Now Urban has turned her penchant for art into a new venture: doll artistry. She began working in the three-dimensional media not long ago, sculpting first with clay and later with needle felting, a technique where the artist punches down a bat of sheep's wool into a shape with a special barbed tip needle. She has also started a unique group of artists to further the art of doll making.

  About two years ago Urban founded Original Doll Artisans of Connecticut, a group of professional doll artisans that works to support each other's work and promote their art in the state. Urban said her own experience in a new place spurred her to start the group.

"I moved up here and was new to the area," she said. "I felt isolated because my artist friends and colleagues were down in lower Fairfield County. I needed to meet artists in the three-dimensional genre because that was what I was starting to work with."

Urban also said she wanted a group that would help to promote the business of doll artistry.

"I wanted to find artists that were serious about sewing their work, and improving and honing it," she explained. "I wanted it to be an artists' association where we could be supportive of one another."

Urban said her group focuses not only on doll making, but also on the business of the art.

"All of our artists are in the situation where they have to support themselves by other means, like teaching," she said. "It used to be that that wasn't true. You really have to be a good business person as an artist and that is what I try to introduce to the group."

While Urban knew that she wanted her group to be able to protect and better themselves through their business, the process to get the group off the ground was more tedious than she originally expected.

"It was very difficult to get it started," she said. "I probably surfed the net for about seven months. There aren't a lot of people in Connecticut that do doll artistry as a fine art."

Now, though, Urban has created a niche for doll artisans. Her group includes five other doll artists from throughout the state and one from New Jersey.

Amy Rawson, of Hartford, is the vice president of the group. She has worked in polymer clay designing jewelry, as a costume mistress at a university and now as a doll artisan displaying work in the Midwest and Florida.

Another member of the group, Donna May Robinson-Pellittieri, of Weston, also has a varied background in the arts. She began a career as a designer after attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Robinson-Pellittieri shifted gears and returned to nursing school after a stint in the fashion industry. While working as a nurse, Robinson-Pellittieri found her passion for making dolls and has since exhibited her work in New York City, Moscow and other places.

Linda Wingerter is a trained illustrator from West Haven. She has painted works for financial magazines, computer programs, science fiction novels and opera posters in addition to illustrating numerous children's books. In 2002 she created an ornament for the Christmas tree at the White House.

Dawn Alice Rogers, from Bridgeport, is a gymnastics coach and doll artisan. An interesting combination, but one that developed from her love in gymnastics and interest in black and white photography. Rogers has worked in painting, decoupage, paper making, stamp carving and pottery. She has studied under many well-known doll artists and has exhibited in New York City.

M'oa Romig-Boyles is the group's out-of-state member, being from New Jersey, and originally Iceland. Romig-Boyles has a background in ceramics and sculpture from Skidmore College, and works in mask-making in addition to her doll artistry.

Urban said the interesting mix of women in the group has only added to her own experience as a doll artisan.

"To be a doll artisan you really have to be skilled in other mediums," she said. "We do a lot of other skills to be able to create what we create. My work has improved. I've learned a lot about other mediums I didn't know anything about.

"You learn a lot if you join this group, but something is expected in return," Urban added.

In the future Urban hopes she and her fellow doll artisans will be able to do their own gallery show in the area and continue displaying their work throughout the state and even country. Urban and Robinson will be showing their creations at the Toys Designed by Artists show in Little Rock, Ark. in the coming year.

In addition, Urban said she would like to expand the group and possibly hold workshops for those interested in the art of doll making. For now, though, she is happy with the course the group is taking.

"I feel privileged to have created this group," she said. "The women are phenomenal and talented and just...nice."

For information about the group or membership, or to view samples, visit www.odact.org. Interested artists can also email Urban at Suzanne-urban@smirkinggoddess.com.