Originally an illustrator and sculptor, Charles Grimberg Stephan joined the BJD world when he collaborated with celebrated Korean artist Rainman on a doll. Ten years later, Charles continues to enchant his followers with his tiny creations.
Q: I think that the choices of dolls for your anniversary are significant. You have returned to the same subjects (piglets and fireflies) over the years. Can you tell me why each is special to you and how they continue to inspire new creations?
A: Pigs continue being a big inspiration to me. My first BJD I created was a piggy BJD, Alice Cherry Blossom, a joint project with Elfdoll. Inc.,Korea. Before I started sculpting BJDs, I was known for my pig art. I have a studio called Babi Senang (Indonesian for The Happy Pig) and I made water color pet pig portraits and I made pig sculptures. About 20 years ago I was the Chairman of a pet pig foundation, ‘t Gorke. I published a bi-monthly pet pig magazine and I wrote and illustrated a published guide book ‘Van Minivarken tot Grote Vriend’ on how to keep pigs as pets.
The Firefly Faeries are very special to me and the very first one that I made was Fidelia (11cm Tiny) back in 2009. I did not intend it, but somehow the face of my eldest daughter Larissa came through in this sculpt. When I later made Fidelia a sister (Fuuga 11cm Tiny), that doll became very special to me also since I did her as a tribute to a dear friend Grace of Jpopdolls, and Fuuga was meant to give her ‘light’ in the darkness. Fidelia was the very first ball-jointed doll that had the Glow-in-the-Dark feature. The famous Tiggy BJD (Gita Ladd) took the early fame of Fidelia to another level. Gita ‘toured’ with Tiggy (Fidelia) in the US and Worldwide. She showed Tiggy all around and pictured her with a lot of people, sometimes even with celebrities!
The theme Fantasy – faeries, fauns, trolls, gnomes and elves- has been a huge source of inspiration to me throughout the years. I practically grew up with it. Living in my own world, I created drawings and little sculptures of fairies, trolls and gnomes. Together with my eldest sister Joan, I used to work on all kinds of fantasy related art projects: drawings, paintings and sculptures. I always read fantasy books and I am forever indepted to Rien Poortvliet (The life and times of the Gnome) – my ‘bible’ and to Brian & Wendy Froud (all of their works), Walt Disney and everything from Mr. Miyazaki from Studio Ghibli.
It is because of my love of Brian and Wendy Froud’s work that I made the Ugly Woodling Trolls Aggie Pebbles and Augie BamBam, and their siblings Troll Babies Ebba, Ulla & Ugo. Upcoming is Eggie Moss, a younger sibling of Aggie and Augie and a new Ugly Woodling Troll family member.
Another note about pigs: a novelty I will be releasing, exclusive designer chocolate pOink bon bons (really for eating 😊 shaped as my pOink piggy Tiny BJD) – these bon bons will officially be launched at the opening of a mini solo CCC BJD art exhibition by the end of this Fall. This will be held in a little Flower Shop ‘Bloemen Rotterdam’ in Rotterdam City. A wonderful detail is that this shop is located in the same street where I exhibited about ten years ago – Nieuwe Binnenweg at FA Nieuwenhuyzen.
Q: Tell me more specifically about each of the two new dolls Babi Jempol and Bibimbug.
About Babi Jempol (Thumb piglet) – Twenty years ago I fell in love with a picture of a darling piglet (een dot van een big, Landleven magazine 1998). This little piggy had been on my list to make into a ball-jointed doll, before Babi Jempol, I only made anthro dolls) I kept thinking about the animal design and if I should try and make a realistic animal. One night I had a special dream about wee tiny piggies that lived in a birdhouse, my eldest sister Joan (who sadly passed away 9 October 2005, age 39) also appeared in this dream, so to me it was clear I had to do something with this concept. When Babi Jempol was finished, I showed the first grey master prototype to my dear friend and the biggest pig lover in the world that I know: Donata van der Goorbergh. She is a big fan of my work, loves Alice, BuBu, pOink etc and when she saw BJ she fell instantly in love. I dedicated Babi Jempol to her and also to the wee piglet ‘Dotbig’ who started my love for pigs!
