I always have had a sympathy for little things. When I was 8 years old, I had a miniature baby doll and I carried it in my pocket or backpack; I brought it with me everywhere. Also, it was fun to play with my Barbie and her “mini” furniture.
How did you first get started making miniatures?
I believe I’ve always been a crafty person… this is also what my family and friends have told me since the beginning. I like using my creativity to create something impressive in every field. One day, I saw a video of a miniature craft on YouTube, then I started to watch more and more. They were so awesome and perfectly created. These videos made me think: “why can’t I make crafts like these? Why not me?” So, at first, I tried to make miniature breads using water and flour. It gave me courage to make more crafts and to be more professional. It was all about the inspiration!
Do you remember the very first miniature you ever made?
Yes! It was a piece of bread, a baguette. I still have it in our kitchen as a little decoration.
What is your favorite type of miniature to make?
My favorite type of miniature is dessert: mostly cakes and French patisseries. At the end of my creation it’s fascinating to see realistic but non-edible miniature crafts. When I’m working with little details, I forget everything and just think about my miniature craft and it de-stresses me. This is what a hobby is for!
What types of clay do you use in your work?
Nowadays, I use polymer clay instead of using modeling clay. The materials I have used include dotting tools, aluminum foil, toothbrush, and some cooking utensils like a cream squeezer.
What is the most challenging miniature to make?
Lemon cane! Even though I have tried four times and watched videos of techniques, I still can’t do it and I don’t know why.
What advice would you give to new miniaturists?
Creativity is everything. Don’t hesitate to use your talent and search for everything which would inspire you: videos, artists, crafts, and blogs to boost your talent. Don’t be afraid of try something new or different. Never give up. Even if people don’t like or care your craft, then try again, work hard and create it for yourself.
What inspires you?
Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube boost my creativity. I mostly make miniature food, so I get inspiration from real food and desserts. Actually, every detail in real life makes me excited and inspires me.
Why miniatures?
To create something by hand means everything to me. Working with details is a passion, it’s so special and personalized. I know I can create everything… food or buildings… the size doesn’t matter!
What’s to come from Miniature Madness?
Instead of creating miniature food, I’m planning to create miniature dolls, furniture, and clothes out of fabric.
Words you live by?
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” –Maya Angelou
“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” –William Arthur Ward
Other activities you enjoy?
Knitting is my new hobby. I also enjoy designing jewelry, drawing, painting, and roller skating.
What do you want miniature fans to know about you?
I have been making miniatures as a hobby for three years. I have begun to turn my miniatures into key chains and my goal is to sell them on Etsy.
Miniature Madness was created by Suzan Hazan who lives in İstanbul, Turkey. Like what you see? Make sure to follow her on Instagram!
I have always been obsessed with the microcosm. All my play as a child explored this theme; I loved miniatures because they were small and secret… something most people walk right by without noticing. My favorite game from as early as I can remember was to run around and pretend I was a bird flying in the sky, imagining the patterns on the sand at the beach, grass or carpet were vast landscapes. Crouching down close I could see all their tiny and intricate details as a giant. I also loved to create tiny houses and towns in the garden for the fairies. When I was five, I discovered dollhouses existed and from that point on, I collected anything which looked miniature, including all sorts of junk (bottle cap chairs or shell plates). By the time I was 10, I had a significant collection of random objects which were very precious to me!
Can you share a first memory with architectural design?
When I was 10, we moved from the far north of the Queensland to southern Victoria. The architecture in the south of Australia is vastly different to far north Queensland and it blew my mind. There are no decorative or historic houses up north due to the destructive tropical climate. Victoria however is full of whimsical Victorian era houses with decorative ironwork and beautiful eclectic designs. The age of the houses was also amazing to me. Up north most houses are modern, and there is no sense of longevity or history in them. These houses down south captivated me with their antiquity. From that time on, I became obsessive… drawing houses and riding my bike around mapping their locations and looking for more. By the time I was in my later teens, I was familiar with all the historic houses in my city and could tell you their location if I saw them in the real estate pages of the newspaper. My fascination with architecture and building history has never relented.
How did you first get started making miniatures?
My interest in miniatures stems from my interest in architecture and my fascination with microcosms. I began to seriously try and make miniatures when I was around 13. I planned a large dollhouse, and got as far as making the shell. However, I didn’t really know how to complete it and it was left unfinished and had to be thrown out (it was also structurally unsound!). However, I tried a few more times and had properly finished my first dollhouse by the time I was 19. The architectural style of my dollhouses is always in accordance with the architectural period I am interested in or studying at that time. I have finished about six more houses in the decade since: three Victorian houses, two mid twentieth century, one Georgian and one Swedish Gustavian Style house.
Do you remember the first miniature you owned?
The first “proper” miniature I ever had was a tiny plastic cognac bottle which came off the decoration on the front of a full size bottle which my Uncle bought in Switzerland when I was five. He took the real cognac and threw me the tiny one. I treasured that bottle because it looked so realistic to me and I still have it today!
What is the most challenging miniature to make?
For me, furniture is the most challenging. I move through phases with miniatures. At the moment, I am focused on 1:24 furniture, in particular chairs. Before that, it was 1:24 houses, and before that 1:12 houses. I expect I will get back to the architecture side soon, after I have mastered furniture! Furniture is difficult because you must build it from many constituent parts, all of which must be designed so they fit together properly and are at the right scale too. Sometimes you can create a piece of furniture which looks nothing like what you set out to achieve, and so it is a process of trial and error.
What’s your favorite period and type of architecture?
In my architecture studies I have been most interested in pre-industrial revolution architecture. The great thing about miniatures is that you can explore whichever historical period or modern movement you are interested in in a tangible way without having to spend lots of money or travel around the world. I am coming out of a two year phase of serious interest in neo-Gothic architecture. It has been so interesting to study the genesis of the movement in Britain, but then learn how it mutated when it arrived Australia and later the U.S., and how each country has interpreted it through their own sense of climactic conditions and social. I have been exploring this period at the moment while having fun making Gothic style furniture and a 1:24 middle class American style Carpenter Gothic house.
