The Artist

My name is Elaine M. Donovan, and I am the Passion behind Dolls By Passion!!

I am an artist by profession. I have supported myself for many years by painting portraits, landscapes, abstracts, and even the backs of leather jackets for local rock bands. I sold my first oil painting at the age of fifteen, a winter landscape titled, First Snow. Since then I have had my work displayed in exhibitions, juried art shows, and have also done many commissioned pieces.

Growing up in New York has exposed me to the arts from a very young age, and having parents who were both great artists enriched my artistic vision and fervor. My dear mother (in the picture to the left), who recently passed away, was especially very supportive of any creative endeavor I wanted to try. I give her a ton of credit for what I am able to accomplish now as an adult artist- Thanks Mom!

Since I was a child, I have loved and collected dolls. With the help of my mother I made OOAK (one-of-a-kind, or "original") hand sewn and machine sewn outfits for them. I had the best-dressed Barbies for a 20-mile radius! Throughout my life I continually dabbled in creating "quasi-OOAK dolls" by experimenting with different hairstyles, fashions, and such.

The turning point in my life came when a fellow artist, my mentor and friend, Peg S., introduced me to the art of making "fully repainted OOAK fashion dolls". She sent me the how-tos, and even sent me dolls to be my first "victims"- LOL! I am forever grateful to her for taking the time to guide and help me!!

Now, four years later, I am a making OOAK dolls full time. I specialize in meticulous repaints, highly detailed costumes, reroots, and even my own unique 3-dimensional doll display stands. My career as a painter of portraits, landscapes, and such has been put on the back burner- simply for the fact that I must create what is in my heart, and my heart says, Create dolls! It is my burning passion!

I live, think, sleep, and even dream about creating OOAK dolls! I actually carry a sketchbook with me at all times to jot down my ideas- lest I forget them! I'm also a "detail freak". I sincerely feel that the teeny-tiny details make a doll come to life, and add a deeper dimension to the doll's unique persona.

I enjoy creating dolls of different themes, including: fantasy, fairies, angels, Asian beauties, divas, mythical characters, Goths, mermaids, medieval, Victorian, Christmas, Halloween, witches, ghosts, and vampire dolls. With them, I sometimes make the above-mentioned OOAK 3-D hand painted doll displays, sculpted polymer clay items (including mystical dragon accessories), and of course- "original design" handmade high heel boots and designer hats! I may also occasionally make OOAK fashions and jewelry for 12 and 16-inch dolls.

Most of my repaint and costuming work centers around a doll we all know and love: Barbie by Mattel. I also remake Kelly, My Scene, and Flavas dolls, which are by Mattel too. But I am delving into other doll venues: Robert Tonner (Sydney, Tyler, etc.), Obitsu, Dollfie, Volks, and Ashton Drake (Gene and Madra).

I have been selling my OOAKs on eBay successfully since 2002! I have sold over 300 OOAK dolls and OOAK doll fashions on eBay. Look for dollsbypassion on eBay to see my 100% positive feedback regarding my creations!

In 2005 I entered the Barbie Bazaar magazine OOAK contest for the very first time, and my Goddess Of Diamonds doll won first place in the International Costume Category. In 2006 I won 2 BMAA awards: a third place award in the Fantasy Category for my Cold As Ice doll, and a second place award in the Special Occasion Holiday Category for my other doll, Isabella The Haunting. Some of my other awards include two first place "Best In Show" awards in the Custom Dolls Contest: one for my Ultimate Diva, and the other for my Goddess In Purple. I also was invited to be in a special price guide section of Barbie Bazaar Magazine devoted to OOAKs; I had been asked to submit four of my creations with the promise of only two being used, and then was pleasantly surprised to see that they published all four of my submitted creations!! Three of my OOAK dolls and one of my OOAK Silkstone fashions! It was really cooool! My Mom was sooooo proud!

I also want to make mention of my wonderful supporters!! My customers, my family, my friends, and so on- I could not have done any of this without your continued support! I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart!!! I am very, very blessed!! Thank you all!!!!