q&a

Functional Mini Weapons by Miniature Army

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Tell us a bit about Miniature Army. 

We’re located in both Bulgaria and the United Kingdom. We started promoting our brand first and foremost on Instagram and it proved to be a great success for us. In less than 2 months, we had more than 10,000 followers, which was something we did not expect. People liked our products, and this motivated us even more. We’re up to 30,000 followers now and growing!

First miniature weapon memory?

More than a year ago, when I saw a video of a miniature pinfire gun shooting. I was truly stunned by the power it had, this made me think how astonishing would be to have one. I started researching and I saw that there are so little craftsmen who can make them. I contacted most of them. I offered to five of them the opportunity to expand their incredible talent and turn it into business, and they loved the idea.

Who is part of the Miniature Army team?

Our team is now made of 7 people: five craftsmen, one marketing director, and myself. We are not a big company for now, but we enjoy working together.

What’s your favorite miniature weapon?

My favorite weapon made by Miniature Army is the one of one AK47, which is a miniature and functional copy of Osama bin Laden’s famous solid gold AK47. It took more than 170 working hours to make.

What miniature weapons are growing in popularity these days?

In the past 8 months, I have seen a lot of 2mm pinfire guns, however my favorite one is the French-made Le Petit Protector. This is a very beautiful ring gun, made in the early 1800s. I could not believe my eyes when I saw it.

Why miniatures?

For me the miniatures are a breath of fresh air in this highly technological time…

Based in Bulgaria and the UK, Miniature Army is composing a whole new world of miniature weapons. Miniature Army represents the precision of worldwide craftsmanship, accompanied by the love to weapons. Shop their collection now on the Miniature Army website and follow along today on Instagram.

A post shared by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on May 8, 2017 at 9:17am PDT

MKMiniatures by Malcolm Kenter

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How did you start making miniatures?

I always wanted to be a painter, or a fine artist to some extent, so I’d dabbled and flirted with many different mediums over the years. I was living in a house with a bunch of friends and we would all collaborate on little projects together. My friend George Crampton makes amazing paintings of cars and freeways and cool psychedelic blighted cityscapes. We would brew a pot of coffee, listen to records, and work on art together on our days off. We share a mutual love and pride in our city and the way it looks and operates. The way he would paint and our shared interest in our subject matter is what originally got the spark going for me to make miniatures.

What’s a day in the studio like?

It was always hard for me to make a painting directly on a canvas and work two-dimensionally. I like the process of planning, sketching something, building a rough armature, molding it, and building it up from the ground. With building a miniature, I’m able to work on different parts of the model separately and then combine them when its time for them to come together. Ill be working on painting on a piece of glass one minute and then scuffing up a piece of ceramic another, but they’ll ultimately come together on the same piece. I guess it just feels more dynamic in the process of building something, than working in oil paints, but to me I think of these little things as my brush strokes and they all come together to complete a piece. It is my own version of making a painting, I’m just able to obsess over the details more and develop different part of the piece with different media, but ultimately I see it as the same thing.

Tools, techniques, or materials you couldn’t live with out?

I try to make my models using the materials that were used to make the actual building. For windows, I use glass, cement for the sidewalk, wood for the doors and siding, metal for railings, etc. This way the pieces seem to have the same proportionate weight as the building I’m trying to recreate. But, I use a lot of spackle — paint, sand, spackling paste, paint, sand, spackle and repeat, sometimes ad nauseam… to get whatever I’m working on to look right.

What inspires you? What keeps you creating?

I’m inspired by the way things that only exist to be useful can take on a strange beauty of their own, functional things like fire escapes or power lines for example. They were built with no aesthetic purpose and are only there to function, yet they are beautiful nonetheless merely because they exist spatially and complement the world around them.

I’ve always had a problem with the modern approach to architecture and a lot of modern design in general. I disagree the way all new buildings seem to be made from the most cost effective approach, to create an environment that’s squeaky clean and safe feeling for the people that live there. They look like laptops. My models are all buildings that are old and somewhat decrepit and have taken on a shine of their own because they have existed and weathered the years and taken on personalities of their own throughout the generations that inhabited them, each coat of paint or cracked tile a different point of view, not just new and disposable. I think there’s something to be said about something, and in this case buildings, being fairly unspectacular and achieving a certain patina over the years, rather than making a grand gesture and ultimately having nothing really to show and being all together forgettable and disposable.

San Francisco has been undergoing a lot of changes over the past twenty years or so, due to the growing tech industry in the Bay Area and the economic boom that it has brought to the area. There has been a lot of turnover in the people who are moving to the city, and the people and families that are being forced out because of the skyrocketing prices in rent and the cultural shift. A lot of the old buildings have been slated for removal to create condos or other big, ugly retail locations. Unfortunately, that seems to be the shift and the culture around a lot of new architecture from what I have witnessed. Not only is it sad for me to see the funky old building that have inspired me get leveled and replaced with new ones, but the new buildings also seem to sit as gravestones to the fleeting culture and vibrancy of the city that they have pushed out. I’m just trying to celebrate what good there is left in San Francisco that refuses to conform in these hectic times, and the buildings that surround us speak to me as the symbols of change, colonization, and development, or at the same time stalwart, unassuming landmarks that inspire people to be proud of their city and what it is comprised of.

Favorite miniaturists or mini artists?

I really admire the work of Alan Wolfson’s miniatures and the way his work documents the New York City he grew up in, with the grimy subways and peep show theaters, pizza joints and greasy spoons. His sleazy New York of the ’70s and ‘80s tell a sort of Saturday Night Fever story and are such robust images of a time period that is so no more. They are reminiscent of the San Francisco of the ‘80s and ‘90s of my youth that I see quickly slipping away and remind me that it’s worth documenting what has surrounded me and inspired me while I was growing up.

Upcoming projects planned? 