Currently, I am working on a project in which I am trying to create an exact miniature replica of a pre-fabricated colonial cottage producing in 1833 for settlers to Australia from Britain. I found details and plans of the cottage in an historic book published in 1833 (Loudon’s Encyclopedia of Cottage Farm and Villa Architecture, Vol 1). I am halfway through the project and you can follow my progress on Instagram. It has been a great way for me to learn more about colonial architecture in Australia, as well as the framing and structure of the building.
In addition to neo-Gothic architecture, I adore the austere colonial Regency and Georgian Architecture of the early settlement of Tasmania. Tasmania was the first state of Australia to have a significant settlement, and most of the oldest buildings in Australia are there. I have spent many trips traveling to Tasmania to study and photograph these beautiful (and often forgotten) buildings.
Who are some of your favorite miniaturists?
My favorite miniaturists are usually those who have managed to achieve a great degree of realism and quality in their work. These include some obvious names, such as Mulvany & Rogers, Pat and Noel Thomas, as well as Tarbena Miniatures and Small-Time Miniatures. These miniaturists are professionals who only produce miniatures of the highest quality. Another favorite of mine is Patty of MinisX2 on Etsy, who produces wonderful handmade mid century modern furniture.
Favorite architects you’d like to cite?
I particularly love Sir John Soane. He was a British architect practicing in the late 17th and early 18th century in Britain. His impact was so great that buildings built by some of the great twentieth century architects, such as Venturi and Kahn were influenced by his work. I find it fascinating how architecture is a fluid thing. One movement influences another, sometimes imperceptibly, but it is always possible to trace the kernel of ideas back in time, sometimes even hundreds of years.
What advice would you give to new miniaturists?
I would advise miniaturists to immerse themselves in experiencing and/or looking at real images of the objects or buildings they want to recreate in miniature. Too often, poor quality work is produced because the maker does not have a good visual understanding of the real object they are trying to recreate in miniature. When I find a new topic of interest (for example, Victorian parlour furniture) I study it obsessively, and immerse myself in images of that type of furniture. I will borrow dozens of books and relentlessly scour the Internet for reference material. I visit antique shops and study the shapes, sizes and materials. This is because I always strive for realism in my miniatures, and this can never be achieved without observing life very closely.
What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?
I visited the most amazing dollhouse shop in London while I was there this past June. The shop was run by an elderly lady and was packed from floor to ceiling with incredibly high quality miniature things. The lady who owns the shop is famed for her habit of not selling a tiny thing to a customer whom she does not deem worthy of the object. After about 30 minutes in the shop chatting to the lady and her devoted assistant, she must have decided I was worthy because she called me over to see “her best miniature.” It was a tiny working Swiss army knife created by miniaturist Laurence St. Leger. The object had won him the 2015 Perfection In Miniature Award at the Kensington Dollshouse Festival. Notwithstanding the object’s significant value, she allowed me to hold it and photograph it. She also told me that he had made another one a couple of years before, but it had fallen out of his hands and took him three years to find again…
What is your hope for the field of miniatures?
I would like to see more realism in dollhouses in terms of architectural accuracy. I hate it when companies create mass-produced houses which look awful because they are out of proportion or because the designers haven’t bothered to understood how houses of a particular style actually look. The Jasmine Victorian Dollhouse Kit by Laser Dollhouse Designs Inc. is the perfect example of this. Unfortunately, there is too much mediocrity in the mass-produced, cheap market. It can be difficult to get an authentic and well-designed house kit which does not cost the earth. In the long term, I plan to create a line of dollhouse kits which are architectural accurate but also inexpensive, for collectors and architectural enthusiasts who can tell the difference.
What would you like to see replicated in miniature that you have not yet seen?
I would love to see more architecturally accurate dollhouses from a range of periods beyond the standard Victorian and Tudor. There are so many wonderful movements and styles from throughout architectural history that are never really explored in miniature. I would also like to see more miniatures which are not just focused on English or American architectural styles as well. For example, traditional Japanese and Chinese architecture is incredibly beautiful and would translate wonderfully into miniature houses.
What’s to come from Little Architecture?
In addition to the new website, I have begun research for a range of commercial dollhouse kits which are architecturally accurate. I want to produce a wide range of houses, both from historical time periods as well as different cultures.
The earliest memory I have with miniatures is being a very young child on the beach with my brothers and sister. We would make miniature cities from things we found on the beach. I can always remember making mini football pitches in the sand using twigs as goal posts and loose bits of fishing net.
How did you get started making miniatures of your own?
I haven’t been making miniatures very long; I graduated from the Arts University Bournemouth last year and in my first year, we were given a project to recreate an artist studio. I was sick of drawing so I asked if I could build a mini studio instead. Luckily they said yes, and I made Francis Bacon’s. I got really into it and my mum bought me Joe Fig’s Inside the Artist’s Studio and I discovered Charles Matton’s work. That’s where my interest comes from. Those two are still my biggest inspirations.
Do you keep all the miniatures you make?
I always liked collecting miniature things and making things, but I don’t have any of them anymore. I made a mini card cut-out stop motion to Chris Isaak’s song “Wicked Games.” It was about two merpeople falling in love; that was pretty funny.
What’s your favorite type of miniature to make?
My favorite type of miniature to make is a cluttered space that allows me to be really intricate. I think this is why I enjoyed making Antony Micallef’s studio, as there’s so much going on in a small space. I’m making a recreation of a café at the moment, and I’m enjoying it a lot for the same reasons. I think I like these spaces the most because I like busy images, something that you can look at again and again but keep seeing different things. I prefer making one piece that will take a long time rather than lots of little pieces. I like the patience that is needed to make miniatures; it can be very therapeutic.
Most challenging aspect of your work with miniatures?
I’m trying to use lots of new materials at the moment. I love to get the look you can get using metals with miniatures, but I find these to be the hardest.
Favorite miniature you own?
In terms of my own work, I find every new piece I make becomes my new favorite so hopefully that trend will continue…
Advice for new miniaturists?
If I was to give any artist new to miniatures advice it would be to listen to the Harry Potter audio books, it’s the perfect thing to work to.
What inspires you?
