Today we present a Bess doll by a beautiful craftsman from the USA Shelley Thornton. 

Bess - Textile sculpture doll, 68.5 cm high.

Shelley dolls can be compared to three-dimensional drawings using multi-coloured textiles instead of paints. They are characterised by saturated colours, clear silhouettes and author's stylisation.

The master talks about himself:

• Creativity has been my main occupation since I was two years old. I was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, where I have lived and worked all my life.
• Bachelor's degree in printing and graphic design. Worked as a toy maker, guest lecturer in design and illustration at a university and has been involved in illustration for over 20 years.
• In 1993, she started making textile dolls as an artistic expression.
• My dolls are stylised, not too realistic, not too embellished. Their appearance is an extension of my illustration style: decorative and simple, with carefully chosen colours. They are inspired by my love of fine textiles and beautiful patterns.
• I strive for an aesthetic based on beauty, authentic emotions, dreams and the spiritual nature of human beings.

Shelley Thornton was President of NIADA - (NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ARTICLES) from 2007-2009.

The master has developed her own technology for modelling the head of a textile doll, using a needle and then covering it with cotton knitwear.

The dolls are stuffed with wool. According to the artist, this gives them a natural warmth.

Shelley's characters are movable thanks to the wooden balls at the joints of the knees, elbows, shoulders and wrists, as well as the wires sewn into the fingers.

The author's signature technique is the use of printed textile hair, adding an element of ornamentation.

Collectors and art historians have noted in Shelley's works a remarkable calm, romanticism, disarming kindness, purity and charm. They are, however, serious works of art, beautifully designed and impeccably executed.