I enjoy the process of each piece and the way that they all unfold. I never really know how I’m going to tackle a project until I’m fully into it. The puzzle completes itself in the end, I just have to be patient and sometimes have to do things twice or three times or get stuck for a little while to make them work. After working on a few pieces that took me six to eight months to complete each of them, over the summer I’ve been trying to focus on making some simpler pieces, which take less time to complete and serve as pieces to hang on the wall — a little less sculptural and more like a painting. It was worth a shot, but now I’m ready to jump back into a bigger project and work on a puzzle with a few more pieces again.

Favorite miniature quote?

I don’t believe in absolutes, but sometimes “Less is more.”

Malcolm Kenter is based in San Francisco, CA. To see his latest miniatures, head on over to Instagram or follow along on Tumblr.

A Little Bit of Everything from L. Delaney

| Website | The Haunted Dollhouse | All Dolled Up |
| Etsy | Instagram | Facebook | L. Delaney’s House of Shadows |

What’s your earliest memory with miniatures?

I was hanging out with Barbie and Polly Pocket long past the point of it being cool. I especially enjoyed creating worlds for them in our parents’ basement. My sister and I also loved paper dolls. Now all of my miniature show display stuff sits in Barbie’s old corner of the basement. The thought of that makes me smile.

It was my grandparents who first introduced us to dollhouse miniatures. My grandpa created several beautiful dollhouses for the ladies in his life. I remember visiting my grandparents’ house and seeing the dollhouses coming to life in stages. This was in the 1990s when there were many more brick and mortar dollhouse stores. We would make trips to stores in Frankenmuth and Kalamazoo to hunt for tiny treasures. We still have the dollhouses and many of these accessories. I couldn’t have imagined how lasting their influence would be in my life.

What’s a pivotal fashion memory that stands out in your mind?

The most pivotal “fashion” moment of my life was being dressed by Academy Award-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood on the set of Public Enemies. Typically on large films like this, background extras will be dressed by assistants (and later inspected by the designer). But in a crazy twist, Atwood grabbed me and dressed me personally. I was amazed to discover that, although only our 1920s coats and outerwear were showing, she had me in vintage all the way down to the skivvies. Once I was dressed and coiffed, I followed Atwood to the set. So I find myself trotting through the empty streets of Chicago behind this film industry superwoman at 4AM. It was just a completely surreal moment.

Besides being a great adventure, my encounter with Atwood got me thinking about how costume design was this wonderful intersection of my different interests: character study, storytelling, history, and design. I had just graduated from college and frankly had no idea what to do with my life. Living briefly in Chicago and working as a fashion editorial intern, I spent my days applying to everything that interested me on Craigslist: production work, event staffing, assistantships, background extra casting calls… you name it! Nine times out of ten, you never heard back, but the occasional “Yes” responses began opening interesting doors. In a larger sense, my time in Chicago taught me how richly we are rewarded when we put ourselves out there. Throw enough mud at the wall, and eventually something’s going to stick!

More recently in New Orleans, I was tickled to be a featured extra in American Horror Story: Freak Show, where I had my mink “stolen” by that minx, Emma Roberts! Or rather, I should clarify, stolen by the character she was playing. I’m not pursuing acting with serious intentions, but playing the occasional background dressing is sometimes a fun diversion from the daily miniature grind.

Favorite childhood story?

As a kid, I always loved ghost stories and I have never grown out of that. I devoured Goosebumps and later Fear Street by R. L. Stine. The adult version of myself is thrilled to have met Stine twice, years apart! The second time I met him was—fittingly enough—in a beautiful old New Orleans’ library filled with mystery writers.

I also grew up pretty obsessed with this reoccurring thing that happens in children’s books where the character bumps their head and wakes up in a different century. I’m super clumsy as an adult, but I think that subconsciously I am just a hopeful time traveler.

As an adult, I’ve developed a different—but no less ardent—appreciation of young adult fiction. Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events is my all-time favorite. Roald Dahl is another favorite. As a child, you appreciate the worlds that Dahl creates, and then as an adult, you become aware of how brilliant (and playful) he is with words.

You excel at crafting a world through the art of storytelling. In a few words, describe your personal relationship with storytelling through mixed media.

For me, creating any sort of world (whether in a theater or a dollhouse or a written story) involves research, procrastination, and then usually a sleepless night or two of feverish making. It’s really extraordinary that color and texture are a language you can harness to communicate a cohesive story. Move the same elements around and you have a completely different tale!

I am always struggling for better mastery of my design process. For me, the hardest part is often sitting down to a project. I can go for days sort of dancing around it in my head before I am able to muster the effort. But once I am absorbed in it, I usually have a hard time stepping away. A lot of the designing is shuffling around the different elements I’ve reacted to in the research process. I try to listen to what the materials are telling me they want to do. I arrange and rearrange and then I have to walk away for a while. And then I return and rearrange some more and suddenly it feels right. Or it doesn’t and this last step gets repeated for a while! When I’ve created something that I know is good, it’s kind of magic in the sense that it feels separate from myself and largely accidental.

My favorite scene in All Dolled Up is the showboat scene. One night on my way into bed, I thought, “It might be interesting to use this old Venetian glass mirror as the Mississippi River. Let me just try it quickly… well, that looks interesting. I wonder how it would look if I added some moss… Hmm, there should be a white house in the background. Now a cotton candy sky: that’s what this needs… ” In moments like this, the ideas just keep rolling and there is this urgency to get them created, because otherwise you go to bed and the spell is broken. And then all of a sudden it’s 4 in the morning, but you’ve made something you’re puzzled and excited by. And then I usually lie awake in bed for another three hours because I can’t get my brain to turn off.

And then there are days that slip through my fingers and I haven’t created anything new, because I haven’t had the courage or control to sit down at the desk and I’ve been twiddling my life away on Instagram.

How did you first get started making miniatures?