For me, interesting interiors are my biggest inspiration. I’m always looking for new rooms that I think will make good miniatures. As my work progresses, I’m starting to see more of a pattern in the things I like – mostly cluttered rooms.
Most memorable miniature you’ve seen?
There’s an amazing photo of Charles Matton placing a chair into one of his miniature scenes; that’s the most memorable for me.
Why miniatures?
While I was at Arts University, I started to notice how people’s work was a massive reflection of their own personality. I think the same can be said for me. To make miniatures you need to be patient, calm, and have a good eye for detail. And so, I think it makes sense for me to do miniatures.
What’s to come from Elliot Hopes?
I’m currently working on another miniature – it’s a recreation of a café I worked in and I think it suits my style a lot. I want to branch out and start doing all sorts of rooms. I’m tiling the walls at the moment and it’s looking pretty cool. If you check my Instagram you can see some of the food I’ve been making for it as well. I like the personal aspect of making someone’s studio, house, or café because it can become very special to them.
Words you live by?
I think it’s very important to do the thing you enjoy the most.
What do you want miniature enthusiasts to know about you?
I’ve recently started working with another artist and we’ve opened a shop on Etsy called Two Brains Make One. All my work is going to be available to buy from there so check it out!
Elliot Hopes Art and Two Brains Make One were created by Elliot Hopes who currently lives in Bath, United Kingdom. To see more of his work, check out his website, shop on Etsy, or follow along on Instagram!
I’ve been drawing since I could pick up a pencil. As a toddler, my Grandmother would hand me a pen and paper to keep me quiet in church service. In junior high, my art teacher encouraged me to develop my drawing skills by pointing out that I was improving with every drawing I did. My high school art teacher taught me that being creative is more important than copying a photo. If I had to rely on photographs, then I had better learn how to take them myself.
I taught myself to draw but needed help learning how to use oils. I started painting while in high school when I found a private art teacher at a local gallery. I went on to attend community college and took every art class I could and discovered the joy of life drawing. I won a summer scholarship at the San Francisco Academy of Art and enjoyed the thrill of taking art classes in the city. I took a portrait painting workshop with Daniel Greene. He made me want to rush out and rent a portrait studio the next day! He made it seem so easy. I really loved it.
I consider my work seriously and put many hours of labor into each piece. Because of this my work may seem costly and out of reach for the average collector. Prices range from $65 (1/4 scale) up to $1,500 for a 4”x6” portrait which can take as much as twenty hours to complete. On average, the range is about $200-$500 each. For this reason, I make and frame prints of each painting so that anyone can afford to collect my pieces. They are not considered “fine art prints” because they are done with a laser color copy machine and I don’t number them. I only make thirty copies, directly from the original painting so they are the exact size of the original, and each one is custom framed and ready to “hang.” I don’t consider myself a miniaturist. I am an artist who specializes in painting miniatures. I am mainly an oil painter. I make my own silk canvas which is like a scaled down version of a full size canvas. I also like to paint on Ivorine (a synthetic Ivory like plastic), and on art boards. Anything smooth and archival will do. I have dabbled in almost every medium including watercolor, pastel, pen and ink, graphite, egg tempera, etching, and acrylic.
How and why did you transition to miniature works of art?
I got glasses for the first time at 29 and was shocked to learn that my failing vision had robbed me of color as well as sharpness! Suddenly, I saw what I was missing and started to paint again.
The hardest thing about making miniature art is framing it! I didn’t know anything about making frames or working with wood. I found that ready-made frames were mostly too “toy” like. I needed real scaled down frames and I found that you can buy the moldings from some of the dollhouse catalogs. I really scored when I found Steve Goode of S.H. Goode & Sons. He makes the best fine hardwood moldings. I make my frames custom for each piece. I also wanted each painting to have its own easel, in case my collector didn’t have a dollhouse or roombox to display them in. I wanted anyone to enjoy my work in their home, regardless of the kind of collector they were. I copied an easel I had in my studio and made a tiny version of it. It took me a while to find the right hardware for it, but I did. They come in several sizes and are fully adjustable. It’s not that easy painting so tiny. Everything about painting small felt right to me. I never wanted to go back.
What’s your earliest memory with miniatures?
My friend had bought a dollhouse kit and this huge plywood shell sat in her living room for the next few years. It was driving me nuts because she hadn’t worked on it, so I dragged her to a dollhouse shop to prod her. I was amazed at the detail in the furniture and accessories in the tiny rooms. These weren’t toys, they were scale models of real things! They weren’t cheap either. Suddenly I thought, “So if they have real silverware and electric chandeliers, where are the real paintings?” I knew I could paint that small because I had painted miniatures for my Mom. I never thought anyone would pay me for the time I put into them until I found the dollhouse market. I investigated the miniature world further and found that there were other painters out there but most of them were painting reproductions of old masters. Very few artists were producing original art in miniature. I had a niche. My paintings are my own. I like to say, “I’m not an old master, I’m a new one!”
Do you prefer one form of art over the others?
I love painting all of nature: landscapes, seascapes, florals, still life, animals, and people. It’s always about the light and color. Occasionally I get to paint on location, but mostly I work from my own photographic references that I have collected over the years. My camera is like an instant sketchbook. I will never run out of subjects I want to paint. I hope to live long enough to paint a thousand more pieces. In the dollhouse market, it’s nice to have a variety of subjects to offer my collectors.
What types of miniatures do you sell?
I sell miniature art and a few other accessories. I have original oils, a few watercolors and etchings and prints (Collectible Copies). I sell several different sizes of easels and seven different designs of miniature jigsaw puzzles. I have two instructional videos on “how to paint oils in miniature.” I sell the magnifiers I use on the site too.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your work with miniature painting?
Painting in miniature is challenging because there is no room for errors. Any little mistake is magnified. A tiny portrait can take up to 20 hours because I have to be always making corrections to get it perfect. A portrait is the most unforgiving subject. People have an instinct about faces and they know if there is a likeness or not instantly. I believe that painting miniatures has helped me learn to paint better because I learn from every piece and I can paint more paintings in less time then if I had painted in full size. Every miniature has all the same problems to solve as a full size piece.
What’s the most fulfilling aspect of your art?
