Interview with Tess Barton

Tess Barton is 28 years old and lives in Dallas, TX (land of big hair!). She is a senior pediatric resident at a local Children's hospital which she will be finishing this summer. Tess lives in a huge
old Victorian house with a secret room! She lives with her boyfriend Scott, of over 5 years. Tess has three cats (Wiggins, Stubbie, and Peanut, a dog (Daisy Dukey), and 2 bearded dragons (Selena and Pepe), which are a cute kind of lizard. Working about 80 hours or more a week, Tess hardly has
time to work on dollies. "Well, Scott would argue with that. He thinksI need help for my doll addiction/obsession!", Tess laughs.

CD: How long have you been customizing
dolls and how did you get started doing so? Tess: I've been customizing for about 3 years now.Actually, when I was little I repainted my dolls' faces with paint markers, and dyed their hair with watercolors. Does that count? Like most people I started out on sad rescue dolls who needed some serious help. In fact
I never had actually bought a doll to make over until last year's BMAA awards. In fact, that was the first entire doll I ever created. Until then, I had sewn lots of outfits and repainted and restyled dolls, but they were always meant to be changeable.

CD: What type of a background do you possess that influences your skills as a customizer ? Tess: I was very artistic until medical school
took over my life! But I've never had any formal training. (Besides my
acting/modelling career in Paris? Just kidding! ;P)

CD: What inspires your design ideas? Tess: My number one sources of inspiration are other artists' dolls. Before getting involved in this, my favorite articles in the doll magazines were always those about doll artists or design students. They seemed so much more interesting than what the manufacturers had to
offer. When I see an interesting design or a unique use of a pattern or fabrics, I try to do it too. I also check out fashion magazines to get
ideas because I generally aim for a degree of realism.

CD: Do you have a face mold that you prefer
working with? Tess: I like closed mouth faces in general, and
my favorites are Nichelle™, Steffie™ and Mackie. I'm really excited about
the new face used for the Native American Barbie® and Fantasy Goddess
of Africa™. It's a gorgeous face with great cheeks and nice full lips. I think it could be really versatile. I can't wait to see it used for an
Asian doll!

CD: Special fabrics? Favorite colors? Tess: As for fabrics, I use Chinese silk brocade more than anything else. I prefer natural fabrics, especially silk. In fact, nearly every doll I've ever made is wearing silk! I adore the Asian silk fabrics. I drool all over them in the store. As for colors, I prefer
natural colors and jewel tones.

CD: If you had to classify your style, what would it be? Tess: I would call most of my designs chic. A lot of vintage elements, with a subtle elegance. There's also a recurrent Asian theme. Asian chic! Ha ha!

CD: What was one of your greatest moments
as a designer? Tess: You'll think I'm crazy, but one of the best moments was when Rebecca emailed me the first time and told me my BMAA
doll was her favorite and she wanted to buy it or trade for it. I couldn't believe that anyone else would be interested in my dolls! I was so flattered. I'm holding out for "special favors" (teehee). It was also just a huge boost to open the magazine for the first time and see my doll there! I didn't know if she had made it past the selection process, and there she was, looking back at me. I was thrilled.

CD: What kinds of awards or special recognition have you gotten for your dolls? Tess: I've only won one award, which was 2nd place in the Texas State Fair for my doll Cotton Candy Swirl

CD: What are your future plans as a designer?
Do you have certain things you would like to learn how to do, or things you want to improve on? Tess: I plan to get caught up on all my projects!!!
(Laughing out loud!) This year, I am going to try to work on painting faces, and developing a style so that when someone sees one of my dolls, they'll
recognize it as my doll. I really need to work on learning how to bead. I'm also interested in trying molded hair, because I have a doll idea I've been
wanting to do for a long time. I'd like to do a whole series of AA repro vintage dolls, and I really want an AA Miss Barbie and Fashion Queen. If
I have any time for my own dolls, I want to make a line of very contemporary chic gals in hip fashionable daywear, like suits and up-to-date casual
outfits - no bright colors or yucky fabrics. I want them to look like actual tiny people wearing real clothes. I am also about to do a collaborative doll with another designer (it's a surprise!), and I'm really excited about that, too!

CD: Do you sell your dolls? If so, where
-( i.e. internet, Ebay©, doll shows etc.)? Tess: I've never sold a single doll! Usually my
dolls have been specially made for someone else or for a contest, and I have a hard time parting with them. Besides, as a new customizer, I think
my dolls wouldn't bring in enough of a price to make it worthwhile. It takes me often several weeks to finish one doll, and I would probably only
end up making, like 50 cents an hour! Actually,
I am thinking of putting a doll or two on consignment at Fashion Bay Robyn Cotter's site.

