Marzipan babies

Marzipan babies - Facts or fictions?



You've probably came across these pictures before in your e-mail titled marzipan babies. What exactly is marzipan? Is those pictures real? According to Cambridge dictionary, marzipan is a soft yellow or white food made from almonds, sugar and eggs that is used for decorating cakes and making sweets. Those photos are actually real, sculpted babies made by Camille Allen. However, Camille has explained in her website that those babies are not made from marzipan as the e-mail claimed, it's made from polymer clay. Marzipan or clay, those babies are incredibly life like and has fine details.


Camille Allen live in Powell River, British Columbia, Canada. Married to Clara Allen, and although they don't have any children yet, her love for babies are clearly shown in her work. She work in a large studio in a bright and cheerful heritage building built in 1916. Camille learned the art of doll making from her husband's grandmother just over 5 years ago. She taught Camille how to sculpt large lifesize dolls in polymer clay. A year later when Camille had some bits of leftover clay from a larger doll, she formed the bit of clay into a miniature baby. She said "When I held the tiny baby in my hand I had the feeling of protectiveness and fascination. I loved it instantly!"

She added "Babies are beautiful and full of life... I cannot think of a more deserving subject for sculpture. I have been making lifesize collectable artist dolls and sculpting miniature babies for about 5 years now. I love sculpting, and I am so thankful to Clara Allen, my husband's grandmother, for introducing me to this art form."

The first miniature baby she made was curled in a fetal position, and she even added an umbilical cord, as if it was still in the womb. The shape and size of the baby seemed similar to that of an egg shell. When she try to fit the baby inside an egg, it fits perfectly. This was how the idea of "Egg Babies" was born. The fragile newborn baby is complimented by the egg shell, reminding us of how fragile new life is and how gently they must be treated and cared for.

She even tried sculpting a baby inside a seashell - thus known as the "Shell Babies". The shapes of and textures of different seashells either echo the soft curves of babies, or they provide an interesting contrast to emphasize them. Some Shell Babies have pearls in their navels or are holding a pearl, like two little treasures found in one shell!

Those babies can come cheaply at $75 and can fetch as high as $4,000 a piece. It's definitely a worthy price to pay for this amazingly real sculptures.


Source : www.camilleallen.com