”I love imagination and humour, people who have their feet on the ground whilst dreaming, the poetry in everyday life. I like a certain vulnerability whilst standing strong, 1930’s cabaret, dark shiny and mad, and silent films. I like the circus, the colours when the lights go down, the trapeze artist making an entrance. I like it behind the scenes, there are stories there too, and toys and childhood and history on our doorstep.” -Alice Mary Lynch

Growing up in Somerset with artist parents, Kate and James Lynch, Alice scoured fleamarkets with a magpie’s instinct for curiosities to inhabit her fairytale world.
She trained in Fashion Design at Kingston University, London, then worked as a designer in Paris for John Galliano, Christian Dior and Sonia Rykiel. She honed her craft in their studios full of stitching, beading and embellishment and thrived in the theatre of their catwalk shows.

After nine years in Paris, Alice recently moved back to Somerset, where she now lives with her Japanese husband and their two small children.

I adore her animal dolls so much. They are a mixture of Vintage 1920’s Cabaret meets Alice in Wonder Land meets Native American animal symbolism and totems! There is a lot for the eyes to take in with all the detailed buttons, ruffled fabric, beads, crystals, patterns, layers, glass and talismen. These whimsical creatures have an air of magic about them and with every stitch and sew Alice breathes life and personality into each individual doll. Even though these Animal dolls have a very vintage, British feel to them (I can imagine them having a tea party in a garden somewhere) to me they are more reminiscent of Native American Indian dolls that are hand crafted to encase an animal spirit guide (or power animal) inside to protect the child as it grows into an adult (These animal spirits stay with a person for life) it is the same with dream catchers and tribal hand crafted Jewellery, each piece has a specific meaning to the Apache as they use protective stones or writing to ward off evil.

I feel like these are little warrior dolls Alice has created to watch over the person the doll is given to. They really are such lovely little beings! I WANT ONE!

If you would like to see more of Alice’s work pop over to her lovely website: Alice Mary Lynch
Or her facebook page: Alice Mary lynch Dollmaker

© 2013 Alice Mary Lynch. all rights reserved