Deanna Hogan
I grew up in rural Oregon, encouraged by my mother and grandmothers to sew, craft, paint and make music. I have always needed a creative outlet to provide some balance in my life. I've been a nurse since the early 1980s and have chosen emergency nursing as my specialty. The profession is rewarding as well as stressful, so it's even more important that I have that outlet. I've always enjoyed making things with my hands and have tried just about everything. But by far, the most rewarding and consistent for me has been the creation of cloth dolls.
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I began making simple dolls in the mid-1990s, selling them at craft fairs. Then, I discovered other doll makers through the Internet and was awestruck by the caliber of the dolls they created. Inspired by what I saw, I started designing my own cloth dolls in the late 1990s, developed a website, and began publishing doll patterns as well. I love to explore new (and old) methods when designing and creating my dolls, as well as some of the latest mixed media techniques.
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While my dolls are diverse in appearance, my appreciation of the antique cloth dolls has contributed to the vintage edge many of my dolls have. My dolls have been featured in several publications.