Stadnik, the Giant.

In this post, I will firstly announce a few things, then will be totally focused on a single subject which is very dear to my heart.

My new website is now online! YAAAAAAAAAAAY! The address remains the same : WWW.CKDOLLS.COM
And you will find there, of course, the layaways as a payment method, but also Kitty the Flying Mouse’s preorder open ( in several colors) as well as Stadnik’s one open.
I am also almost done with all the Mystery face ups and will keep everyone of you updated about his own 🙂

About 10 years ago, I watched a TV report. About a giant man. The man was named Leonid Stadnyk, he was Ukrainian and due to a brain surgery during his childhood, he started to grow, grow grow, endlessly. Leonid Stadnyk is a veterinarian. But he cannot work as the cows of his village are afraid of him. To feed his mother he lives with, he had to grow his own vegetables, but during one winter, as he had no shoes, because his size doesn’t exist; his ankles bones got frozen and exploded. Since then, Leonid limps. A sponsor got him some shoes made especially for him in the meantime as he entered the Guinness records book for his height.
Every year, Leonid was getting ready, with some flowers he picked up in the fields, to go in his carriage with his horse ( as no car can receive his giant body) for a 3 hrs trip to go the ball of all the villages of the valley. The dream of Leonid Stadnyk was to find a girl whom would of accepted to dance with him and maybe to become his fiancée. Because in Leonid’s village, there is no child. He read in many books about how sounds the laughter of children and his dream, the dream of this gigantic life was to love, be loved and have children.

Leonid never took pride of his height. He has always been utterly embarrassed with it. Being a giant is his curse. A few years ago, though he knew he would then have a harder life because sponsors would leave him if he’d decide so, he took the decision to withdraw his “Tallest Man of the World”‘s title and asked for his name to be removed from the Guinness Book.
Leonid says that the world is too small for a person like him. So, his friends of the village, are, since years, raising a private funds, from their own pockets, to offer him a trip in the Carpathian Mountains to show him that there is a place big enough for him in our little world.

Some whisper, and I hope with every cell of my heart that they whisper the truth, that Leonid recently found a Fiancée and that he keeps his and their life even more secret than before.

I have rarely been touched by a story as I have been by his.

Leonid Stadnyk is a Giant, but he limps. How is it to be a Giant?
I can tell you for my son Arnaud is too a Giant. It is true that I sometimes wonder if this world can welcome a Giant of his kind. Especially a different Giant with Autism. Arnaud does limp too, he limps his way; he needs me to hold his hand constantly. Sometimes, when he comes to sleep in my bed, in the middle of his dreams, he looks for my hand, finds it, mixes his fingers with mine and holds it tight.

I think we all limp. If not from a leg, from the heart. We all have our injuries which make us needing something priceless and utterly fundamental : a hand to hold to help us on the road.
My children have mines, both of them, for it is not easy to be the brother of a different Giant neither.

When I sculpted my very very first art doll, I thought that one day I will sculpt a giant.
I waited for I wanted to have the required skill to make her looking as I wished her to. And also because, I confess it, I could not jeopardize so much clay on such gigantic doll and fail it, for I could not afford it.

So here is Stadnik. The Giant doll. A Fragile Giant, who needs someone to hold her hand to help her walking. Because even Giants, and dare I say, especially Giants are fragile.
She is the expression of my questioning, one of my biggest ones, ” Is there a place for Giants in this world? Is there enough space for us to limp on our roads? Is there a place where limping hearts are welcome?”
My Stadnik wonders if someone will ever love her, if someone will hold her hand as I held it when she was with me, if someone can fulfill that abyss her difference dug in her heart causing a giant need for affection.

Stadnik is 82cm tall. Her wig size is 13. her eyes are 22 or 20mm. She will come in cream environmental resin. As you can see on the photos, she stands perfectly and poses very well too. She is 1900$ and layaways till 8 installments are available. I know it is a big risk to make such preorder, but… Let’s say I need an answer, whatever it is.