My miniature paintings can have a powerful effect on people. How ironic that when I paint tiny, people notice the subject for the first time. The images may remind them of the beauty this world has to offer. I invite the viewer to share the feelings I had when I first discovered my subject. Feel that moment, and remember their own sacred moments. I hope my paintings will remind them of the preciousness of this wonderful planet. We need to love, cherish and protect it. On a personal level, painting is a form of meditation for me. A way of connecting to my higher self. A spiritual experience that brings joy and healing into my life. I hope my images can bring the same for you.
After painting for the dollhouse people for a while, I discovered that there was a whole world of miniatures in the fine art world. I never thought I really had the respect other artists when I only painted for dollhouses, even if they were amazing scale models. Meeting art patrons and collectors who appreciated tiny paintings has opened up a whole other world for me! I joined an online forum whose members are some of the most amazing miniature artists and I got to know the fine art miniature world better through talking with them. They are all so friendly and helpful. I recommend it to anyone interested in miniatures.
Do you ever collaborate on small scale projects with your husband?
I have made tiny flower arrangements for his vases. He would rather they were empty but he sells the ones with a little something in them faster. We have discussed the idea of painting or decorating some of his pieces but we both love his turnings the way they are with the natural wood or stone. Maybe someday…
Career highlights you’d like to recount?
Teaching at the IGMA Guild School in Castine was one of the highlights of my career for sure. I have been trying to get to teach there again but haven’t had any luck getting back, so I went as a student twice. Fantastic experience!
I have entered competitions since I was in college. I have a huge collection of honorable mentions! I have also been honored with more then 40 first, second, and third place awards both locally and internationally which include two first places in the Florida MASF international miniature show. I was so excited to get a first prize that I flew out to Florida to accept it in person. It was so wonderful to meet all the other miniaturists and see the show in person. Amazing work! I still can hardly believe that I got those awards with all the incredible paintings in the shows.
Ironically, in 2013, I was handed a project that turned out to be the biggest thing I’ve ever had to do, quite literally! The city of Pleasanton, Ca. commissioned me to paint a public outdoor mural of their founding pioneers. Quite an honor really, but what a surprise giving my specialty of working in miniature! It was unveiled in 2014 and can be seen on Main St. in Pleasanton, the town I grew up in.
I love the Renaissance period as well as the Impressionist era. Both times were about creating art in a way that hadn’t been done before.
What advice would you give to new miniaturists?
Get involved with the miniature world. Join a local club. Attend the shows. Subscribe to the magazines. Go to the Guild School (they offer scholarships!) Get on social media sites. Share. Ask questions.
Favorite miniature work of art you own?
I have most of my first miniature paintings still because a lot of them were of my own children. I don’t collect miniature art, but I’ve been collecting miniature toys. I love the details in tiny toys that work like the real thing. My favorite piece is a working train. I set it up in a Christmas display every year. It really makes the scene!
What inspires you?
I am most inspired by nature, color, and light. I’m always aware of how the light falls on everything around me. What color is that shadow? The light caressing the hills! I want to recreate those moments. I enjoy every subject in nature. Landscapes, seascapes, florals, animals, and especially people. My work is inspired by the world I live in. Every painting has a story behind it.
What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?
Johannes Landman painted a portrait of the Man in Armor by artist Anthony Van Dyck. I thought he had substituted his own face for the face in the original but when I checked out the original it looked just like how he had painted it. I have come to the conclusion that he was actually Van Dyck in a past life. That explains why he’s so amazing!
What is the most memorable painting you have ever seen?
Johannes Landman once showed me a painting he did of the Girl with a Pearl Earring but she was looking directly at the viewer. It was a portrait of Scarlett Johansson who played the character in the movie. Amazing and beautiful piece!
What is your hope for the field of miniatures?
I am hoping that the next generation will discover the miniature world and keep the hobby alive. I am enjoying the new modern miniatures that are coming out. We have done the Victorian theme enough. The best way to support the artists is by buying their work and sharing their collections to the world.
Why miniature paintings?
I have always loved to paint small. The best part is starting and finishing each painting, but I found that I got bored halfway through each large piece. They never turned out like I hoped they would, and they took forever to finish. When I started painting in miniature, I found a greater satisfaction then ever before. Now, I can start and finish a piece in just a few sessions, instead of months! I love the details and it’s all details. I love a challenge.
What’s to come from Barbara Stanton?
I’m excited about the Colour in Your Life show which was recently released on YouTube and on PBS networks across the nation!
I’m working on painting enough pieces to show in upcoming exhibits and for the Prentice Gallery in Mendocino.
I would like to teach more miniature painting workshops in exotic locations. Hawaii? Tahiti, anyone?
Someday, I would love to take a break from oils for a while and really explore egg tempera and etching. Both fascinating mediums.
Motto you live by?
“If I cannot do great things, I will do small things in a great way.”
“Just one step at a time. Every little step counts.”
Favorite miniature quote?
“I work as little as possible!”
Other hobbies you enjoy?
I enjoy the outdoors. Camping, hiking, gardening, antiques. Good movies and dancing to live music. Hanging out with family and friends.
What do you want miniature fans to know about you?
I like to mentor and teach other artists. There is always room for more artists because we are each unique. I have an internship program where interns help me in my workshop in exchange for experience, art and/or lessons. I’m always looking for helpers in my little business.
I am available to teach miniature oil painting workshops. I have weekly art classes (not just miniatures) on Fridays at the Bothwell Arts Center in Livermore. I also help run a figure drawing workshop every Thursday morning. (I have nudes coming out of my ears!) It’s important that I draw from life every week to keep my skills sharp. I do custom paintings (big and small). I sell my work on my website, at galleries, dollhouse shows, and art shows all around the world.
I enjoy the freedom to further my art career and pursue my dreams because of my wonderful husband of 21 years, William Maranville, who supports me emotionally as well as financially. Bill is also a talented miniaturist. He is an IGMA Artisan in turning. He turns wood, stone and other natural materials into tiny vases, bowls and some freehand sculpture as well. We are hoping to travel to some of the miniature shows back east someday when he retires from his day job. He is an Engineering Technical Associate for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL). My two sons, Russell and Clayton Anderson, are very artistic as well. They’re all grown up enjoying lives of their own.
