The most important attribute I feel within my work is achieving character believably, through their physicality, expression, attention to scale and proportion, texture and tone. I believe that there is a “golden section” or a hierarchy of rules which determines good doll design. Like good architecture and design, there are attributes which when addressed in correct proportion, and composition create the believable being. The expression in the eyes; the size of the head in comparison to the limbs, each decision plays a valuable role in the development of the whole. This meaningful being is a timeless creation who has it’s own world, purpose and ambition. For me to achieve success in my work, a piece needs to speak to me, and continue to express long after my pleasure in its creation has waned. It is this challenge that I am sure most artists’ encounter in their work through self-critique and iterative advancement, and for me, it is this driving force that keeps me creating new work.

I am a character designer and researcehr who works in a variety of media including interactive storytelling, playful interaction and character-centric communication. My practice-led research seeks to build meaningful experiences and storytelling opportunities between digital and tangible activities and objects. With a specific focus on environmental advocacy for issues such as predation, ecosystem collapse, and conservation through my character toy designs. I have qualifications in Industrial design, Illustration, and Interactive design and has worked for Weta Workshop on the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Aardman Animation, The World of Wearable Art, and within the UK Toy industry as a product designer.

I am an internationally recognised doll and toy artist and is the former President of the National Institute of American Doll Artists, and an alumna of the Pictoplasma Academy.

A Senior Lecturer at Massey University, College of Creative Arts in New Zealand where I am the program lead for Concept Design and the Weta Workshop School at Massey Masters program. I am a current PhD candidate, my practice-based research “Wild Play” explores the design of eco-fiction toys that engage children in outdoor imaginative play

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