Comments

She is gorgeous, Nefer. What a wonderful and touching story.

you got me, I have shed a tear for you and for me….and I shall love her and give her the name Alvena. My beautiful Grandmother was named Alvena, she passed when I was very young. She was amazing and loved to “dress up” and she loved me….then she was gone….then my father left and my grandfather never came back to see me…and then my mother left me with friends…so I’ve limped along since I was 16 when they dumped me off. It seems Alvena was the only reason they kept me for that long.I would never do that to my child…you are an amazing person and inspiration. I will be honored to hold your giants hand! ❤

Beauitful Nefer!!Once Again!

pleine de charme,remplie de grâce,elle fait une entrée remarquée,chez Circus KANE……..

Well, here I stand in the reception att the gym were I work with tears in my eye’s. I remember this kind giant( I to red about him years ago)and sometimes I think of him and wish he is happy. I think all the people that will get this giant doll will tresure her and hold her hand and she will hold theirs and you will know she gives people lot’s of happiness. This giant touched his whole village hearts and they are happy to help him fit in. I’m SURE your son touches many many peoples hearts as well! Take care and thank you for this blog post.

I have to admit it, I held back my tears reading Leonid Stadnik’s story, and what you saif after. And it remembered me of one of my favorite Tim Burton’s film, Big Fish, if you haven’t seen it I deeply recommend it to you. I hope I’ll see one of your giant Stadnik one day and be able to hold her hand.

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Dear Nefer,

This is what I love about you and your work. Each creation is such a thoughtful piece of your own hear. I remember your story of Nexeven’s creation too. You put a soul into each one. I think there is a place in our world for all of the giants, limping or not. It sometimes takes a lot of courage to find the place as Leonid discovered. Stadnik will find her place as will Arnaud.

Tu as bien raison, on est tous un peu boiteux quelque part au fond de nous. Mais nos frères humains, ainsi que l’art et la musique, ou des artistes comme toi, sont nos béquilles ! biz

J’ai oublié de dire, elle est belle !!!

I didn’t think that you could make a doll I love as much as Nexeven, but you just outdid yourself. She is so expressive and lovely in every way.

You and Stadnik will open the eyes of some so they will hold out their hand to dance…….<3 ❤ ❤

What a lovely image – Leonid and Stadnik dancing with Nefer and her boys. I imagine hair flying wildly on a starlit night.

you have said it all so beautifully, as much beauty as in your fine craft of dollmaking. you are truly one very amazing person nefer. xoxo

I know how hard it is to share your soul with all of us. What a beautiful story. Sad but true. Praying one day that all the giants of this world will be loved and accepted. I so love your writtings.

Nefer, you truly are a wonder! Your story made my throat all dry. I remember reading about this amazing man too. And I love the spin you have with your words. Your creations lift my heart.

This is an amazing story. I love this doll from what I see here. Now only does it evoke your tale of Leonid but it’s probably the first doll I’ve seen that evokes the memory or Holy Bellmer. Your work is truly magical and full of wonder. I now have to ponder and head over to the store to cast my vote of confidence…..

Nefer, tu es aussi une géante, de par ta bonté, ton caractère.
Donc forcément tes enfants sont des géants…
J’aime tes histoires écrites ou en résine ( pour moi toutes tes oeuvres racontent des histoires…)

Dear Nefer..I have truly admired your work for a very long time and have always wanted to add one of your dolls to my collection..I am so thrilled to have ordered your beautiful giant and yes I will hold her hand and love her forever..and hope that I can feel all the artistic love that has gone into sculpting this wonderful masterpiece ♥

Kim

The honor is all mine my dear Kim. It is indeed a very precious emotion to know that you will hold her hand forever. I can never thank you enough ❤
I am so very grateful!!!

She is so incredible. I am trying to get in right in time to make her ordering, it’s just so hard to spend money right at Xmas. That said I need this lovely giant. like Kim, I’ve admired your work for so long, and cannot miss this chance to own this marvelous work.
Tout de votre poupees est marvellieuse. Je t’adore, je t’aime.