The National Institute of American Doll Artists (NIADA)

Last year I was attended a conference of the National Institute of American Doll Artists - NIADA. For several years, I wanted to attend this conference, but somehow it never worked out… until last year.

The theme of the conference was "The Roaring Twenties" - a dedication to the revolutionary times of the 1920s. This era was the age of jazz, radio, cinema, bold dresses and provocative dances, the Great Depression, prohibition, and great novelists. And, of course, it was the reign of great Art Deco.

The hotel in which the conference took place was specially selected in accordance with the theme, the Phillips Hotel in downtown Kansas City. The hotel was built in the 1930s in an Art Deco style and was completely refurbished a couple of years ago. The NIADA conference with its themed dolls of the turbulent 20’s fit perfectly with the hotel's interiors.

The first evening of the conference began traditionally with a gallery of art displays by NIADA’s artists and a “get together” party of artists and guests in a very informal, almost Parisian, atmosphere. There were champagne, elegant snacks, ladies in evening dresses of the Great Gatsby era, "flappers" of all ages, elegantly dressed men, and even live jazz and vocals. Everything was conducive to stimulating conversations about art. The party was a beautiful way to meet new acquaintances and kindred spirits.

NIADA is nearly 70 years old and has earned a reputation as being an exclusive “club like” organization to which membership admission is rather difficult. It is not surprising as the works of NIADA artists are distinguished by their master skills and recognizable style, and their art is highly valued worldwide by art dolls collectors. Currently, only about 60 artists carry the prestigious title of being a NIADA member.

One of these artists is well known to those interested in the fine art of dollmaking - Tatiana Baeva, the very first Russian artist who became a member of NIADA in 1999. Now Tatiana is the Vice President of NIADA, and I chose her to interview about NIADA.

Alla: Tatiana, there are relatively few members in your organization. Are there any plans for NIADA to expand and attract additional artists?

Tatiana: NIADA’s tradition is selectivity. We are always glad to welcome new artists and are ready to consider all applications coming to us. But the selection in our organization is thorough and rather long. First, every artist who would like to become our member must come to our conference and undergo the so-called critique, meaning their works will be studied and evaluated by NIADA artists.

The next stage is that the applying artist must send photographs of several of his artwork for consideration by the NIADA Standard Committee. The artworks are evaluated according to many criteria, including originality and composition. If the majority of the committee members positively evaluate an artist’s submitted works, then the next steps are the following: the artist sends photos or videos of the step-by-step creation of his doll, as well as photos of his other works and a completed detailed questionnaire. All members of the NIADA give an assessment of the submitted work. If this review is also successful, the artist is invited to a conference with his works, where the final decision about his membership is decided by a vote of the NIADA present members. The process takes at least a year and very often artists are not approved at their first attempt. I myself applied twice for a membership in NIADA before I was accepted by the organization.

Alla: So those who really want to become a member of NIADA need to be patient and not give up if the first attempt is unsuccessful.

Tatiana: Yes, approval often requires a first, second, and sometimes the third attempt. Some artists have become members of our organization after 5 or more attempts.

Alla: What are the most important qualities that NIADA considers when evaluating works of new artists?

Tatiana: In addition to skills and talent, we want to see artists demonstrate an individual, well-recognized style. This suggests that the artist has found himself and will be consistent in his artwork, which is also a big plus for collectors. In my first unsuccessful attempt to become a member of NIADA, I sent several dolls in such different styles that one might think that they were done by different authors. I wanted to show that I can do anything, that all my dolls characters were made in different styles. But, as it turns out, the eclectic of the style is not a virtue, neither it is an expression of mastery.

Alla: I observed there quite a few Russian-speaking artists members of NIADA. This, of course is not by accident, since Russia, Ukraine, Belarus are famous for their artists. What advice would you give to Russian-speaking artists who would like to become members of the NIADA?

Tatiana: First of all, I would like them to really evaluate their skills and decide for themselves why they desire membership in our organization. Being a member of NIADA is an honor, but also, membership indicates a high level of skill and commitment. We want our members to take an active part in the activities of NIADA. This means organizing, preparing, and actively participating in annual conferences, teaching classes, participating in educational activities, promoting the art of art dolls, and educating the public about the art dolls.

The objectives of our annual conferences are not limited to informing the public about the work of our artists; we are all ready to share our experience with novice artists and exchange helpful information. Our conference programs are always carefully designed and thought out to the smallest details, making them extremely interesting and memorable for both guests and artists. Our vision requires a tremendous commitment for the entire organization. We all work on a voluntary basis, and everything is based on the enthusiasm of the members. There is always a lot of work and projects for everyone.

NIADA membership for Russian-speaking artists can present certain difficulties. First, it is not easy and inexpensive to come to the US for conferences, which is a must for members. Secondly, if a person does not speak English, it is difficult for her to be involved in the activities of an English-speaking organization and to take full advantage of all the educational opportunities offered by NIADA membership. Classes that NIADA members teach at conferences are all designed for an English-speaking audience. In general, you need to realistically evaluate your situation, skills, and commitment.

Alla: This year, the NIADA conference was held virtually for the first time. Do you expect to see virtual platforms being part of future conferences?

Tatiana: Next year -2021 - we will hold a virtual conference again. From my point of view, nothing can replace real face-to-face communication between people, but what can be done? Maybe everything will go back on track in 2022; at least we hope so.

However the virtual conference, as our first experience has shown, has its definite advantages. First, of course, participation in such a conference is many times cheaper. For a very small fee, a conference participant can virtually attend all classes and presentations of guest speakers, see the gallery of artists, and take part in an auction. We are developing many interesting projects, which are described on our website www.niada.org . In addition, each registered conference participant can return to the virtual conference again and again and review the classes and presentations of the conference guests. We are still registering new visitors to the 2020 conference, which has already occurred. Access to all materials is open to everyone 24/7. Thus, NIADA is becoming more affordable to many more people. www.niada.org... In addition, each registered conference participant can return to the conference again and again and review the classes and presentations of the conference guests that he liked. We are still registering new visitors to the 2020 conference. That is, access to all materials is open to everyone and constantly. Niada is becoming available to many more people.

Alla: What's new in NIADA plans and projects?

Tatiana: In January, we are opening the NIADA virtual academy, in which everyone can enroll. We will write about it in detail on our Facebook page and on our website. Remember to visit them regularly.

We also decided to establish a new form of membership in our organization - an associative artist membership. This is for those artists who would like to become members of NIADA in the future but are already interested in participating in the organizational activities, projects, and other aspects of our activities. Details about this new membership can be found on our website. www.niada.org. www.niada.org.

Alla: Thank you, Tatiana, for this interesting interview! If our readers have any questions, will they be able to contact you?

Tatiana: Of course, I'll be glad to answer them.

Alla Berezhkova