One year for Christmas, I created a box of personalized miniature accessories for my grandparents’ dollhouse. It included family portraits, their handmade quilts, and a tiny copy of Grandma’s wedding dress.

Soon after, on a lark, I started listing a few miniatures on Etsy. The unusual nature of these (early items included shower loofahs, dog poop, and Playboy magazines) got me some sales and gave me the encouragement to expand my offerings. When I began, I was hopeful that I could produce a bit of extra spending money from my crafting scraps. I didn’t imagine that it would eventually grow into a full-time miniature monster.

In the beginning what kept me making new things, more than sales, was the simple fact that I was having a lot of fun doing it. This has always been the first clue that I am onto something good.

How does your experience in set design and costume making inform your work with miniatures?

Miniatures and theater are forms of storytelling that both employ the art of illusion! My miniature work has really sharpened my sense of composition, particularly when it comes to photography. Though I don’t work very often anymore as a set/costume designer, I love being able to say yes to the occasional job that interests me. Last year, for example, I helped to develop an escape room in New Orleans. For those unfamiliar with the concept, players get locked into a room for one hour and must solve puzzles in order to escape. There is usually some theme or narrative connecting the puzzles, and the room is decorated accordingly. Think of it as being locked into a story that you have to find your way out of!

The design approach was similar to designing a stage set. The only difference is that the audience has to interact with the props. Entrapping people into an immersive puzzle was a delight. It was also perfect training for my role as executor to the The Haunted Dollhouse…

Tell us a bit about the concept behind The Haunted Dollhouse.

In New Orleans, truth is stranger than fiction. This is especially true in the case of “The Haunted Dollhouse,” a crime involving a 1920s miniature collection. The dollhouse was created by an inmate at New Orleans’s Asylum for the Criminally Insane and is directly linked to a murder which took place in the French Quarter. Appraisers have spent years trying to crack the cryptic messages hidden in its construction. I’ve spent the past year researching it in the New Orleans archives. The inconsistencies of the murder investigation are so bizarre that I felt obligated to make them public. Amateur sleuths, crime connoisseurs, and miniaturists are all invited to take a crack at solving the case and may subscribe to receive the pertinent documents (and bloody artifacts) via TheHauntedDollhouse.com.

Those brave (or foolish) enough to assist me with the investigation will receive a series of five packages over the course of 1-2 months. Each package contains a cache of clues, miniatures, and archival documents. Clues may take the form of an old telegram, a 1920s newspaper clipping, miniature artifacts, and DIY projects. Each package is like another chapter in the deepening mystery, and as the story progresses, investigators reconstruct a dollhouse which is—egads!—actually a crime scene.

How did NOLA inform or inspire this project?

New Orleans is the most wonderful place to be alive, and apparently also the most wonderful place to be dead. Whenever I set out for my morning coffee, there is the very real possibility of bumping into the ghost of a pirate or Voodoo queen. It’s the most magical city that I know of.

There is just a wonderful energy here. And I don’t mean that in some sort of weird, aural New Age-y way. The history is so thick that you can cut it with a knife and sprinkle powdered sugar on it. And New Orleans doesn’t give a hoot and it knows how to have a good time and it’s filled with ghosts. And of course there’s the marvelous history, food, architecture; streetcars, gaslight lamps, and secrets that my betrothed regularly stumbles upon hidden in the walls of old mansions he renovates… And did I mention the ghosts?

How can miniature enthusiasts become involved as detectives?

Readers should be warned that The Haunted Dollhouse is not for the fainthearted miniaturist. If you are a normal person who does not enjoy 100-year old gossip and a good murder now and again, or if you are immune to the foggy romance of a French Quarter street, then you should close your browser and never think of it again. But if you are that peculiar breed who enjoys blood-tinged pirate treasure, reading through someone else’s mail, and the occasional man-eating alligator, then your phantomly friends are waiting for you over at TheHauntedDollhouse.com.

You recently participated in the National Building Museum’s Small Stories: At Home in a Dollhouse exhibition. What was that experience like?

One of the most delightful moments in my career was receiving a plain wooden box from the curator with instructions to fill it with whatever I pleased, so long as what pleased me was miniature!

I’ve spent much of my life wandering around museums and being inspired by them. To have the opportunity to create and contribute an original piece to an institution like the National Building Museum was well beyond my wildest dreams. I enjoyed the entire process of creating my “Dream Room” and it was an incredible honor to attend the preview reception beside my family. On the day of the opening, I snuck back into the exhibit to see if I could catch any of the patrons’ reactions. There was this moment when I watched an older woman lift her little girl up to peer into my scene and it took my breath away. I have so many wonderful memories of days spent in museums with my own family. I don’t flatter myself that the little girl will remember my specific piece, but to witness—and also be a part of—this shared moment hit me in a really emotional way. I think particularly because this whole crazy journey in miniatures has been a legacy of my grandpa’s love. To see it rippling out towards others has me believing that magic is real and every day.

Can you tell us a bit about your inspiration behind The Exile of Prospero?

My Dream Room was inspired by Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest. In The Tempest, the wizard Prospero has been ousted from his rightful dukedom by a usurping brother, and banished to a remote island with his daughter Miranda. In the miniature version that I created for the National Building Museum, I have banished Prospero to a great frozen continent. Here, he has mastered the elements to build a life for himself and his daughter. My dream room captures the moment before the play opens, when—from his great library of ice—Prospero engineers the shipwreck by which he intends to enact his version of justice against the usurpers.

There are so many themes and layers at play in Shakespeare’s great work. It was great fun studying the text and then trying to encode my interpretations into this world. The language of The Tempest is beautiful and I love its meditations on themes of magic and the creative process. One of the other predominant themes that strikes me is how we react to the shaping forces in our life, particularly those beyond our control.

What is your favorite period of art history?

