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Jane Pinkstaff of Livonia, Michigan always considered herself to be the non-artistic child in her family. Her two siblings grew up to become professional artists while Jane studied anatomy. However, nine years ago a chance meeting with a dirty ball of clay opened her eyes to a hidden talent that combined her passion for science with art. Jane sculpted the clay into the shape of a baby's face, and now almost a decade later, she's creating collectible baby dolls being mass-produced by Middleton Doll.
When people see Pinkstaff's work, she wants them to see a pretty, real child, and not just a doll. She says she's always looking at real babies to discover a different angle.
"My whole art room is plastered with baby pictures. I don't sculpt an exact replica of a baby I see in a picture. I prefer making the babies look unique," said Pinkstaff. "What I do is similar to being pregnant. I have the anticipation and the expectation. I don't know exactly what my dolls are going to look like in the end. I have a goal, but it isn't until I include the eyes that I see the personality. It's the moment of birth."
Pinkstaff says it was hard for her to understand how people felt when they would say, "I was meant to do this." But when she started to sculpt dolls, she knew exactly how they felt. She says she's following her bliss.
"I'm very fortunate that my family is very supportive of my work. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be where I am today." | 
