Goldie Wilson's journey into the doll world began at the age of five when her grandmother, a seamstress, taught her to sew and cut paper patterns for clothes. "A child has to be able to do something useful", her grandmother would say. By the time that she was seven, Goldie could embroider, crochet and tat. One day all of these endeavors would become very handy in her dollmaking.
In high school, Goldie found pleasure in art classes, learning to paint and draw. Her excellence in class led her to ceramics and ultimately, she became the owner and founder of her own shop, Goldie's Ceramics. Here, she taught classes for twenty-three years, during which time she also entered many ceramic competitions and won high honors at these shows. After taking classes in china painting, she made her first ceramic reproduction doll. She soon began making porcelain reproduction dolls and immediately knew that this was what she was destined to do.
Goldie took the next step of her journey by enrolling in Seeley's dollmaking classes and seminars. She realized that in order to fully understand dolls, you must realize that dollmaking is a learning process. You must read, attend shows, look at many dolls, and learn as much as you can. Although Goldie was making and selling porcelain reproduction dolls, they were not her creations. She attended a basic sculpting class and learned the art of sculpting and ultimately sculpted Diamond, her first original doll. Her dreams were finally realized. She had come full circle.
Goldie's dolls are completely her own. She sculptes and makes all her molds, the clothing is designed and assembled by her. Jewelry, shoes and even wigs are a 'Goldie Wilson Original'.
Goldie Wilson has participated in doll shows across the country including:
- Gigis Dolls & Sherry Teddy Bears - Chicago, Illinois
- International Toy Fair - New York, New York
- Santa Fe Doll Art - Santa Fe, New Mexico
- International Black Doll Convention - Philadelphia, PA
- Doll & Teddy Bear Expo - Washington, DC
- Black Doll Expo - Hunt Valley, MD
- The Walt Disney World Doll & Teddy Bear Convention - Orlando FL
- Home Shoppers Network (HSN)
- United Federation of Doll Clubs
- IDEX - Orlando, FL
- National Doll Festival
She has created souvenirs for doll club luncheons, including a souvenir doll for the Charm City Dolling Club' luncheon at the 53rd United Federation of Dolls Clubs National Convention and the Philadelphia Doll Club. |
