Would that life were like the shadow cast by a wall or a tree,
but it is like the shadow of a bird in flight.
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My name is Jen McGahan. I come from a creative family so it's no wonder I've found my way to making these dolls. I've worked in flower shops, waited tables, worked as a bank teller and sold semiconductor equipment. But I've always dabbled in the arts and crafts, playing the piano, writing poems, painting watercolors and sketching, taking lots of pictures and making scrapbooks for my three babies. I'm an avid reader and writer, but I also love to work with my hands.
In 1996 my parents-in-law brought me a sewing machine they had picked up at auction. Discovering that I enjoyed sewing, I made a few quilts, then bedding, pillows, and curtains for our home, from elaborate swags to simple roman shades. I still have that machine -- my beloved green New Home Double Duty Model 444 -- and use it exclusively for all my projects.
In 2003,When my daughter was four I made a Waldorf style mermaid doll from a kit. After making a few for family and friends I decided to try making a more elaborate doll, partially because I was interested in costuming and surface decoration of the figure. I purchased a book and made my first "arty" dolls from a pattern. Soon after, I discovered a magazine called Art Doll Quarterly as well as several doll artists on the internet, which proved to me that I was not the only one making dolls. Indeed, there was a thriving and growing group of artists who claimed figural mixed media their preferred artistic expression. I was hooked.
Finding this niche is a gift for me because these days the ideas for new dolls continue to keep my imagination at a constant hum. My main challenge is finding the time to construct all the dolls populating my head. Of all the things I've made in my life I keep coming back to dolls. They seem to make my dreams come alive. They satisfy my craving to create (although I still love to sew and make other crafty things) and inspire me to move ahead, both technically and creatively. I feel with dolls I can capture a feeling or express a particular moment I find myself stuck in, and then move on. They are also a way of glorifying what is beautiful, interesting and human in other people I encounter. Making dolls has become an important part of my life.
In the future I'd like to teach and share what I know so that other creative people might find their voices through doll-making. I dream about making a an animated film in which my dolls come to life, complete with voices, movement, and stories. I'd like to design fabric and wallpaper patterns. I'd like to travel more, learn Photoshop and Illustrator better, and write a book about the relationship between crafting/making art and prayer/crafting faith. This subject is near and dear to me since most times I can feel no difference between the two.
Meanwhile, my first priority on this good earth is to raise up my amazing children. These three kids and my husband have taught me the best and worst of myself and for them I'm humbled, amused and grateful. We are lucky to live in the most beautiful part of Texas, the Hill Country west of Austin where we can enjoy (still!) deer and coyote in our back yard, yet drive 25 minutes into downtown Austin (which is a great city and well worth the visit, by the way). We've got some good friends, there is music in our lives every day, and thankfully I'm still learning as I go.
Thanks for visiting my site today. God bless.
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