Biography and History Debra Nagel

The career/development as doll artist and designer. From what was initially a hobby to give my children an educational and worthy doll, it eventually became my calling, and second career, to create dolls and figurines. Throughout the years I directed myself towards the theme ‘dolls’. I experimented with materials, colors, forms and expression possibilities. This is how in the last decade I created marionette dolls from textile, papier-mâché figures, artists dolls and figures from porcelain for example from baby dolls to the portrayal of adults. The doll clinic: With all old dolls it is important for me to fix the defects to the best of my ability. If possible the defected parts won’t have to be replaced by new ones. This is why the most important thing is to only paint the parts that have been damaged again. This asks for a lot of experience in the blending of colors and the actual painting. After all you have to maintain the old character and personality of the dolls and bears, you should be able to recognize them as your own! And more often than not the worth of the dolls does not decrease due to the repair. With all the clients the nature of the damaged doll or animal is discussed at length and a pretty concrete payment plan is written up. After that the client can decide which or if any measures will be taken to repair the doll or bear.

© Hesemans Breda 2010