About Me

Hi, I'm Chloe!

My name is Chloe Bensinger and I sculpt lifelike and poseable fantasy creatures. As a kid with a wild imagination, I grew up running through the Michigan woods with my make believe beasts. I developed a deep love for the natural world around me, constantly listening and observing and bursting with inspiration. I began to incorporate nature into my work forming the perfect bond between my two loves, fantasy and the raw earth.

Rooted in childhood

As a child I lived in my imagination. I spent my summers barefoot in the lake at my Nana's or running through the tall pines behind my family home. Teddy bear picnics, stories of fairies and mermaids, my Nana always telling us to look closely at flowers and the little nooks and holes within the trees.

A huge part of my deeply developed love for odd creatures began through the small door of a dollhouse. My toys were sacred to me, I treated them with great love and respect. I had (and still have) a very big heart, they were almost alive and very real. Playing was everything to me... making up complex stories, designing intricate homes and crafting unique outfits. I very clearly had a love for small things, and especially neglected ones. I loved fixing up old dolls and toys, returning them to their former glory. My hands were always moving and my mind was constantly wide awake with ideas. 

How it all began...

I was always fascinated by toys and dolls, and naturally I wanted to make my own someday. When the days of playing dollhouse were suddenly over and school and young adult life took over my time, I found my inner child longing for what used to spark my creativity. I got interested in ball jointed dolls and fell in love with how they could move and express lifelike characteristics. I taught myself pastel blushing, sealing, wig making, and working 3D instead of confining myself to drawing and painting.

Developing Myself as an Artist

While I enjoyed customizing dolls, I found myself wanting more, and out of the blue picked up some clay. The skills I had learned from ball jointed dolls were applied to making my own poseable fine art sculptures, and I began working nature into my work. Acorns for hats, little faces within walnuts, rose thorns for dragon spines... my love of fantasy and the faerie realm combined with my deep love of nature all merged into what has now developed into my unique style. Warm and earthy, with a touch of sweetness and light. My work today sets out to honor the forests and stories I love, and to invite all of you into that same childlike wonder I still strive to live out today.

Then and Now

  • Whym the White Dragon

    Whym is dear to me, he was my very first attempt at sculpture work. He was a learning experience with many mistakes, but he ignited and unlocked a love for clay that I didn't realize I had. It meant everything to me to lift those ideas off of paper and be able to turn them into something I could touch and hold.

  • Gwin the Horned Marten

    My second attempt while in college, applying more of my practiced skills. Gwin is a poseable sculpture, based off of a favorite childhood book, Inkheart. Little me wanted my own Gwin so badly, and adult me brought him to life and fulfilled that dream.