CD: Are there any designers out there
that particularly inspire you? If so, who and why? Tess: There are too many to list!!! On the onelist,
Jason Wu and Robyn Cotter are total masters of fabric and tailoring. My favorite designers are Charles Mo and Nancy Kella, because I adore little
suits that are totally to scale.

CD: How long have you been a member of the CustomDolls onelist? What is the best part about belonging to the group Tess: I don't even remember!!! About 6 months,
I think. The best part are the swaps! I love swaps! The people on the CustomDolls list are really fun and laid back in general. There's not a lot of petty
competition. It's an extremely talented group, and I've learned so much!

CD: Which of your dolls is your favorite and why? Tess: Right now, my favorite doll that I've made
is my recent BMAA entry. I don't have a name for her yet. I've been calling her "A Day at MoMA" because she looks to me like she's going to go have
lunch at the museum. I've always had a thing for short haired dolls, and I love Steffies™. To me, she looks the most realistic and to scale of all
my dolls, with her silk button down blouse and chenille sweater. She looks like someone I would like to hang out with, haha. Maybe I'll display her with my little mini-me doll!

CD: What would you like to see happen
for the future of customizing fashion dolls? Tess: I would like to see more artists getting
recognized in the magazines. I'm so proud that Jason has really made it into the mainstream doll world. I think it's unfortunate that people kind
of stick with what they know, so a lot of collectors really flock to well-known doll designers, when there are lesser known artists who are as good or
better. I would like to see new artists being promoted. And kudos to Millers Magazine for featuring lesser known artists!

CD: What would be the ideal doll for customizing for you? Tess: Actually, the best doll that actually exists
for customizing is Winter Evening - the one with the brown hair in the big cram colored brocade and fur winter gown. She has the Mackie face,
and Shani™ arms. Best of all, she has gorgeous shiny brown hair with strawberry blonde streaks. Her hair looks real! The dream doll to customize would have to be the new African-American
Native American face, with porcelain white skin, or the olive skin of Golden Dream Barbie®. She would have jointed ballerina like arms (like Generation Girl Chelsie™), and either the high-heeled jointed legs or the Shani™ legs
with the narrow hips. She would come in a variety of hair colors/skin colors,and especially in unusual
combinations (blonde African-American - is that
too much to ask?). And she would have a side part. And no face paint, so she'd be all ready for me!

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CD: How long have you been customizing dolls and how did you get started doing so?	Tess: I've been customizing for about 3 years now.Actually, when I was little I repainted my dolls' faces with paint markers, and dyed their hair with watercolors. Does that count? Like most people I started out on sad rescue dolls who needed some serious help. In fact I never had actually bought a doll to make over until last year's BMAA awards. In fact, that was the first entire doll I ever created. Until then, I had sewn lots of outfits and repainted and restyled dolls, but they were always meant to be changeable.
CD: What type of a background do you possess that influences your skills as a customizer ?	Tess: I was very artistic until medical school took over my life! But I've never had any formal training. (Besides my acting/modelling career in Paris? Just kidding! ;P)
CD: What inspires your design ideas?	Tess: My number one sources of inspiration are other artists' dolls. Before getting involved in this, my favorite articles in the doll magazines were always those about doll artists or design students. They seemed so much more interesting than what the manufacturers had to offer. When I see an interesting design or a unique use of a pattern or fabrics, I try to do it too. I also check out fashion magazines to get ideas because I generally aim for a degree of realism.
CD: Do you have a face mold that you prefer working with?	Tess: I like closed mouth faces in general, and my favorites are Nichelle™, Steffie™ and Mackie. I'm really excited about the new face used for the Native American Barbie® and Fantasy Goddess of Africa™. It's a gorgeous face with great cheeks and nice full lips. I think it could be really versatile. I can't wait to see it used for an Asian doll!
CD: Special fabrics? Favorite colors?	Tess: As for fabrics, I use Chinese silk brocade more than anything else. I prefer natural fabrics, especially silk. In fact, nearly every doll I've ever made is wearing silk! I adore the Asian silk fabrics. I drool all over them in the store. As for colors, I prefer natural colors and jewel tones.
CD: If you had to classify your style, what would it be?	Tess: I would call most of my designs chic. A lot of vintage elements, with a subtle elegance. There's also a recurrent Asian theme. Asian chic! Ha ha!
CD: What was one of your greatest moments as a designer?	Tess: You'll think I'm crazy, but one of the best moments was when Rebecca emailed me the first time and told me my BMAA doll was her favorite and she wanted to buy it or trade for it. I couldn't believe that anyone else would be interested in my dolls! I was so flattered. I'm holding out for "special favors" (teehee). It was also just a huge boost to open the magazine for the first time and see my doll there! I didn't know if she had made it past the selection process, and there she was, looking back at me. I was thrilled.
CD: What kinds of awards or special recognition have you gotten for your dolls?	Tess: I've only won one award, which was 2nd place in the Texas State Fair for my doll Cotton Candy Swirl

