Ankie Daanen : " A woman has succeeded when she wakes up in the morning, goes to bed at night, and does what she likes between the two."
"Heartbreaker" vreated bu Ankie Daanen
BPP: Who are you? And who you really are?
Ankie Daanen: My name is Ankie Daanen, I'm 58 years young gir, i'm a Dollmaker and i live in Spain.I love my husband every day ( or maybe my dolls?) and life in a beautiful wine valley in Spain. Life is very simple here. We recently moved here permanently from Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
We love Amsterdam because of it´s hectic life and cultural scene, so once and a while we go back to ´eat´ culture. Because it´s soo quiet here, I can completely concentrate on my dollart. I have a great studio under our house. I am a very busy person, love to make my dolls, love to cook, love to do things in and around the house.
´Time´ is my only enemy. ( Well, for as far as I know)..
"Oh baby, baby.." - created by Ankie Daanen
"Bigbelly boy" - created by Ankie Daanen
"As purple as purple and black can be" - created by Ankie Daanen
BPP: If you could say something important to others
who were listening, what would you tell them?
Ankie Daanen: For me the most important lesson I have learned is to be happy and satisfied with the things you have. Life is meant to be for you as it overcomes you, and you have to deal with that. Especially when you have people close to you who love you, than you are rich. And if you are healthy too...well, than there is no reason anymore NOT to be happy. I would like to tell people to make every day special. And if you have talents; use them!!! Go for it!! And enjoy it!!
"Golden girl" - created by Ankie Daanen
"A bad hair day" - created by Ankie Daanen
New doll created by Ankie Daanen
BPP: What is
your true dream, the one that keeps you up at night and if one day it were to
come true you would feel peace and calmness in your heart?
Ankie Daanen: My real dream is to make the ultimate doll. I love so much to create that I could not imagine NOT to make dolls.
I also teach a lot, all over the world. I like to share my talent. The contact with my students is very important for me and they give you so much love. When you teach a person something they never did before, something they did not know was possible for them, than it´s you who makes themproud and happy! That´s a great feeling.
"Black beauty" created by Ankie Daanen
From the "Theater Collection" - created by Ankie Daanen
From the "Theater Collection" - created by Ankie Daanen
BPP: How is life currently for the people in your
country and what would you wish for them and for the planet at large?
Ankie Daanen: In Spain many people suffer from the crisis. There are no jobs for 25% of the young well educated people, so they are not able to work on their future.
The world needs very wise men and women to solve big problems.
" Funny stuff " made by Ankie Daanen from things she found at local flea market
More "funny stuff" from things Ankie found at flea market
BPP: If you had a chance to be a child again would you
choose the same life?
Ankie Daanen: If I was a child again I think I would have exactely the same dreams again as I had. Only, maybe I would have had a better oportunity to follow these dreams. When I was young I felt insecure, and did not have the possibilities to go into the right direction. That took a long time. It was ´not done´ to go to an Art School. You should become a school teacher or a nurse!
'A girl to build a dream on" - created by Ankie Daanen
A colorful beauty and her babies created by Ankie Daanen
BPP: What was
the exact moment that you realized what you wanted to do with your life? How did you feel at this very moment?
Ankie Daanen: I was a schoolteacher, and after five years teaching I wanted to do something ´in the arts´. I already played the piano, and I went to the conservatorium to study music.
New doll from Ankie Daanen
I became a music teacher, but when on a clear day I visited an exhibition for Art Dolls, I was ´knocked-out´! I went back three times, took sculpting lessons, could not sleep anymore and started to develop my own style. ´A never ending story´, because until today I LOVE to look at dolls and I LOVE to make dolls, and I hope that people who see my dolls will keep this doll in their memory!
One of our favorites, here in BPP
'No fights today" - created by Ankie Daanen
"No wave too high" - created by Ankie Daanen"
BPP: Would you like to tell us something we didn’t ask
until now?
Ankie Daanen: I like to say:
´A woman has succeeded when she wakes up in the
morning, goes to bed
at night, and does
what she likes between the two.´
Ankie Daanen's and her wonderful creatures
Ankie Daanen: I like my dolls to be sad, happy and even mystic. That they give you the feeling to have a life and a soul and I hope that you recognize some of that in my dolls. I try to reach an intimate connection with the human spirit. And perhaps that transformes the doll in a piece of art. I hope so.
Ankie Daanen's drawing for BPProject
If you want to learn more about Ankie Daanen, visit:
Ankie Daanen, also wrote the following books:
Dolls from paperclay
Make beautiful dolls with Ankie Daanen
Costuming the doll
You can find these books and her dolls, if you contact her at: ankiedaanen@hotmail.com
Photos by Ankie Daanen. All rights reserved.
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