SASKATOON -- Lorna Robert's dolls help a range of people, such as seniors living with dementia and mothers who have lost a child.
"For everyone, the doll is filling some void," she said.
A woman in Ontario who isn’t able to have children of her own bought one of Roberts’ dolls. Her son was born prematurely and did not survive, Robert said.
A 96-year-old man living with dementia, who stays at Bethany Pioneer Village, surprised his granddaughter when she went to visit him.
She told Robert he would often wake up during the middle of the night and get easily worked up, but when the retirement community acquired some of the dolls his family noticed a positive change.
"He rocked his wheelchair, sang to her, cooed to her," the man’s granddaughter told Robert.
She called it "the most beautiful visit."
Robert, who lives in the city's Briarwood neighbourhood, has been living with Lyme disease since 2010, prompting her to find a passion she never knew existed.'
'I had to find something'
Robert was a retired child psychologist and running a coffee shop at the time, when she found a tick on her leg.
Fifteen days later, she became ill and had to stop working.
"I had to find something. I had to reinvent myself, somehow," Robert said.
She started creating baby dolls so realistic they’re mistaken for the real thing. The hobby quickly turned into business.
With an art background and history working with children, Robert said it was a good match for her – and she can work from home at her own pace.
Labour of love
The dolls go through a few stages before they get into Roberts’ hands.
First, a sculptor sculpts the baby out of polymer clay. Then a mold artist makes the mold of the clay baby which is poured into German vinyl.
Robert receives the unpainted vinyl, the head, the arms and the legs, and uses an oil-set heat based paint to make the doll realistic.
Robert paints as many as 20 different layers to perfect the skin, veins, blood flow, and nails.
The babies are detailed, with Robert getting creative, sometimes adding milk spots, spit bubbles, or even a runny nose.
Each baby takes Robert 40 to 100 hours to complete. She individually roots each hair, which takes roughly three eight-hour days. Painting the babies nails takes about five hours.
Most of Roberts’ clients are in North America, but she has sold the babies to places as far as Australia and Bali. They range from $250 to $450 depending on the baby.
Some people call the babies creepy, but Robert said she doesn’t take offence.
"If it’s evoking that kind of a strong emotion, then I feel like I’ve created a pretty strong piece of art."
However, Robert said most of the feedback she receives is positive.
When people ask Lorna how she’s been spending her retired life, she and her husband have a little joke.
Lorna usually responds with: "Well, I stay at home and make babies," with her husband chiming in: "Yeah, but she doesn’t let me help."