CD: What are your future plans as a designer? Do you have certain things you would like to learn how to do, or things you want to improve on?	Tess: I plan to get caught up on all my projects!!! (Laughing out loud!) This year, I am going to try to work on painting faces, and developing a style so that when someone sees one of my dolls, they'll recognize it as my doll. I really need to work on learning how to bead. I'm also interested in trying molded hair, because I have a doll idea I've been wanting to do for a long time. I'd like to do a whole series of AA repro vintage dolls, and I really want an AA Miss Barbie and Fashion Queen. If I have any time for my own dolls, I want to make a line of very contemporary chic gals in hip fashionable daywear, like suits and up-to-date casual outfits - no bright colors or yucky fabrics. I want them to look like actual tiny people wearing real clothes. I am also about to do a collaborative doll with another designer (it's a surprise!), and I'm really excited about that, too!
CD: Do you sell your dolls? If so, where -( i.e. internet, Ebay©, doll shows etc.)?	Tess: I've never sold a single doll! Usually my dolls have been specially made for someone else or for a contest, and I have a hard time parting with them. Besides, as a new customizer, I think my dolls wouldn't bring in enough of a price to make it worthwhile. It takes me often several weeks to finish one doll, and I would probably only end up making, like 50 cents an hour! Actually, I am thinking of putting a doll or two on consignment at Fashion Bay Robyn Cotter's site.
CD: Are there any designers out there that particularly inspire you? If so, who and why?	Tess: There are too many to list!!! On the onelist, Jason Wu and Robyn Cotter are total masters of fabric and tailoring. My favorite designers are Charles Mo and Nancy Kella, because I adore little suits that are totally to scale.
CD: How long have you been a member of the CustomDolls onelist? What is the best part about belonging to the group	Tess: I don't even remember!!! About 6 months, I think. The best part are the swaps! I love swaps! The people on the CustomDolls list are really fun and laid back in general. There's not a lot of petty competition. It's an extremely talented group, and I've learned so much!
CD: Which of your dolls is your favorite and why?	Tess: Right now, my favorite doll that I've made is my recent BMAA entry. I don't have a name for her yet. I've been calling her "A Day at MoMA" because she looks to me like she's going to go have lunch at the museum. I've always had a thing for short haired dolls, and I love Steffies™. To me, she looks the most realistic and to scale of all my dolls, with her silk button down blouse and chenille sweater. She looks like someone I would like to hang out with, haha. Maybe I'll display her with my little mini-me doll!
CD: What would you like to see happen for the future of customizing fashion dolls?	Tess: I would like to see more artists getting recognized in the magazines. I'm so proud that Jason has really made it into the mainstream doll world. I think it's unfortunate that people kind of stick with what they know, so a lot of collectors really flock to well-known doll designers, when there are lesser known artists who are as good or better. I would like to see new artists being promoted. And kudos to Millers Magazine for featuring lesser known artists!
CD: What would be the ideal doll for customizing for you?	Tess: Actually, the best doll that actually exists for customizing is Winter Evening - the one with the brown hair in the big cram colored brocade and fur winter gown. She has the Mackie face, and Shani™ arms. Best of all, she has gorgeous shiny brown hair with strawberry blonde streaks. Her hair looks real! The dream doll to customize would have to be the new African-American Native American face, with porcelain white skin, or the olive skin of Golden Dream Barbie®. She would have jointed ballerina like arms (like Generation Girl Chelsie™), and either the high-heeled jointed legs or the Shani™ legs with the narrow hips. She would come in a variety of hair colors/skin colors,and especially in unusual combinations (blonde African-American - is that too much to ask?). And she would have a side part. And no face paint, so she'd be all ready for me!