It would be impossible to pick a favorite! Two genres that I return to again and again are surrealism and folk art. But one of the things that I love about art history is that if you go digging into any genre, decade or culture, you are sure to stumble upon something wonderful, something that speaks to you. In this way, art is a great access point to history, introducing you to corners of the world you never imagined existed.

What about your favorite fashion era?

Again, I really couldn’t pick a favorite! I love everything from 18th-century French court fashion to 1920s flapper fashions. It really just depends on the day and my mood. It’s interesting to watch the shifting shapes through the decades and one of the wonderful things about 2017 is that you can draw upon all of these decades for inspiration in your own dress.

In All Dolled Up, one of the delights—and challenges—was deciding which decades of fashion to feature and how they would fit into the story of the two paper dolls! I decided to showcase fashions from the 1880s to the 1920s. The changes taking place in the “ideal” silhouette between those decades is striking. I like to think about how how women’s role in the public domain was shifting as their hemlines shifted. So the paper dolls I created to “model” these fashions are also an homage to those trailblazing women. They are as adventurous as they are fashionable!

What was your process like in creating your book, All Dolled Up: Creating a Paper Fashion Wardrobe for Paper Dolls, a #1 new release on Amazon.com?

This is the first book I have ever created, and it was a really exciting process. Though it is a DIY book, I wanted to incorporate storybook elements. So miniature aficionados will enjoy traveling through the miniature worlds that I created for the two paper dolls. From circus, to showboat, to seance parlor, there is something in there for everyone in there!

Do you have a favorite book?

I have always loved to read and I would have a really difficult time narrowing it down to just one book! My favorite genre is Gothic fiction. I love its wrecked old mansions, dark family secrets, and, of course, ghosts (or at least the suggestion of ghosts). Angela Carter, Shirley Jackson, Edna Ferber, M.R. James, Steven Millhauser, Italo Calvino, Ayn Rand, Donna Tartt, Ray Bradbury, and Daphne du Maurier are just a few of my favorites. And I know I am forgetting some old friends on that list.

What about a favorite book you’ve made in miniature?

My very favorite tiny book is the one holding a key in its secret compartment! The Secret Garden would have to be another favorite.

What inspires you?

There is inspiration everywhere. In conversations with friends, museum visits, antique stores, Sunday matinees, historic places…I’m also enormously inspired every day by this community of creative people living in New Orleans. And New Orleans itself. The architecture, music, art and history have a lot to say.

What keeps me creating is the joy that I find in engaging with the world, whether through my art or my friendships. Every day I wake up to the possibility that someone will discover my Etsy shop, or that I will receive a strange request from a museum, or a fateful email from a book editor or dailymini… I get to do so much playing! And that’s not to say that it isn’t enormously difficult—or terrifying at times—but it is a joy. And I’m proud to put my name on each day, whether it’s been a success or a failure.

What advice would you give to new artists, beginner miniaturists, and dedicated hobbyists about taking their passions to the next level? 

First, you have to work with what you have. Too many people fixate on what they lack. Maybe that’s money, or photography skills, or a clear vision for their endeavor. When you move forward to confront those “obstacles,” you discover the strategies for conquering them. If a task seems daunting, break it down into daily goals that are achievable. You just have to commit to doing it, which means figuring it out as you go, rather than waiting until you have all the answers.

When I started on Etsy, my pictures were dark and blurry. I didn’t have any real money to invest in my business and I didn’t know anything about shipping costs, taxes, or designing a website—or anything, really! But you pick up so many skills day by day just in the doing. And if you keep working on it every day, you build steam. All I started with was a pile of scraps. Seriously.

You’re probably also afraid that you are going to fail. You are! Get over it. Any “success” I’ve achieved has been the product of dozens of “failures.” You start to realize that a better word for failure is “lesson.”

Favorite miniature you own by another artist?

My favorite miniature that I own by another artist is a pair of funny glasses by Wright Guide Miniatures. They look like the classic disguise gag glasses, complete with a mustache, eyebrows, and a nose, but they fit on your pinky. It just about kills me dead. I am always really blown away by their presentations at the miniature shows. They are a beloved fixture in the miniature show circuit: talented, creative, and pleasant to boot.

Favorite artists or designers you’d like to mention?

My next book will feature a puppet created by my very talented friend—and puppeteer—Marte Ekhougen. Marte designs sets for theater and has a line of handmade toys and creatures called Doctor Superhelga. Her work is extraordinary. Collaborating with her is an honor that I have dreamed of for a long time.

What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?

I am endlessly fascinated by (and non-judgmental of!) the projects people bring to me. I have seen everything from miniature morgues to miniature sex dungeons. Yes, miniature sex dungeons are a thing.

What is your hope for the field of miniatures? 

I think anyone involved in miniatures will recognize that it is a hobby which bridges generations in a really wonderful way. Grandparents, parents, and children can share the delight of creating and decorating a dollhouse together. I hope to see more younger people taking up the hobby. I think that miniature artisans who are really entrenched in the world would do well to harness the power of social media and technology to bring their craft to wider audiences. But I also don’t think that miniatures will be leaving the scene any time soon—they’ve been a feature in every chapter of art history!

What do you want to see replicated in miniature?

My tiny studio is in the back of New Orleans’s Century Girl Boutique, the world’s loveliest vintage clothing store. I would love to create a miniature replica of Century Girl and fill it with my tiny paper dresses! It’s on the list.

Why miniatures? 

I have all of these stories and imaginary worlds rattling around in my head. It’s the best way to bring them out into the light of day.

What’s to come from Lauren George? 

I’m in the midst of a second book for Dover and I’m also busy preparing a sequel to The Haunted Dollhouse. This year, I’m excited to be bringing more artistic collaborators into the studio for some of my projects. In addition to Marte’s puppeteering, artist Amanda Shafran is collaborating with me to create several original paintings for the book. Stay tuned!

What miniature show will you be at next?