Barbara Stanton of Livermore, California creates fine art in miniature. She’s a signature member of MAA (Miniature Artists of America), an IGMA Fellow (International Guild of Miniature Artisans), MASF (Miniature Art Society of Florida), MPSGS (Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society) and Hilliard Miniature Society. To see more of her impeccable work in miniature, visit Barbara Stanton’s website and make sure to follow along on social media: Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube. You can shop her work on Etsy.
I had a Barbie townhouse, does that count? My mother assembled a kit dollhouse when I was in elementary school, I believe. I was very crafty as a kid, so it was more about fitting it out than the dolls. I never really was into the doll part of it. I was more interested in putting the furniture together, getting the miniature patterned wallpaper, making tiny food out of Sculpey, laying a miniature brick floor and grouting it.
Describe your return to miniatures later in life.
About five years ago, I saw a cigar box diorama art piece at a friend’s house and mentioned to another friend that it was the type of work I love. Coincidentally, she had a friend hosting a themed cigar box art show annually. My friend got me in touch and I did those shows for four years in a row. The last one was my most involved. It incorporated about 10 cigar boxes and I made little scenes in them, one was a miniature room using some of my childhood dollhouse furniture.
How would you describe your work in a few words?
As a former architect, I would describe my artwork as the built world… in miniature. A description of my work in a couple words is hard to nail down: whimsically modern and industrial. I make functional art and whimsical objects.
What is the most challenging aspect of your work with industrial design?
Most of it is welded steel and due to the (tiny) size of some of the components, it is extremely time consuming and tedious… but I love the minutiae. Some of the artwork incorporates old wooden drawers and crates, such as the Rooms in Boxes series. So welding around the old dry wood is a challenge, trying not to set anything on fire.
What advice would you give to new artists?
I’m pretty new at it all myself, the part where I consider myself an artist and am now selling my work. I think having a supportive network of artsy friends is worth a lot, whenever I get stuck, I can run an idea by someone and it loosens the gears to have a new set of eyes looking at the work. Stepping away from a piece is also important when I hit a road block. Also, reach out to other artists that you admire. I have gotten great advice from several.
Favorite miniature work you own?
I have a couple pieces that I’d like to give a shout out. Cathy Evans, the woman who curated the group Cigar Box shows, made a piece that I always coveted and now proudly display in my home. It is an altered doll made into a racecar driver. The racecar is a wooden shoe mold. The second piece is one of the cigar boxes that was displayed in the first group Cigar Box show that I participated in. It is by children’s book illustrator Kevin O’Malley. The piece has these miniature bowling pins colored and painted to look like an orchestra. It is beautiful.
What inspires you?
The delicate juxtaposed with the everlasting. Work that shows a sense of time and thoughtfulness.
What is the most memorable miniature you have seen?
So many to choose from, here are a few that stand out: apparently several artists are excelling at this – the carved pencil lead while still part of the pencil and the daily miniature calendar work of Tatsuya Tanaka.
What is your hope for the field of miniatures?
I would love to be “discovered.”I think my work crosses into several areas, the world of miniatures, industrial, modern, fantastical and of course, the whimsical. My hope for the future in general is that the art of craft is not a lost art form. Pride in the workmanship, craftsmanship and quality of materials comes back in the forefront versus the throw away culture that seems to be all too common.
What would you like to see replicated in miniature that you have not yet seen?
As some say, I’m afraid everything has already been done, but I hope not.
Why miniatures?
Somewhat embarrassingly, I’ll admit to what I’ve always called my Thumbelina complex. I have a secret but kept quiet admiration of the fairy world. Didn’t every little girl wish she was able to live in Genie’s bottle?
Do what you love for as long as you can so there are no regrets
Other hobbies you enjoy?
Traveling, walking our dogs in the woods, finding and reading a book that I can’t put down (unfortunately, I have a hard time focusing so they aren’t as frequently found as I’d like).
Jill Orlov is an award-winning sculptural furniture designer/fabricator and artist based in Baltimore, Maryland. You can have a look at many more of her mini and mega creations on jillorlov.com as well as on Instagram.
I have been a professional artist all my life. I started my professional training at the age of 11 when I entered an art school in Moscow under the supervision of Academy of Art, where I continued my training for 7 years. After that, I studied film at the Moscow Film Institute. I graduated as a director and focused on short, 3D-animated films. I designed, wrote and directed the films which were shot on flat tables and used props approximately the size of 1:12 dollhouse scale. Through my work in animation, I got great experience painting and sculpting in small scale.
When I came to this country, I was first trying to work in textile design. It wasn’t interesting or satisfying for me. My friend had read a New York Times article about the Guild Show. It was 1980 and there was tremendous interest in miniatures at the time. Museum-quality collections were kept by lots of collectors. I saw that new artists were welcome at the International Guild of Miniature Artisans’ Guild Show so I attended and saw what artisans were creating at the time. I thought, “I could do that,” and the next year, I was a dealer at the Guild Show and my work was featured on the cover of Miniature Collector. I started selling to collectors from the get go. I couldn’t create enough miniatures! I was always working on orders months ahead and my work sold immediately at shows.
Twenty years ago, I came up with decoupage prints, “Natasha Mini Decoupage.” These were sheets of decoupage for people to decorate inexpensive pieces of furniture. When glued onto furniture, it looks handpainted. It’s a way for people to own work they consider mine, though it’s a reproduction. They were very popular and sold all over the world. Today, you can find them available through a few dealers and vendors.
Through miniatures, I’ve met lots and lots of people. I have traveled all over this country and Europe. I’ve represented American miniatures in France where I was a guest of honor. In 2000, the Nassau County Museum of Art held a retrospective of my work. My current show at D.Thomas Fine Miniatures is a “15 years later” exhibition of my miniatures.
What is your favorite type of miniature to make?
