MEET the woman who makes reborn dolls with birth defects and who refuses to listen to trolls who classify them as “monsters”.
Chelsea Pierce, 40, designs dolls with unique “birth identifiers” and birth defects such as birthmarks or scars.
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The mother of two spends between five and 10 hours a day hand-painting the designs – and some dolls take up to a week to finish.
Reborn dolls are hyper-realistic dolls hand-painted by an artist to look like a newborn baby.
After posting her creations online, Chelsea received criticism from trolls who said she “ruined” the doll by adding birth defects.
Pierce is passionate about educating others through her work, celebrating the differences between people.
FAMILY VALUES
Even though Pierce loves every doll she makes, her family isn’t as attached to them as she is.
The Atlanta businesswoman confessed that her husband, Josh, 44, who works in IT, is not a fan of the realistic dolls and asks her to keep them in the closet.
“Josh isn’t really a fan – he thinks they’re really weird, especially the ones with their eyes open,” she said.
“My kids also don’t have the same obsession with dolls that I had at that age.”
Her two children, Allie, 15, and Jack, 12, are very supportive and help take photos to sell on social media.
Pierce doesn’t keep any of the dolls and sells them for $700 to $1,200, depending on the design.
Doll defects include birthmarks, surgery scars and large blemishes.
MEANINGFUL MESSAGE
Pierce has even designed dolls as gifts for influencers with congenital identifiers, including a girl named Winry who was born with a large birthmark known as a congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN).
“I got nasty comments saying, ‘Who would want a child like that?’” the artist said.
“But I think it’s really important that we celebrate these unique qualities.”
It helps children understand that it’s not only good to be different, but also beautiful.”
Chelsea Pierce
“It helps kids understand that it’s not only okay to be different, but it’s also beautiful.”
Growing up, Pierce always liked dolls and enjoyed painting as a hobby.
She went on to study English literature and child psychology, combining her coursework with art therapy.
When Pierce discovered reborn dolls in 2015, she decided to combine her passions and began creating her own in 2018.
“As a child in foster care, I didn’t have many toys that were my own,” she said.
“But I had a doll that I loved. She was always so special to me.”
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”Learning to paint dolls was difficult. The first one I painted was horrible!”
“But with a lot of practice, I realized I could make a living at it.”
ASPIRATION FOR INSPIRATION
Pierce was “inspired” to design the dolls with birth defects after meeting a girl at school with a port wine birthmark on her face.
“I always thought that girl at school was so beautiful. I wish I had told her,” she said.
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She tries to ensure that each birthmark or scar looks “different and unique.”
“No two babies are alike, and neither are dolls,” she added.
She purchases each doll blank from another supplier and says it takes up to a week to complete, including painting and “rooting” each strand of hair on the head.
She called applying them “a painstaking process, but it creates the best hyperrealistic look.”
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“Some people are considered ‘crazy’ for having reborn dolls, but that’s not true,” she said.
“They are serving an important purpose and filling a gap for people.”
She admitted that “sometimes she gets attached” and held on a little longer than she should have.
“But I see it as raising a kitten and the goal is to find it a loving home,” she explained.
“If I can help even one person feel seen and represented, I will be satisfied that my work is making a difference.”
She showcases her skill set and family dynamics on her Instagram account Baby Glitter Pumpkins.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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