My mom and I have always really enjoyed attending Philadelphia Miniaturia. We make it a road trip from Michigan and we stop at all sorts of interesting historic sites and towns along the way. Other work obligations kept me from attending this past year but I’m hoping to return to the 2017 show.

Words you live by?

Growing up, my parents always told us that the world is there for those who show up and that if you work passionately at what you love, everything else (rent, soulmate, paying off your student loans) will follow. That sort of unquestioned confidence from a parent or mentor cannot be overstated. There were so many moments when I could not see it for myself and needed to hear it from others.

Watching me sell dollhouse miniatures probably tested my parents’ certainty on these points, so it’s been fun to have them by my side for the past year’s big miniature adventures. It was especially gratifying to peer into the Tiffany holiday windows with them, to celebrate my book’s launch and to toast the museum exhibit opening in D.C. last spring. They’ve earned it!

Favorite miniature quote?

“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.”

Other activities you enjoy?

I love taking road trips and uncovering curious corners in the towns I visit. I also love throwing and attending costume parties! Luckily, our apartment is in a big old haunted mansion and very well suited to Halloween parties. And there is no shortage of enthusiastic masqueraders in New Orleans!

What do you want miniature enthusiasts to know about you?

Historically, New Orleans is a haven for artists and eccentrics. Tennessee Williams called it the “last frontier of Bohemia.” And I suppose he would know, having conjured Blanche DuBois out of its thick, steamy air. My Instagram and Facebook are a window into what it is like to live and work here as an artist. In addition to my miniature work, I try to highlight the places and people of New Orleans that inspire me. If a vintage-wearing, ghost-hunting miniaturist sounds like your cup of tea, then I hope you’ll join me for the adventure!

Would you like to share a dailymini exclusive with readers? 

I am already busy working on my second book with Dover! It will be a departure from the frothy, pastel prettiness of All Dolled Up. Creepy, with a touch of madness. If you have any curiosity on how a book gets made, from the dreaming to the editing, I will be posting frequent process updates on my social media pages and in my newsletter.

And if you ever find yourself in New Orleans, be sure to stop by my secret lair in the back of Century Girl Vintage Boutique!

Lauren Delaney George (whose alias is Lady Delaney or L. Delaney) is originally from Kalamazoo, MI. She’s currently haunting New Orleans, Louisiana. You can see more of her work on the Lady Delaney website, and follow her adventures on Instagram and Facebook. To add an L. Delaney miniature to your collection, head on over to Etsy. Learn more about and purchase All Dolled Up on Amazon. You can pre-order L.Delaney’s House of Shadows on Amazon, before its release in February 2018.

A post shared by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Apr 28, 2017 at 4:16pm PDT

Miniature Scenes and More by The Ashley Palmer Project

| Website | Instagram |

What’s your earliest memory with miniatures?

Going to Michael’s in NJ and wandering around the dollhouse section while my mom was shopping for something else. I just remember thinking they were the coolest things and throwing fits because my parents wouldn’t let me have one.

How did you first get started making bespoke miniature gardens?

It actually all started because I needed more space. I have this tiny Brooklyn apartment with all these plants and a few years ago I built this miniature backyard (because I don’t have a real one!) but then had nowhere to put it. I decided to combine the mini yard with a planter I had and it made me so happy that I started making ones for other people based on their personalities. Friends had previously asked me what they could grow at their desk so I decided to use low light plants so people can enjoy them at their office, that’s why I started calling them deskscapes.

What other services do you offer? 

I host Plant Party workshops, this is a service tailored to participants’ needs – I show up wherever and do potting and design demos. I also have the Art in the Garden event, which is various art activities in inner-city gardens to expose people to nature in an interesting way. This spring, I will start running a hat making with plants workshops. My background is in accessory design, so I’m excited to combine the two worlds.

Do you remember the very first miniature scene you ever made?

When I was about 6 or 7, I made a shadowbox of my bedroom. I had left over carpet scraps and paint from my full size bedroom and I used it in the scene, it was fantastic.

Describe your process when creating bespoke miniature garden scenes for clients.

First, I get information about what space and light the person has along with budget.

Next, I ask about hobbies and if they’d like something specific or if I can just run with what their hobby is.

I do sketches and share with the client, then once they’re happy I go for it.

What is the most challenging aspect of your work with small scale props and miniature scenes?

Finding what I’d like in the right scale. That’s a fun challenge though, I’ve met some great miniaturists that I’ve commissioned to make me things that I can’t find on the market and that’s been a pleasure.

What advice would you give to new artists?

Plan ahead with measurements and layouts, it sounds obvious but I get excited and tend to buy too much for a scene. I need to get better at laying it all out on paper first, just because things technically fit doesn’t mean it won’t look like a cluttered mess!

Do you collect any miniatures yourself?

I do collect, but I’m short on space so I can’t keep much though. My favorite is a Festivus pole I commissioned to sell but I kept one for myself.

Favorite scene you have made?

The Therapist’s Couch that I made is my favorite scene. It’s a faux leather couch with a mini Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams on it.

What inspires you? 

I’m inspired by people’s personalities, I like talking to someone and figuring out what deskscape will make them smile. It makes me so happy and keeps me going.

What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?

In Denver, there is a miniatures museum and when I visited they had a circus on display. It almost took up the entire room and had this beautiful tent that I couldn’t get over.

What would you like to see replicated in miniature?

I’d love to do a Prince tribute scene.

New mini scenes in the works?

I just finished a mini scene for my friend of her cats doing yoga. I’m brainstorming for a scene that will pay homage to my NJ roots.

What’s to come from The Ashley Palmer Project?

More workshops for 2017!

Favorite miniature quote? 

It’s the little things that make happy moments, not the grand events.

The Ashley Palmer Project is helmed by Ashley Palmer of Brooklyn, NY. See more of what she’s been creating on her website, and make sure to follow along on Instagram!