When I started working in miniature, my specialty was painted furniture of all styles, from the Renaissance to Art Nouveau. I made hundreds of elaborate screens, cabinets, French commodes, and so forth
I had an exhibition at Flora Gill Jacobs’ Washington Dolls’ House and Toy Museum where I showed environments with figures in them. I started making figures and became more interested in sculpture about 15 years ago. I would create small, cartoonish characters in different historical styles. I would make three dimensional images out of flat planes of wood. My most important work in this field was the Central Park panorama that included rollerbladers, families, strollers, trees, the landscape of New York, and more. Featured in Miniature Collector, it’s four feet long and belongs now to Holly June Browne, who commissioned this work.
What is the most challenging miniature to make, and why is it so difficult?
My shadow boxes, which are also often called 3-D paintings are different from most shadow and room boxes because they are designed to create a complete optical illusion. Trompe-l’œil or “Fool the Eye” style painting, distortion of proportions and shapes, forced perspective are used to create a magical space behind the frame, an illusion of much greater depth. Also, these shadow boxes are reproducing not the real world, but images in different artistic styles. These are the most challenging works for me.
Can you tell us a bit about Still Life in Miniature, your work currently on display at D.Thomas Fine Miniatures?
A variety of pieces are on display at D.Thomas Fine Miniatures, not only from different genres but also from different periods of art. One interior featured is the Kitchen in Delft, a Dutch-style shadow box in forced or exaggerated perspective; it is essentially a 3D painting.
And there are two still life works, as well as painted furniture, animal sculptures and miniature paintings.
You cannot do miniatures unless you enjoy the process. If you pursue miniatures exclusively as a career or living, you must enjoy the process as it is insanely time consuming. It has to be play not work for you. Nowadays, people pay me for what I’d be doing anyway. Unless you have this feeling, it’s very hard, repetitive, and time consuming.
My advice is to challenge yourself, change subject matter, and change styles.
What’s your hope for the field of miniatures in the future?
I honestly hope that there is a new wave coming. When I was starting, miniatures were booming. There was definitely an old generation of collectors who have since disappeared from the scene. There were no new artisans for awhile. I have a feeling it’s coming now: new collectors and new artisans. There’s a growing interest in the United States for handcrafted and artisanal things, and miniatures happy to be one of them,
Miniatures were mostly historical, but it’s challenging and interesting to reflect our own contemporary life in miniature.
What inspires you?
Art and thousands of years of miniature history inspire me. I enjoy visiting the The Cloisters branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and often spend time looking at the reliquaries there; I find these religious objects to be inspiring.
Why miniatures? What appeals to you most about what you do?
I started doing art when I was a child, so it’s a life function for me: sleeping, eating, and making art. I try to keep challenging myself.
What are you working on these days?
Recently, I started creating assemblages, which include full-size paintings on canvas, very realistic, almost photographic, combined with shadow boxes containing 3D miniatures of the same subjects. I showed some of these at Good Sam this past October. My largest work was sold to a prominent collector; people loved it even though part of the work was a little larger and not in 1:12 scale.
What’s to come from Natasha Beshenkovsky?
I’m showing work in a local art show by the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance taking place in February and March. This organization gave me a grant to create miniatures, specifically the Central Park panorama. I believe I’m the first miniaturist to receive a grant from an arts organization to create miniatures.
What do you want miniature fans to know about you?
I think miniaturists know quite a lot about me, because I’ve been in this field for quite a long time, over 35 years, in fact. I’ve participated in all the major shows and my work is in the Kansas City National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, as well as other miniature museums.
I have this saying which has become a motto of miniature clubs: miniatures are not beautiful because they are small. Miniatures require that we concentrate our attention in this contemporary world where people rush and rush. They cause people to stop and think about how beautiful the world is, and how much time was put into the work. That’s the joy of miniatures. The intention and joy of the artist demands attention by the viewer.
Master artist Natasha Beshenkovsky creates a wide array of miniature art including shadow boxes, paintings, sculptures, decorated period furniture in 1:12 scale. Her miniatures are included in many museum collections in the U.S. and abroad. For more on her process and works of art for sale, visit the Natasha Miniatures website.
How did you first get started in miniatures? Where does the interest stem from?
When I was 10 years old, I lived in Ontario, Canada and my mom took me to a craft store called White Rose to get something she needed. I saw all of these dollhouses on the shelves up high around the whole store. I was so in love and I know it was that moment in my life that began my love of miniatures.
How has your work with miniatures evolved?
My work with miniatures has evolved in that I now know I enjoy making smaller projects and scenes. I do like dollhouses but I like accomplishing something mini in a short time. I have had a dollhouse since 1998, and I plan on finishing it. Perhaps when that gets done, I will feel more accomplished in that area. I like my miniatures to look as realistic as possible. I prefer not to have people in my dollhouse but I know lots of people do. I think its great to have them but I like to look in and wonder what kind of people would live in it, and for it be a bit of a mystery.
Do you have a favorite type of miniature you like to create?
Over the years, I have come to love creating miniature scenes. They take less time and its almost like instant gratification. I have been working on a dollhouse on and off since 1998 and it’s still not done yet. The smaller scenes are nice to give away as gifts. I love miniature food too, especially the realistic ones with gravy and mashed potatoes that look good enough to eat.
Advice for beginner miniaturists?
I collected miniatures for a while before I started making anything. I just picked things that caught my eye. So, I would have to say my advice would be to pick what you like and go from there.
What inspires you?
What inspires me to make miniatures is usually looking on Pinterest and YouTube to see what others have made to get ideas. Mostly, I like going to shows to see other peoples’ creations and little things. Shows really inspire me.
What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?
One of the most unique miniatures I have seen is a roombox that was half college football Ohio State and their rival Michigan State on the other half of the roombox. It was very well done and a really neat idea.
Why miniatures?
I think I work with miniatures because it’s an escape for me. I like anything miniature that is like its counterpart in real life. What appeals to me most about what I do is that I try to make work as realistic as possible. Once I get started making something, my creativity overflows and I cannot stop.
What are you working on now and next?
I currently am working on my dollhouse but have refocused and have a new plan to get it finished over the winter. I am collecting miniatures now to try to make my twin sister a cat roombox or scene. We call her the crazy cat lady.
