Elisa Gallea

My name is Elisa, I’m 42 years old, and I live in Palermo, Sicily isle (Italy)...I have been making OOAK dolls since about 16 years, when, after some simple attempts, I discovered the “Cernit”, and I fell in love with it! I think polymer clays great…when I have a piece of clay in my hands…I’m so excited!…I have never attended doll making or sculpting classes…my only teacher was a dollmaking book found in a Art shop in my city some years ago… I love childhood and I love dolls… I can create child dolls and so many expressions just only with my hands! I want make my dolls like real children, pensive and innocent…so I try to capture a specific moment of the children’s life into my creations…a girl who is waiting for her mom…or a little ballerina who has her turn for the stage…I want my doll have a “drop of life” into their eyes…a soul…I'm proud when people look at them saying “she’s going to stand up!” or… “she seems to look at me!”… My favourite subjects are older children- OOAK Girls- of about 8/10 years in about 24/30 inches, I use only the best supplies: mohair and human wigs, German glass eyes, lovable and little Italian leather shoes… I like both designing and hand making their dresses using silk, velvet, chiffon, laces… My dolls have often vintage and precious furniture or objects: silver brush, wood chairs, handmade pillow and so on… My inspiration comes from the real world or from the Fantasy, the tales, the pictures I find…or from my imagination as well! I’m going to create a special collection from famous painting and illustrations too! I love a lot making dolls…I can’t imagine my life without this passion now!!!

I attend some great exhibition around the world, such as New York (Magnum Opus Show), Florida (IDEX), Chicago (IDA by Hellman Gallery), Massachusetts (International Show by Dollery), St. Petersburgh (Doll Time), Moscow (Doll Salon, Art of Dolls at Manege, International Show by Wachtanoff Gallery), Ukrain (Doll Salon in Kiev), Prague (Doll Prague Exhibition), Baku (Fusion Doll), Riga (European Doll Art Festival) and so on…