About Bibimbug – I felt it was time for a new family member for my Firefly Faeries series. And what better theme,a new baby FF, next to a piggy of course, is there to celebrate our 10th anniversary?
Bibimbug was the idea of one of my collectors Roni Williams. She told me she wished for Shinju, my baby pet mermaid 8cm BJD, as a fairy. Bibimbug has become the same size as Baby Fidelle (a 7cm baby version of Fidelia), with the face of Shinju and with fairy ears, and with more joints (arms, feet, legs, rump). The name “Bibimbug” comes from the word bibimbap , the Korean mixed rice dish. I always loved the sound of that word and felt it would suit this new baby fairy, since she was also ‘born’ because of a wish dream to become a fairy. Just like the famous fairytale The Little Mermaid where Ariel dreams of becoming human, Shinju wished to become a fairy, so she is mixed too. Just like all my other Firefly Faeries, she’ll off course have the special Glow-in-the-Dark feature. The preorder of Bibimbug will be opened in a few weeks from now.
Q: Do you think your work has changed over the years, and if so how?
A: Well, yes but no really big changes I guess. My style is still mainly cute (to some creepy/cute) and fantasy. I am a perfectionist and not easily pleased with the outcome of my work. There is always something that I could have done differently or that still needs to be perfected, but at some point I just have to say to myself this is it, it’s done/finished now. I always try to be inventive and experiment with my sculpts like sculpted hair on the Ugly Woodling Trolls for instance and a tiny jointed troll tail, or the tiny suckers on the extra arms of the squid BJD Cumiko. My latest Babi Jempol was also something new for me, an animal on four hooves.
Q: Are all of your dolls still built by hand, or have you experimented with 3D sculpting programs?
A: Yes most of them are still old-school hand sculpted. And yes, I have also experimented with 3D computer programs. My Isilmë Frost Firefly Faerie was the first head I sculpted with Zbrush (computer) and after her I did birdboy Gaylibri Filigod. I like experimenting with it and it does have a lot of upsides since you don’t have to throw away faulty or dried up clay doll parts, you don’t need a lot of working space, and you can work on it whenever you want without worrying about the clay. I think it’s a wonderful technique as well to upscale or downsize any sculpt that was hand made earlier. In the end it still remains your own sculpt only scaled into any doll size.
Q: What are your hopes/plans for the future?
A: I honestly feel blessed that I have a dream job come true. Since Spring 2015 I’m doing this fulltime. Doing it mostly all myself running this one-man business, releasing collector item pieces in limited runs. Ever since I was young I dreamed about having an artistic job. It gives me so much joy when I receive loving messages and pictures from my collectors from all over the world. I hope to be able to continue making people happy with my work. What better job is there when you get to put smiles on peoples faces with your art work? And sometimes my work even got people through very rough patches in their lives. Also wonderful is that we’ve made new friends in Spain, France and Thailand.We are getting to see a lot of the world by attending international BJD shows in different cities. Doing this together with my loving and always supportive husband Pieter we both enjoy meeting friends, fans and collectors. Finally I would like to thank my closest CCC people that have been and stayed with me from the very start: my sister Linda (Lin Murasaki Design), outfit designer Murjani Kusumobroto (Fairy Fragilities), always supportive Grace Szczepaniec, my casting company Weiju (China) and to all my loyal fans and friends. Last but not least a big thank you to my husband Pieter, who has to live with an artist (who works at home) as a companion. I don’t suppose I need to tell you that this probably isn’t always an easy thing to do!
(Charles’ book on miniature pigs is Van minivarken tot grote vriend, Charles Stephan author/illustrator
Compasso Media B.V., ISBN: 907700209X, April 2003, Language Dutch, with illustrations.)
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So wonderful to reed your life story, dear Charles, and I am really proud to be one of the friends around you!!
I can remember so well that many years ago you was searching for your creative life purpose and I saw already that your talent would bring you where you are belonging!
You are fully flowering now and I am so happy to see that!!