I want to finish my dollhouse so I can perhaps put it on display in my front living room for people to see. I would also like to work on roomboxes afterwards and start making miniature food. I have found a liking for miniature food and making it look as realistic as possible.
What do you want miniature enthusiasts to know about you?
For many many years while I collected, I was so passionate about minis. I then got engaged, bought a house, got married and had two kids and moved to the States from Canada. So, time for making miniatures has not been on my side. However, I have never given up on my passion and I know one day I will find more time to do it.
I am Canadian, but live in the USA and the mini world seems to be a little more available down here in the U.S. Miniatures still get me excited and I always like to escape to my mini world when the big world seems too busy.
Sharlene Doucette lives in Pataskala, Ohio. She hopes to one day get more involved in selling miniatures and blogging her work with miniatures online.
When I was around 10 years of age, I always visited an aunt, and in her house she had a room that every time I tried to enter, was locked. So one day, she left the door open, and when I got inside, I was amazed by what I saw. A room fully filled with scale model trains; it was full of houses, roads, cars… even mountains. That was mind blowing for me!
How did you first get started making miniatures?
Honestly, it all started after stumbling upon a diorama in a store. Since that day, I became interested in that kind of miniatures. But the need for innovative change in my career took me every day deeper into the world of miniatures.
Do you remember the very first miniature you ever made?
Yes, I remember being presented a scale model kit of an ambulance by my father. But at that time, I didn’t have the skills to work with the materials and so on. So it was a very tricky to make it in a non-grotesque way. Unfortunately, I only have a few parts of the unmounted vehicle body that I used for other miniatures.
As for my very first diorama, I still have it and it belongs to one of my friends.
What is the most challenging miniature to make?
Almost any work using miniature techniques are complex projects! When working in scale and actual measurements, it is necessary to stick to these measures. Architectural buildings are always a challenge. Personally, I believe that the greatest difficulty is simulating rust texture. Rust has so many variations and colors.
What advice would you give to new miniaturists?
Determination and creativity are crucial elements for a successful miniaturist. But when I started in this amazing miniature world, I received very little information on the subject. I had to study measures, scales and even a bit of architecture. Photographic references are a great choice to analyze and learn details about construction. Basically, miniature art is nothing more than a realistic representation of a real environment, but in smaller scale, so it’s very important to have good planning in your project so that your research and development is convincing.
What inspires you?
Well I’m fascinated by classic and vintage cars. I also admire abandoned buildings and environments. I like these styles because they have so many details when it comes to textures and colors. I like to try to recreate something that had its own history and was set aside for awhile.
What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen by another artist?
I definitely believe that would have to be the amazing miniature “Boxes” by French artist Marc Giai-Miniet. The concepts behind each one of his artworks is completely unique in my point of view. Let’s not forget to mention also the incredible work of Thomas Doyle.
What is your hope for the field of miniatures?
It would be very satisfying for me to pass on the knowledge acquired during the five years I’ve been involved in this industry. I think in the future there would be more lectures, workshops, and small dioramas courses.
How can miniature enthusiasts help keep the art alive?
By sharing their knowledge and skills.
Who are some of your favorite miniaturists?
The list will be a little big so I’ll summarize my favorites:
After many years as art director and designer in the film and motion picture industry, I felt the great need for an artistic recycling. It was with the creation of miniatures that personally I find so intriguing and fun; I could express new skills. When you can analyze a photograph and reproduce exactly what is observed in scale… it’s fantastic.
Upcoming projects planned?
I currently have a list of projects in progress in my website, showing the percentage of how much the project is ready. It’s a fun way I found to interact with my audience so they can keep up with my work.
New miniatures in the works?
I am currently developing a project in partnership with a filmmaker, through which I will show epic and iconic scenes of big Hollywood movies. The first series will be based on the master Stanley Kubrick, reproducing scenes like the hallway from Overlook Hotel among others.
What’s to come from Grandmondo?
Workshops, tutorials, and short courses.
Other activities you enjoy?
I have been doing visual arts since the age of seventeen. I consider myself a digital self-taught artist who has worked for advertising agencies, studios around the world. I have developed many skills in animation design, art direction, illustration, motion design and photography.
I also enjoy restoration as a hobby, as well as collecting old cars with my father. I think through my father came the greatest influence and passion for old cars.
What do you want miniature fans to know about you?
If you like my work as a miniaturist you can contact me directly on my website, Instagram or Facebook. We can talk about a special project that you want to have in your collection. Custom orders are welcome.
Grandmondo Miniatures was created by Raphael Truffi Bortholuzzi from Sao Paulo, Brazil. To see more of his miniature works of art, check out the Grandmondo Miniatures website, or visit Instagram, Facebook, Behance.
My dad built me a dollhouse; it was filled with pink plastic furniture, the carpet was vinyl that my mum found and laid down.
How did you first get started making miniatures?
We were moving houses, and my dad accidentally broke my dollhouse. He said he would replace it, but at that time I’d grown out of it. It wasn’t until almost ten years later that I saw a dollhouse on the Internet; it had working lights, beautiful furniture and the most amazing garden I’ve ever seen. So, dad replaced my dollhouse for my birthday almost two years ago.
Do you remember the very first miniature you ever made?
I was looking around for decorations for my dollhouse, and I realized that everything I liked was not in my price range, so I made it myself. It was this little sign, I still have it sitting by the window in my dollhouse
What is your favorite type of miniature to make?
I’ve made a couple of market stalls. I buy the shell and decorate the outside, adding siding, shingles, paint, wood stain, just about anything I can think of. I love watching a pile of plywood take shape into something that could be seen at a market on the street.
What is the most challenging miniature to make?
I used to make these miniature M&M’s in 6 different colors and they were a nightmare. They were only slightly better the potato chips!
What advice would you give to new miniaturists?
Know exactly what you would like to make, and research everything you possibly can. One day you will be very happy that you looked up the postage price to Poland. Oh, and be warned: miniatures take up more space than you think they will!
What do you wish someone had told you when you first got started?
To make sure I have all my files backed up! It’s not fun getting an order for a painting only to find the print is missing!
What inspires you?
Pinterest, Ebay, Etsy. I just browse through the home décor sections and imagine things in my dollhouse. Then I think how I could make them in miniature.
