Lauren Bacall by Cyguy
In this better-late-than-never third and final installment in our series on "OOAK" (One-of-a-Kind) celebrity dolls, we'll peruse the work of some highly accomplished and well-respected artists; Pt. 2 featured the work of prolific "repaint" artist Noel Cruz and Pt. 1 focused on the history of celebrity dolls.~
Cyguy's work has been called hyper-accurate, and of himself the artist has stated, "I am obsessed with creating a perfect likeness when I am making celebrity dolls...I will keep working on a doll until I am really satisfied with it." Most dolls, he says, take a week or so for him to create, "with some of the more complicated ones taking several weeks." His name is Cyrus and on Instagram he's known as Cyguy83. His primary muse and most popular doll-for-sale is Madonna, but he is equally adept at replicating Old Hollywood icons...for example:
Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story
Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina
Rita Hayworth
Veronica Lake
Like most OOAK artists, Cyguy works with existing doll head molds, stripping off the original paint and repainting them, but he also, particularly when dissatisfied with the result, may sculpt a new head and cast it in a mold. Cyguy's very-in-demand dolls sell for as much as $1,500 each. Cyguy's creations are also on display on Facebook.~
Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, Roman Holiday and Love in the Afternoon
Last December, Melissa of the Everything Audrey site posted "The Ultimate Guide for Audrey Hepburn Gifts for Christmas or Birthdays." In her lengthy feature, she included photos from and a link to the website of OOAK doll artist Lulamee (please note, Holly Golightly's real name was Lulamae). Of Lulamee's work Melissa wrote, "Look at the enormous amount of detail and care that she puts into these dolls to make them look just like Audrey. All I can say is wow."Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's
Lulamee's Old Hollywood muse is Audrey, though she also creates dolls based on contemporary celebrities and animation characters. She is a proud member of the Repaint Society and showcases her work (as Lulamee) on Instagram and Facebook as well as her on own website.Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina
~Kim Goodwin is a make-up artist with the Cloutier agency who, during his career, has worked on famous faces such as Elizabeth Taylor, Sharon Stone and Charlize Theron, to name a few. Goodwin began creating his own OOAK Marilyn Monroe dolls because he felt the tribute dolls being produced by established manufacturers were not up to par. He begins his work by stripping and repainting Franklin Mint dolls, then adds hair and recreates specific costumes and accessories Marilyn wore in her films, at public events and in photo shoots. Kim Goodwin's OOAK Marilyn Monroe dolls were selling on EBay 15 years ago for $700 and more, and their value has only risen since then. Click here to view a gallery of Goodwin's Marilyns.
Marilyn Monroe in There's No Business Like Show Business, Niagra, The Misfits, and a July 1962 photo shoot
~Clark Hanford is not a typical OOAK doll artist, but an artist/artisan in Westport, Connecticut. Hanford's stunning rendition of Marlene Dietrich, gowned-to-the-teeth during her concert years, is so realistic that it appeared and was credited in a print publication as a photograph of Marlene herself.
Before moving to Westport, Hanford lived in London for many years, where he sold his work in Notting Hill. Along with creating sconces and painting portraits, Hanford crafts 34" figures of Golden Age stars like Marlene, Lucille Ball, Katharine Hepburn and Frank Sinatra. His creations are handmade to order and outfitted in costumes he also makes himself.
Marlene Dietrich, the concert years
Clark Hanford with a Marlene Dietrich figure on display at a local shop