A post shared by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on May 1, 2017 at 3:57pm PDT

A Miniature World with Binnie Klein

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What are your earliest memories with miniatures?

When I was a child, and saw the first film adaptation of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, I was immediately smitten with lonely Laura and her collection of small glass animals. The gentleman caller’s accidental breakage of her prized glass unicorn while they danced in the sitting room seemed the perfect metaphor for the fragility of pleasure. I think miniatures remind us of that.

What was your first miniature? 

So, it actually was a tiny glass unicorn! Over the years it has broken at the neck (not at the horn) more times than I can count. It’s broken right now. I just rest the pieces together on a shelf.

In addition to collecting miniatures, what do you do?

I’ve been in a psychotherapist in private practice for over 30 years. I’ve been a Lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale. I wrote a memoir, Blows to the Head: How Boxing Changed My Mind (SUNY Press, 2010). I continue to do writing, a weekly radio show on WPKN 89.5FM, and audio production.

Can you tell us a bit about your radio show?

“A Miniature World” is a two-hour show that airs on Thursdays from 10AM-12PM EST, in which I present a curated selection of music I love that haunts, soothes, inspires, and provokes. I conduct interviews with authors, musicians, thinkers, miniaturists, and talk about what I’m reading, watching, and thinking. I think we all have these curated collections, these small worlds that we carry with us, and I have the thrill of assembling mine each week, and sharing it.

I have done some interviews with people involved with miniatures, like this one with Christine Ferrara of Call of the Small blog, and people involved in the tiny house movement.

Describe a few miniatures from your collection. 

I have chairs made of various materials – wood, metal, porcelain, etc. I have three tiny Venus of Willendorf statues. The photos within this interview are all of miniatures I adore:

• The tiny leather shoes
• A tiny edition of Snow White, with real text
• A tiny monk
• Two people reading a newspaper that seems to be called Holland
• A very tiny naked mermaid, lounging

What qualities in miniatures most strike you? What do you look for?

The juxtaposition of miniatures is as important to me as the miniatures themselves; I have always been drawn to scenes or tableaus. I love the assemblages of Joseph Cornell. A surprising placement of objects draws out surprising emotions. In addition, when miniatures themselves are functional (electric lights, stoves, scissors, etc.), I am both charmed and delighted. For a time, there were a series of videos going around social media of miniature foods being prepared and cooked. Watching them is a meditative experience, and a source of endless delight.

Just as I am struck by certain miniatures, I am always seeking insightful descriptions of their power, and of the psychological pull miniatures seem to have on us. Susan Stewart writes,

“The miniature, linked to nostalgic versions of childhood and history, presents a diminutive, and thereby manipulatable, version of experience, a version which is domesticated and protected from contamination. It marks the pure body.”

When we approach the miniature, time seems to slow down, and our most important sense is the visual. In a transcendent state, we gaze, and our eyes devour. We want to touch, but often cannot. When I visited the Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago, I was overwhelmed by how much there was to see in each glass-enclosed room. I felt flooded by the detail, and frustrated that I could not get closer to the objects. I once broke open the glass dome over a metal soldier in my collection because I needed to get closer. It felt like a terrible violation.

You mentioned a few primates in your miniature collection; what else do you collect?

Here’s a description in a one-minute audio piece.

Who are some of your favorite miniaturists?

I am mesmerized by the work of Slinkachu.

He is a master at the placement of tiny people in unusual settings, often making use of our detritus (skateboarders riding the sloping rinds of an orange peel, a tiny boat in spilled milk, the sorrow of a car smashed by a lollipop); so many unusual uses for cigarette butts! I’d always been drawn to the small figures in elaborate model train sets. Slinkachu makes the figures that you might see in one of those sets evoke a more complex range of emotions… like melancholy, joy, and confusion. They are not just standing and waving. I relate to their industriousness, and their indulgences.

Utilizing miniatures, Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz create snow globes with unexpected, unusual scenes inside. I became aware of their work at a 2010 exhibition, Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities, at the Museum of Arts and Design, NYC. In an exhibition catalog, the artists wrote:

“We make parts and push them around like pieces of a puzzle… a disconcerting process that creeps and jumps and often contradicts or buries its original premise.”

It’s always a frigid zone, a frozen scene….” This struck me because miniatures do an amazing job of “capturing” a sentiment, or an idea, and the longer you gaze, the more you see.

The late Frances Glessner Lee’s murder miniatures contributed to the field of forensics and are very haunting.

What advice would you share with those just starting out in your field? 

For psychotherapy: Keep a soft front and a hard back. Make sure you re-fuel with other passions; it can be draining to tromp through peoples’ psyches with them every day.

For writing: Keep trying to figure out what it is you need or want to say.

For radio: If you want ultimate creative freedom, don’t worry about the money, and just follow your bliss. If you want to sustain an income through it, start young, intern at NPR, work, work, work.

Favorite miniature you own?

I have a tiny pair of handmade leather shoes with shoelaces. The care that went into their creation blows my mind. The heels are well-articulated.

What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?

The first time I saw Street of Crocodiles by the stop-motion animators Brothers Quay, I knew I was witnessing something incredible. A small puppet explores his world, where even screws unwinding from the floor appear melancholy and full of feeling, A figure with a lightbulb head, dust and string, and partially obscured mechanical bits create an atmosphere of poignancy, and sometimes despair. These are not your mother’s miniatures.

What appeals to you most about what you do?

Some of the answers can be found in my new essay, You’re On the Air, which appears in the anthology How Does That Make You Feel? True Confessions from Both Sides of the Therapy Couch (Seal Press, 2016).

What’s to come from Binnie Klein?

I am working on an audio project, “Ten Days in Newark,” a short memoir in episodic form about first love, first heartbreak, and the radical politics of the 1960s.

I’ve been working on a poem, “The Miniature World,” for several years – I can’t quite get it perfect!

