It's not a "Fake Baby", it's a REAL Doll :-)

by Stephanie Sullivan
(Miamisburg, OH)

The title "Fake Baby" just rubs me the wrong way. It sounds cheap, in my opinion, and does not do justice to the talents and skills that go into creating one of these remarkably lifelike collectible doll babies. I was so bugged by the term, in fact, that as soon as the Fake Baby documentary was aired, I blogged on it! (see http://dollartist.blogspot.com/)

I understand the media's choice of words. But I take issue with sensationalizing and emotionalizing collectors who love these dolls. I feel that so far, the media has sought to create a fake reality about why we make these babies and why collectors spend their money on them.

It seems it's not dramatic/interesting enough that we reborners spend many intensive hours taking a blank vinyl doll and turning it into a true trompe l'oeil ("fool the eye" works of art), some of which sell for many thousands of dollars and draw the admiration of hundreds of people around the globe. That, in and of itself, is most remarkable to me. It's not necessary to try and paint the collectors who value these amazing dolls as substituting a doll for a real infant, or being out of touch with reality.

I've been reborning dolls since 2003, and teaching the Art of Reborning since 2005 in many venues. I have yet to meet one artist who appreciates being asked if they make "those fake babies" or likes the term.

Having read all the comments by other artists to date, I have nothing further to add, as many have stated the case about the realities of reborning quite nicely.