gill charleston | Doll Maker | Centigrade Kiln Fired Art


I was an only child & spent a lot of my time alone, drawing & making things. I started modelling in plasticine & self hardening clay, making figures & dolls when I was about 4 yrs old. When I was at high school I was lucky to have a very good art teacher who allowed me to experiment. I started selling my work to galleries & local shops when I was about 14 yrs old. He taught me how to make my first moulds in plaster of paris to cast dolls in earthenware as we did not have porcelain at school. I took a degree in fashion and fine art at Harris Art College in Preston. I only worked for a short time as a designer of children’s clothes before starting my own business in 1974 as a doll artist. My dolls have porcelain heads and limbs which are china painted, and wired cloth bodies. I also make the wigs and clothes myself and my fashion training comes in handy with this. I am a member of the British Doll Artist Association, Original Doll Artist Council of America, and The Global Doll Society for which I am a 3 star platinum award teacher which is the highest level attainable. I have been a judge for international competitions since 1996 and so my job has taken me all over the world for exhibitions and teaching. I am lucky to have had lots of interesting jobs! I made the fairy for the top of the Christmas tree in Buckingham Palace in 1999, and I have made dolls and figures for many films and TV shows including The Catherine Cookson series on TV, and Madonna’s film “Shanghai Surprise” when I met Madonna and Sean Pen. I also made a portrait doll for the Queen Mother of herself as a little girl. For the last 10 years my husband and I have been going to Romania and helping children there, at first in orphanages and the last 3 years we have been working with deaf and blind children. We have taken over lots of supplies for art and crafts in our motor home and stay for 1 or 2 months. I have taught them all kinds of art and crafts to give them confidence and passed on many skills that they would not normally get the chance to learn. I really enjoy sharing my passion with others and I have students from 8 to 80 years old. To book Gillie for a workshop or discuss your ideas please ring 01257 482074 and she will be happy to assist you.

I was an only child & spent a lot of my time alone, drawing & making things. I started modelling in plasticine & self hardening clay, making figures & dolls when I was about 4 yrs old.
When I was at high school I was lucky to have a very good art teacher who allowed me to experiment. I started selling my work to galleries & local shops when I was about 14 yrs old. He taught me how to make my first moulds in plaster of paris to cast dolls in earthenware as we did not have porcelain at school.

I took a degree in fashion and fine art at Harris Art College in Preston. I only worked for a short time as a designer of children’s clothes before starting my own business in 1974 as a doll artist.
My dolls have porcelain heads and limbs which are china painted, and wired cloth bodies. I also make the wigs and clothes myself and my fashion training comes in handy with this.

I am a member of the British Doll Artist Association, Original Doll Artist Council of America, and The Global Doll Society for which I am a 3 star platinum award teacher which is the highest level attainable. I have been a judge for international competitions since 1996 and so my job has taken me all over the world for exhibitions and teaching.

I am lucky to have had lots of interesting jobs! I made the fairy for the top of the Christmas tree in Buckingham Palace in 1999, and I have made dolls and figures for many films and TV shows including The Catherine Cookson series on TV, and Madonna’s film “Shanghai Surprise” when I met Madonna and Sean Pen. I also made a portrait doll for the Queen Mother of herself as a little girl.

For the last 10 years my husband and I have been going to Romania and helping children there, at first in orphanages and the last 3 years we have been working with deaf and blind children. We have taken over lots of supplies for art and crafts in our motor home and stay for 1 or 2 months. I have taught them all kinds of art and crafts to give them confidence and passed on many skills that they would not normally get the chance to learn. I really enjoy sharing my passion with others and I have students from 8 to 80 years old.

To book Gillie for a workshop or discuss your ideas please ring 01257 482074 and she will be happy to assist you.