SUNY Press tells me they are almost out of stock for the print edition of my 2010 memoir Blows to the Head: How Boxing Changed My Mind (the story of my mid-life excursion into boxing!). And so, there will likely be a paperback edition created. I’m thrilled about this. I will have the opportunity to write a new preface.

Words you live by?

A wonderful fan of my show, a very talented artist named Robert Reynolds, once wrote that my show evoked “world weariness but with hope for the future.”

Other activities you enjoy?

I enjoy cuddling with my 15-year-old Havanese, Griffin. He is just the right size.

What do you want miniature fans to know about you?

It seems, that when it comes to the lure of the small, people either feel it or don’t. I’m grateful to find dailymini, and all my fellow miniature lovers, for the validation and the company.

I am very grateful for the writers who have tried to discuss and convey the psychological effect and meaning of miniatures, and our fascination with them. Among them: Susan Stewart, On Longing: Narratives of the Miniature, the Gigantic, the Souvenir, the Collection (John Hopkins UP, 1984), John Mack, The Art of Small Things, and Edmund deWaal’s The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance.

What’s something that (most) people don’t know about you?

I don’t think this will be a gigantic (!) revelation to many, but yes, “Binnie” is my real name. And my last name means “small.”

Miniature enthusiast/collector Binnie Klein is a psychotherapist and writer who hails from Hamden, Connecticut. Tune in to WPKN 89.5 on Thursdays from 10:00AM to 12:00PM EST to enjoy the latest episodes of “A Miniature World with Binnie Klein.” To learn more about what Binnie’s been up to, visit binnieklein.com, check out recent episodes of “A Miniature World,” check out her blog, or connect on Facebook and Twitter. 

A post shared by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Apr 24, 2017 at 2:20pm PDT

Miniatures and More by Claymenu

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What’s your earliest memory with miniatures?

It was at school when a teacher asked us to make a dollhouse at home. I used a shoe box, affixed everything inside with scotch tape, and thought it was okay. The next day, I saw the house of my classmate. Her mother was an architect and made everything herself, in a simple way, but the details were still so accurate that I became envious and stole a plastic rabbit from it.

What is your favorite type of miniature to make? 

It was 2013 when I changed my life another time and moved to Italy. The first thing I noticed was that this country has great interest in food. Though the original cuisine left me disappointed for a while, the fact that Italians talk about food was surely a thing to notice. The origin and taste qualities of ingredients used for preparing a dish (even if there is only pasta, tomato and a leaf of basil); the places where to buy the ingredients, some interesting stories about it; asking for recipes… it’s a normal conversation people make. Whereas, we as Russians talk about weather or politics or how the world is going to hell. Italians go to restaurants to eat the same food that they cook at home. Restaurants don’t pay any attention to the presentation of a dish, the cleaning of the tables, educating the waiters to smile, or any other usual stuff which is not just give-an-Italian-his-pasta. I like it. I like the food as well now. I like how it looks, how the different colors lie one upon another to create an art composition which is destined to die. Or not? How about we save the color, the presentation, the idea of food, just how sculptors save great people in statues, painters in portraits, and composers in symphonies? I mean, we need galleries, music, and kings on horses in parks. But more so, we need food. As for me, people should not only fry, chop and chew while watching a TV show. There is a piece of nature in their plates, or at least a theme to talk about.

Do you remember the very first miniature you ever made?

Not sure, but I believe it was a black sheep. I know that she was sad, deep inside.

Favorite type of clay to use?

As well as the cheapest clay I’ve found for cooking my ‘dishes,’ I use a kitchen knife, toothpicks, old oil for painting, Chinese brushes, and colors of an eyeshadow palette. I don’t believe that the pot makes a soup tasty, but hands do. People on the Internet write bad requests about art materials which you can buy in a school shop nearby, but as far as I think, they don’t really understand what art is. True artist is a poor artist. True art is a world created from dust and will to do it.

What is the longest amount of time you have spent working on one particular miniature?

It’s hard to follow the time when you are under the drug of inspiration. I can tell you just that it’s always too little time from switching the lamp of idea to sunrise.

What advice would you give to beginner miniaturists? 

Make art for art, not for money.

Do you collect miniatures yourself?

I don’t collect even mine. I give them to people who like my miniatures.

What inspires you?

People whose art is a bit better than mine. They make me grow. Or I hate them. Anyway, they don’t leave me the same way I was before.

What is your hope for the field of miniatures?

I know that miniatures will always exist. It’s in our human nature to adore simple, small things. We like kids more than adults, kittens more than cats, the small black dress more than wedding dress of Princess Diana. I just hope that creative people will not give up with their nature and do their best to make our world a bit more beautiful.

What would you like to see replicated in miniature?

As in my origin country of Russia, as in my new one of Italy, there are car enthusiasts who build unique cars with their hands. Apart from making a car fast, they make it look aggressive, low, funny, futuristic, and so on. I wish there were some artists who could make the exact miniature of a customized car.

Why miniatures? 

My friends always ask me to create something: a logo, a pic in Photoshop, aerography, body art, graffiti, etc. Why me, I ask. Because you are an artist, they say. Well, I am not. Artists create a world, I just copy it. I copy the food in miniatures, people in portraits, play music written 300 year ago. I’ve copied even some people’s habits to be honest. I am good at this, but please don’t ask me to invent something.

Motto you live by?

F*ck this, let’s do it.

Favorite miniature quote? 

Do they exist? Well, I’ve invented one while working in miniature recently:

“Never be ashamed to create. Even God made some miniatures… And here we are”

Other hobbies you enjoy?

Yesterday, I loved jogging, today I love to sleep. It’s a hard question to respond to in one sentence

What do you want miniature fans to know about you?

Miniature fans? Can I have some, pleeeease!

Nadia from Attimis, Italy was born in small town situated on the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly, before moving to Moscow and then on to Italy. To see more of her work, head on over to Instagram and follow @claymenu. And stay tuned for the debut of claymenu.com!