What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?
It was a Christmas tree made of gingerbread stars. It was so strange because I’d just made a couple of real sized ones for Christmas.
Why miniatures?
There’s something mystical about making these things. You can create an entire world, room, or house. Can’t have a castle in real life? Don’t worry, just build one!
What appeals to you most about what you do?
I started out as a university student using the money I made from miniatures to build my own dollhouse. It’s a hobby that is helping me pursue a hobby.
Bathrooms and things that go beside the sink, tucked into a cupboard, or even kicked into the corner.
What’s to come from Mitey Minis?
Hopefully many more miniatures! I’ve been looking into my own website, setting out on my own in shop terms.
Words you live by?
If I wouldn’t put it in my little house, I won’t sell it for someone else’s little house.
Mitey Minis was created by Kaitlin who’s based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Shop her miniature creations on Etsy and eBay, and make sure to follow her work on Twitter and Pinterest!
I had a sort of underprivileged childhood, minis didn’t happen until I was in my thirties.
How did you first get started making miniatures?
I picked up a partially built dollhouse at a tag sale and began looking into how to finish and furnish it. My interest grew from there.
Do you remember the very first miniature you ever made?
My first miniature I ever made was a Professor Van Helsing study room set. There was a cabinet full of books and medical equipment, a desk and chair decorated with things a man would have on his desk, as well as a vampire hunter’s kit with wooden stakes, crosses, and more. There was also a caged bat. I no longer have the set because it sold quickly.
A Willy Wonka inspired candy cart filled with ice cream cones and candies of all sorts.
What is your favorite type of miniature to make?
Fantasy miniatures are my thing, because my childhood was very rocky, and fantasy books and movies were an escape for me as a child. Things like that hold my interest and make it so I get to use my imagination far more so than regular household miniatures ever could. In a way, it’s me staying childlike inside, holding on to that part of me now that I can enjoy it.
What is the most challenging miniature you make?
For me the most challenging miniature to make is a regular household item, as I said before. For me there is little scope for imagination and it feels very dull and boring to me. If I want to decorate a normal house, I have my own real house to work on instead.
What advice would you give to new artists?
I needed to figure things out for myself. The Internet is a vast place to learn almost anything. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new techniques. Some of the most unique aspects of making miniatures distinctly mine came from trial and error. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. I am especially proud of my own unique water effects. I came up with a layering process that makes water unlike others I have seen anywhere else. People stop in and ask me a few times a year to divulge that secret, but I worked hard for that knowledge and I like to keep it as my own.
A Harry Potter themed Christmas tree with gifts and an owl and golden snitch tree topper.
Favorite miniature you own?
My absolute favorite has to be a pie counter inspired by the movie Sweeney Todd. I built it from scratch from the ground up, and it was as close as I could possibly get it to the movie version. I made every tile by hand with clay. It was filthy and buggy and had human parts on it. It was gross, quite frankly because the movie version was utterly disgusting and I was following that example. And therefore totally fun because it wasn’t like anyone else’s pristine perfect miniature. That’s not the sort of thing that I enjoy. In my own house yes, but to me, miniatures are a way to step outside the box and create a fantasy world as unlike the real world as I can possibly get. Give me fairy, witch, wizard, haunted house, vampire, mermaid miniatures any day over the normal every day stuff our own lives are comprised of. Give me magic! I see beauty in the unusual even when it’s not considered beautiful at all.
What inspires you?
Movies are a large part of my inspiration. Fantasy movies are wonderful sources of ideas. My love of them makes me want to make the things I see in them to see if I can do it to my own satisfaction. I am my own worst critic.
Driftwood fairy cove house.
What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen by another artist?
I greatly admire Ericka VanHorn‘s clean workmanship and unique pieces. Her dragon bottles are top notch and her wizard accessories are the best I’ve seen anywhere. She has no equal that I have seen.
Why miniatures?
The mental stimulation of creating something by hand is what calls to me. Something themed and fantasy inspired. No other medium allows me to create the scenes I have in my head like this does.
What’s to come from 19th Day Miniatures?
Wizard cabinet.
I have an Alice in Wonderland tea table I made as closely as I could to the one in the Tim Burton film with live actors. I feel intimidated by some of the characters (making people is not my strong suit). I made a decent and convincing Maliumpkin (doormouse) sculpted in clay, and then promptly quit because I felt burnt out. The table was huge and covered in lots of food and tea pots and cups. The majority of it, I handmade. I liked the old feel of it, as though the table had been there for a very long time. There was a shabbiness to it, the chairs were torn and faded. I copied everything as exactly as I could. I really need to work on it and get more of the characters done.
Words you live by?
Never lose your childlike enthusiasm, or be ashamed of what you like. If I want to watch fantasy films like Harry Potter, Labyrinth, or The Dark Crystal until the day I die, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’m nothing if not loyal to what I love and I will enjoy it forever more.
What do you want miniature fans to know about you?
A headless horseman on his horse sculpted by me and my mother-in-law as a fun Halloween project one year.
I really enjoy my relationship with clients, I honestly do. I have kept in contact with many of them through the years and we touch base every so often to catch up. I enjoy friendly conversation and finding out about their projects. As a seller, I feel I am above average, because I give the best gifts I can with orders. There have been many times I have spent an evening or even two making a gift for a client that matches what they ordered. I enjoy it. I tend to charge less for pieces as well because for me, it’s less about the money and more about the craft and enjoyment of it. I want someone to have it, to be able to afford it. I also do payment plans for this very reason. If someone really wants something and will love it, I want them to be able to get it.
Miniatures are not about getting rich, they are about the joy of creation and the enjoyment of making something someone else will cherish and use for purely fun reasons only. They take me a lot of time and work to make. I want them to go to a good home with someone who will enjoy them.
Tara of 19th Day Miniatures is based in Oquawka, IL. Shop her latest creations on Etsy today! Have a look at what she’s been up to by visiting the 19th Day Miniatures blog, Twitter or Pinterest.
What’s your earliest memory with miniatures?
It was all about the inspiration!
This is what a hobby is for!
What inspires you?
“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” –William Arthur Ward
