As an African American, Valencia has always found it difficult to find beautiful black babies. She is motivated by that fact to create babies to love for children and adults alike. When asked what being the first artist to newborn an African American baby for the Secrist Doll Company meant to her, Valencia quickly replied, "Oh my goodness!! It means the world to me. I have purchased every Secrist DVD and I feel like I know Pat and Stephanie. I am so excited; I pray that this is the start of a long relationship. I wrote to Mae that the world of newborning was a little lonely for me because until I started so many African American's had never heard of it. I had no one to talk to about it. My prayer is that together we will open up a whole new market for newborner/reborners in the African American community."

Getting Started
Ms. Lacy reminds aspiring newborners that when she started newborning, she "made many mistakes, it's not easy to get a good paint mix, but I wanted to keep trying because I absolutely love this art form!!" If you are not African American go to a hospital to study newborn African American babies. Stephanie Sullivan was correct in saying on the Genesis paint DVD that African American babies are not born with very dark pigment in their skin; we tend to develop our color as we get older and remember there are light complexions in our race. Sometimes you can do a lighter paint mix or use a coarser mohair, but not too coarse, remember you are creating a baby.

Technique
Valencia recommends developing any newborn/reborn color techniques on sample limbs which are available through Secrist Doll Company regardless of the complexion you are trying to achieve. She would like to see an expansion of the newborn/reborn market for African American dolls and manufacturers producing more African American kits/dolls. "It is so difficult to find beautiful African American babies and when I began to sell these there was a mad rush to buy them! You can't buy these babies at Toys 'r' Us and I loved dolls from being a child through to my adult years. When I wanted to buy a doll on eBay it was very hard to find a beautiful one. When I first discovered reborns I was out of control (laugh), I bought at least ten and only three were black and two Asian. Luckily I love and make dolls of all races, but of course like every little girl and adult collector I wanted a baby that looked like me."

Valencia's basic technique and tools those that are demonstrated on the Painting with Genesis Heat Set Paints training DVD. The main difference is the color mix, using the Petite Ethnic Paint Set. "My paint mixes are done a little like soul food - not a lot of measuring just love and eye measurement, therefore I encourage everyone to purchase a copy of the Secrist Genesis Paint DVD to serve as a basic guideline to creating a beautiful African American baby."

Valencia is grateful to the Secrist Company for helping her to complete this project. "I just have to say thank you again to Mae for allowing me to complete this project for Secrist. I was a very lonely reborn artist and now I feel appreciated and part of the Secrist family." Perhaps as you read this article, you will be inspired to pursue your own passion. With a little determination, a little help from friends, and your own vision, maybe yours will be the next success story.