Nightfall Miniatures
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What’s your earliest memory with miniatures?
My earliest memory is of a beautiful handcrafted 1:12 scale dollhouse made by my parents, filled with quaint miniatures which they gave me for Christmas when I was 9 years old. I still have some of the miniature porcelain from my first dollhouse.
I also remember being fascinated by a collection of tiny glass animals that my grandmother kept in a display cabinet.
How did you first get started making miniatures?
My passion for dollhouses and miniatures started when I visited an exhibition of antique dollhouses in Longleat House, near Bath as a young girl. I began to collect dollhouse miniatures from lots of different sources until I was able to buy a Georgian style dollhouse in my late teens.
Do you remember the very first miniature you made?
I made a blue velvet and antique lace four poster bed for my Georgian dollhouse, but unfortunately I no longer have it.
What is your favorite type of miniature to make?
My favorite types of miniatures are vampire related ones, as I have been a fan of Bram Stoker’s Dracula for as long as I can remember.
What is the most challenging miniature to make?
The most challenging miniatures are the ones where I have to design the prototype so to speak. It can be very time-consuming and frustrating when working on a new and original design until it is perfected.
What advice would you give to new artists?
My advice is to never give up and keep practicing!
What inspires you?
My husband and sons inspire me. I also take inspiration from many different sources, mainly from my interest in all things Gothic, fairy tales, magic, fantasy, horror and science fiction.
What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?
The oddest are the tiny sculptures inside the eye of a needle, especially the one of Snow White and the seven dwarfs. I find it amazing that the artist can create the detail in such a tiny space.
What is your hope for the field of miniatures?
I hope that a younger generation can find the beauty in collecting miniatures. As miniaturists, I think we can kindle this interest by producing more up-to-date miniatures to reflect the changing times.
What would you like to see replicated in miniature that you have not yet seen?
Why miniatures?
Miniatures are simply amazing and magical to me. They give us the ability to have and create anything we love in small scale. Having an active imagination and a flair for the unusual, I find crafting miniatures is a perfect outlet for my creativity.
I consider all my pieces to be little works of art and it is very rewarding when you see the picture in your mind’s eye taking shape as you work on each individual piece. I love that other people from all around the world find as much pleasure in my miniatures as I do.
What’s to come from Nightfall Miniatures?
I am currently working on a Gothic Shop and Nightclub, and I hope to start on a few new miniature displays related to video games and TV shows.
I am also being featured in an exhibition at the Las Vegas Erotic Heritage Museum in 2016 and this may lead to more adult-themed miniatures in future.
Words you live by?
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” -Einstein
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” -Nietzsche
Other hobbies you enjoy?
I also enjoy touring, gaming, gardening, and spending time with my pet rats.
What do you want miniature enthusiasts to know about you?
I am a self-taught miniature artist and although I have been making miniatures for my personal use for many years, it was only after much persuasion from family and friends to sell my creations that I opened my Etsy shop in 2013. I have and continue to be surprised at the amount of interest in my miniatures, long may it continue!
Nightfall Miniatures was created by Jenny Cooper who is currently based in London, United Kingdom. Interested in buying your own Nightfall Miniature work? Shop Etsy today! You can also follow along on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Pinterest.