In the Spotlight - Savannah

In the Spotlight - Savannah

Hello, my name is Frank Miesner and I became interested in the BJD dolls quite on purpose. I think someone else's purpose. I was very interested in the 16" fashion dolls for many years and bought and sold them. Through the vehicle of E-bay we actually sold quite a variety of items. I was constantly trying better ways to get photographs in our auctions and photography for the auctions became an enjoyable thing for me. It wasn't long till I started photographing the fashion dolls and outfits my wife would sew, not just for sales purposes, but also as a hobby. I followed the fashion doll scene for many years, especially the repaint artists. Soon I was buying my own repaints and taking photos of them. Through the avenue of the Prego doll board (an online community primarily discussing Sydney Chase and other 16 inch fashion dolls), these strange dolls known as Bjd's would randomly make their way into my world, eerily requesting an audience. I didn't think much of them at first as they appeared quite alien to me. After coming across a few that did appeal to me, they began to fuel the fire of my interest.

Ange had Zen, a Luts Lishe. I knew her from the doll boards as she makes great jewelry (Ange's Dolljewels Site) and was posting on the Prego board as well. We actually met for the first time at a luncheon after a doll convention here in Vancouver, Washington. Not having a clue what a BJD actually looked like Ange brought Zen to a doll sale in my neighborhood where I saw my first BJD up close. Then she asked me if I wanted to borrow her for a while to see for myself how versatile and fun these dolls really were. I met her one day at Starbucks and she graciously allowed Zen to come and visit, along with her wigs, eyes, and various outfits. I spent the weekend with my camera taking pictures. Both my wife and I had a blast. Zen was a hit! Shortly thereafter I purchased my own Lishe from Luts and named her Asia.

Early this year Davona made an announcement that Rainman had a new sculpt shortly to be available for sale. (For more information on Rainman, see his website Rainman Doll). This new doll was named Ryung. The promotional photos were very intriguing and totally captured my attention. Needless to say I pre-ordered Ryung on the first wave of sales through Davona's website. Ryung arrived early April this year and I named her Savannah. She came with an extra sleepy head, along with a pair of pants and a white button down dress shirt, eyes, and her long black wig. Shortly after arriving, Savannah made it clear to me that she was not a brunette.

Her first photo session went very well. I did implore my wife Elizabeth to change the color of her lips. With the dramatic faceup her lips were bright red. Elizabeth toned them down for me, with remarkable skill. The sleepy head is no longer a sleepy head as I opened the eyes and Elizabeth is in the process of doing her faceup. Savannah is planning on making a trip to the salon for a faceup in the near future.

Savannah's adventurous spirit and love of nature made it easy for her and Asia to become the best of friends. They both love the outdoors and regularly go on nature hikes, visiting the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. One of her pet peeves is litter and it tends to make her a bit irate. Savannah is 20 years old and is working as a model in the employ of "The Vintage Stitch", (a cottage industry which designs and creates vintage and contemporary attire for dolls everywhere). She quickly won the heart of Vintage Stitch designer Elizabeth Miesner and became her favorite BJD model. She spends many hours in the fitting room helping to insure that Elizabeth's creations fit perfectly.

Savannah is an imaginative dreamer who plans to be a writer someday. Her love of Jazz and music with a Latin flair are probably the only things that bring her out of her shy shell, as she doesn't like crowds and tends to fidget when nervous. She's also is a bit claustrophobic. She is very interested in dancing and is currently looking into Latin or Salsa Dancing instruction. Savannah is an excellent swimmer and occasionally can be found cooling off in a local lake or river.

One of the neat things about her is that she enjoys helping others and is constantly looking for ways to volunteer her skills in whatever way she can to help those around her. She adores Afrikan Rooibos Tea and her favorite color is yellow.

Savannah and Asia have recently been joined by Tobias (a Dean doll by Dollmore ). By the time this article is published, Soah, another Rainman sculpt will also most likely be joining them.