a life-size or miniature baby begins. It takes many, many hours of patient concentration to form a realistic baby and finish with fine details - including wrinkles and fingernails. The babies have soft English mohair to imitate fine baby hair and are blushed with paints for realism to enhance their tiny wrinkles and creases.

A life-size baby takes me months to complete. Miniature babies take several days to several weeks, depending on how complex the sculpture is. It depends on how patient I am feeling, and how long I can concentrate at a time. Sometimes my eyes get tired sculpting in miniature, so I take many breaks. It is very time-consuming work.