Collaboration is such a key part of being a maker, and something that doesn’t come naturally to me as I am fiercely independent.

To combat this I joined the British Toymakers Guild and the Heritage Craft Association. They have helped me meet makers with a similar area of speciality to me and I have made some great friends!

Rachel from Ophelia Dolls lives local to me and is doll maker who also works to make dolls for children to play with. We have navigated the tricky world of CE testing together and enjoy meeting up for an occasional coffee. Emily is a dollmaker too, specialising in art dolls using paper maché, and I was very excited when Emily joined the guild as she also lives in Kent!

Rachel was given the opportunity to have a window in an empty shop in the Royal Victoria Place in Tunbridge Wells. It is part of the ’empty shops for artists’ scheme to help brighten up the high street! Rachel reached out to Emily and I to collaborate and we said yes please!

We had a great day working together setting it up – to turn the window into a little dolls house – the concept was all Rachel’s thinking. Our dolls are all distinctive in style but sit well together and I am sure they are getting up to all sorts of tricks when the shopping centre closes!

The window is set to run until 7th February 2022. The window is opposite Monsoon and Body Shop in Royal Victoria Place, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2TX

If you would like to see more from Emily go to her website.
If you would like to see more from Rachel go to her website.