What could be more magically beautiful than Porcelainette, aka Skye McLaughlin, a living work of art, with the purest heart? When people told her she was too fat to be a doll, that s just what she decided she wanted to become. A real-life art doll and virtual artist bringing magic into everyday life.
DRECK: You are a breathing work of art. If that is not the definition of beautiful I don’t know what is! What is your definition of beautiful?
Porcelainette: Thank you so much! I think my definition of beautiful is just…..anything that you encounter that gives you butterflies or goosebumps or makes your heart jump.
Could be a kiss on the cheek at just the right time, a clear night sky full of stars, a painting in a gallery, a firefly bespeckled forest, an evening spent with good friends and good food, or even a good thrift find.
So many things are really beautiful. So many things make my heart swell. I think that’s part of the real magic of the world. Humanity’s ability to find beauty in even the little things. I think that’s so important!
DRECK: Was there a point in your life when you decided you wanted to become an art doll? Or is it something that just developed over the years?
Porcelainette: I always really identified with dolls and action figures. I played with them a lot as a kid, and when I was most alone, they were like friends.
In my imagination, I could go anywhere and do anything with them. When I was 9 or 10, I discovered Ball Jointed Dolls (a type of art doll), these amazing, fully customizable doll-action figure hybrids, and IMMEDIATELY fell in love. I had never seen anything like them, and so I took it upon myself to learn everything about them that I possibly could. I begged my parents to buy me one every Christmas (they never did lol because they are SO ridiculously expensive)!!! But one Christmas when I was 18, my boyfriend at the time chipped in to help me buy one. I have 3, now!! And I definitely plan on collecting more.
But I loved them because there are endless possibilities to the character of the doll. The doll comes completely blank. No clothes, eyes, hair, nothing.
The hair, the eyes, the clothes, their skin color, size, makeup, etc. is all up to you to choose! You can make them into anything you want.
And eventually, that’s what my style became.
My style is a living, moving art installation that is always changing with me; and with my feelings. It’s how I bring out my true self. My rawest emotions.
I am using my body as the canvas to become my own art.
DRECK: I saw your quote somewhere about not being too fat to be a doll. And obviously, there is no right and wrong size for a doll. Did you ever have to deal with people who actually told you, you are too fat to be a doll? Hopefully not, but if so, how would you react to that?
Porcelainette: Absolutely, people have told me I was too fat. They told me I was to fat to be a doll. That I was too fat to model. That I was too fat to wear cute clothes!! That I was too fat to be feminine or dainty or cute, even!
The way I dealt with it, and the way I deal with it now is just doing whatever I want and not listening to people who tell me “You can’t.”
Because the fact is, I CAN AND I HAVE, and I always knew I could, so there are no naysayers that can change my mind. It’s as simple as that.
Someone says “you can’t do that!”……and I’ll just go and do it, anyway.
DRECK: Your makeup, and fashion, and creations are truly magical. Where do you get inspiration from daily?
Porcelainette: Honestly, there is so much great inspiration out there in the world. I find inspiration in the colors and lines and shapes of everyday life. Maybe the twist of an old oak tree or a particularly lovely sunset… or something pretty or strange I see in a store while I run errands.
The world around me is filled with beauty and inspiration.
Beyond that, I find myself most inspired by fantasy, old folklore, clowns, lowbrow art / pop surrealism, horror, magical creatures, kawaii culture, Japanese Street Fashion, nature, drag and club kids, cartoons and dolls. I’m also inspired by many of my incredibly creative friends.
DRECK: How easy or difficult is it being your own canvas?
Porcelainette: I find it to be really easy. My makeup art is basically a caricature of my own emotions. Putting those feeling on my face in shapes, colors, and expressions and faces I can’t make is so cathartic for me. It’s like meditating. And even scrubbing it off, afterward. The makeup disappearing. That feels good. The whole process is a cycle, like breathing in and out; deep breaths. It feels a lot like that. The ephemeral nature of makeup art is much like feelings in that way, and so they mesh perfectly. It’s deeply satisfying to me.
DRECK: The first time I heard of you, it was over a year ago, by a friend who considered you one of the most inspiring persons on Instagram. How does it feel knowing that you can inspire people all over the world?
Porcelainette: To be honest, it’s very surreal. I always had dreams of grandeur about fame. I think a lot of people do! But it actually sort of becoming real is the wildest, most intimidating thing, ever.
But I think it’s so amazing that I can create something, and so many people from anywhere can like….see and enjoy it and sort of be a part! I love that the internet brings everyone so much closer together.
Inspiring people with my work has been amazing. It gets me out of bed in the morning. I used to be this lonely, depressed, bullied kid who didn’t really have someone that was like me to look up to. I wanted to become that person that I needed when I was a kid….for someone else. If I could help one kid like me feel better. Make their world brighter. Give them the confidence to be who they want to be, well….that’s all I could ever ask for. ❤
DRECK: If you were not a living art doll, what do you think you would like to be?
Porcelainette: I think I would just be a painter!! I would probably just pour myself into painting and other art forms. That’s how all of this started! Drawing and painting!
If I hadn’t discovered makeup as a medium, I would probably just be pursuing painting / traditional & digital art, instead.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a famous artist or a famous singer (or both lol)… so I think I’d be on a similar path.
DRECK: You are dreamlike gorgeous. And I can tell you are a dreamer. What is your biggest dream?
Porcelainette: My biggest dream for myself is I really wanna be a pop star. I don’t know if it will ever happen, but I’m not gonna rule out any possibilities!
I just wanna combine all of the art forms I do into a SHOW. Something amazing and incredible to watch. Some…once in a lifetime experience that people never forget.
Something that sparks something in their hearts. A lot of artists have done that for me. I wanna create something that makes people feel like magic is real. I hope that makes sense.
Instagram: @porcelainette
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