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closeSunday, May. 17, 2009
Tri-City woman all dolled up: Kennewick master doll artist teaches classes at home
By Dori O'Neal, Herald staff writer
KENNEWICK -- At the height of World War II, Helga Walker was a typical 9-year-old German girl who loved dolls.
They provided a temporary diversion from the war-torn streets of Berlin where air raid sirens screamed and the thunder of bombs fell almost daily.
It got worse when the Nazis seized all her family's possessions, including her dolls, and left the little girl with nothing to do but feel fear.
"It was truly a frightening time, and something I will never forget," she said. "My family lost everything, and we lived in fear that the (notorious) SS would show up at our door, and they did a couple of times."
Walker, who now lives in Kennewick, remembers picking up a gnarled hunk of wood on the street one day, wrapping it in a worn hanky and pretending it was a doll.
Though she and her family survived the war and emigrated to the United States in 1953, Walker never lost her love of dolls and now she teaches others how to make them.
Her family first lived in New Jersey, then Philadelphia, which is where Walker attended the Academy of Fine Arts in 1957.
She focused on paintings in the beginning, but that training is what led her to eventually take up doll art.
"I always loved the humorous art of Norman Rockwell," she said. "It was his work that first made me think I wanted to be an illustrator. But then I got married before my schooling was done and the art got left behind as I focused on raising my children."
Once the kids were grown, Walker delved back into her art and doll making.
Her dolls were so lifelike that her friends recruited her to create bride dolls for their daughters' weddings.
She uses polymer clay to mold the bodies. The heads are done first by wadding up hunks of foil, then modeling the clay around that.
"It's much easier to mold the clay around the foil base," Walker said. "If you cup the clay too long in your hands, it gets too warm and makes it harder to keep its shape."
The foil also provides bulk for the inner core of the head so it won't collapse before it's put in the oven for about 45 minutes to harden, she added.
She also makes all her own clothing for the dolls and buys her wool for hair projects from local sheep ranchers.
In 1994, she attended a class given by master artist Jack Johnston, founder of The Professional Doll Makers Art Guild. From that class, Walker was one of 11 artists chosen from among thousands of other students to take Johnston's whole course in Salt Lake City. Upon completion, Walker earned the title of master doll artist.
Walker became hooked on doll making and lost all interest in painting, she said. She first began teaching clay doll making after her husband died in an airplane accident several years ago. She was living in Arkansas at the time but moved back to New Jersey after his death. She moved to Kennewick in 2007 to be closer to her daughter.
Then last year, she began teaching her craft to about a half-dozen Tri-City women, most of whom had no artistic talent, or so they thought.
"Helga is such a good teacher," said Ruth Beckmann of Kennewick. "I have never been artistic, but Helga makes this doll making fun. I've made two Santas already. I'd say it's not exactly easy to do, but it's not hard either."
Brigitte Wetle, a neighbor of Walker, was another doll art student who was surprised to learn she had a bit of artistic talent.
"I had no idea I was capable of creating art until I took Helga's class," Wetle said. "She does such a wonderful job of teaching. She has the patience to take the time with those of us who've never done anything like this before."
Walker believes anyone with an interest in crafting can learn doll making. Her classes cost $15 for three hours and students have to purchase their own clay. It usually takes about two sessions to finish a project, she said.
Wetle, who's created three Santas so far, said it took her three sessions to get the hang of chiseling out the craggy face of her first Santa.
"The other two I was able to do much faster," she added.
Walker also helps her students make the clothing for their creations, whether it's a Santa Claus or child or other figure. She prefers to keep her focus on old faces rather than young.
"The old faces are easier for me," she said. "But the fun part of teaching is when one of my students will say, 'Oh look!' and so pleased with their finished project," she said.
Anyone interested in trying their hand at doll making, can call Walker at 509-396-2229.
* Dori O'Neal: 509-582-1514; doneal@tricityherald.com.
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