A post shared by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on May 2, 2017 at 2:14pm PDT

Miniatures by Benjamin Affagard

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Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born in Harfleur (France) and grew up in Le Havre. I continued my studies on the French Riviera in Nice and now I currently live and work in Caen. I began the practice of graffiti art in the 2000s, attracted by the history of art. For nine years, I held a workshop for the framing of paintings, which helped me gain DIY skills to create any kind of unusual objects to satisfy customers.

How you get started making miniatures?

Actually I was always tinkering since childhood, but in reality, I started the project Street Storefront in 2011. This project aimed to create urban environment dioramas incorporating an original work of an artist from the graffiti scene. These “Street Vitrine” scenes are inspired by the work and the world of each graffiti artist.

At that time, I was a teacher of art and was passionate about the culture and practice of graffiti. I had the idea to create urban environment dioramas incorporating graffiti artists and friends. Thus, the “Street Vitrine” project was born.

What materials do you use in your miniature work?

Wood cardboard, chipboard, plastic, wood, paper, acrylic paint, potato net, plastic straws, and more. I use all waste materials that can be useful to me, that can allow my models to be both stylized and realistic.

Favorite building you’ve made?

It is located in the city of Le Havre in Normandy, called the Normandy Theater and is currently not in use. There was a group exhibition at the gallery Hamon in partnership with artist Jace. I really had fun doing this building because it represents so much nostalgia. I was particularly interested in the Urbex rendering. It was not without difficulty, because I had put approximately 150 hours of work into it. I’ve received much positive feedback about the result.

What do you love most about working in miniature?

What I like about the world of miniatures are the steps and techniques employed to achieve the final result. It’s crazy as you learn something new every day. Every project is different and each time we must find new solutions to successfully achieve the finished piece.

What inspires you?

Many things can inspire me. As soon as I walk into town, I look up. There’s so much architecture, and art in general… graffiti, life, love, friends, and kittens.

What are your other hobbies?

I would say photography, because I need a lot of photos in order to inspire me. As well as drawing, painting, graffiti, cooking, and all the good things in life…

What shows did you recently participate in? 

There was an exhibition last spring, and in December 2016, I exhibited in a group exhibition on the theme of Parisian architecture.

Other exhibitions include:

• Personal exhibition “Street storefront”
  Place Gallery of Arts, 14000 Caen, from 18 to 24 January 2013
• Personal exhibition “Street storefront”
  Gallery Oh! 14000 Caen, from 1 to 7 March 2013
• Exhibition / public sale
  Cornet sale house Saint Cyr, Brussels 27 May 2013
• Group exhibition “Summer Group Show”
  Does he Speerstra Gallery Path cherry, 1183 Bursins, Switzerlandd u June 1, 2013 to July 19, 2013
• Personal exhibition “Street storefront”
  CARTAGAG Gallery, 4 place Jean Letellier 14000 Caen, December 2014
• Collective exhibition Kaleidoscope “Optical Sweets for the Eyes”
  the Speerstra Gallery Path cherry, 1183 Bursins, Switzerland on 15 November 2014 to 21 February 2015
• Group exhibition “M erry christmas lh”
  Hamon Gallery, 44 Square City Hall, 76600 Le Havre 5 December 2015 January 6, 2016
• Group exhibition “French Connections”
  L.J Speerstra Gallery and Gallery 12 Rue Commines, 75003 Paris from January 30 to Saturday, February 27, 2016

Benjamin Affagard of Street Vitrine lives and works in Caen, France. To see more of his miniature work and graffiti-inspired art, head on over to Tumblr, or follow along on Facebook and Instagram. You can also visit his COME graffiti artist profile.

A post shared by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Apr 10, 2017 at 1:36pm PDT

Gothwik Miniature World and Diorama Scenes

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Tell us a bit about Gothwik and this project.

Are you a misfit? Do you wish there was a place you could go to find your tribe? Do you think darkness is downright dreamy?

If you do, then, Gothwik is for you! It’s inhabited by a host of benevolent monsters, oddballs, and beasts. It’s a place where all those that feel lost are welcome and no bones are given about who you are or what you are. A place where you can let your hair (or fur) down!

At Gothwik they say Carpe Noctem. Seize the Night!

How did you get into miniatures and mini making?

The Gothwik world, accouterments and all of its inhabitants are all handcrafted in miniature by an anonymous artist who is dedicated to small fine details and story telling and was influenced at an early age to be a maker.

Where did you get the idea for Gothwik?

Inspired by Rankin/Bass famous stop motion movies, The Munsters and The Addams Family, the artist says, “I am very happy making art. I trust the world I create more than anything else.”

Tell us more about the Gothwik cast of characters.

Character names and commentary are not provided so that the viewer can interact with each scene and make their own stories about the Gothwik world. I remain anonymous because I want my characters and their world to take center stage.

Bendable framework characters and items are created with a variety of mixed media materials. It can take days to create a character and their objects for one photograph and I never run out of inspiration for ideas.

Will there be new Gothwik characters in the future?

New characters will constantly appear and inhabit the miniature world.

What else goes into your miniature making process?

To enhance the scene I have incorporated some Photoshop effects, such as flying birds and weather events in hopes that it makes the little world more believable.

What’s happening in Gothwik’s miniature world these days?

Currently at Gothwik they are celebrating Grimmas, their version of the festive season and they have their own ways and customs during this time.

Are you ready to seize the night? Head on over to Instagram to follow the wonderfully one-of-a-kind world of Gothwik.

 

Homewardflight Miniatures by Sadie Brown

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What’s your earliest memory with miniatures?

That would be being completely fascinated by the lights in my first dollhouse which, I only realized in recent years, was a Lundby. Wish I still had it!

How did you first get started making miniatures?

It’s something I’ve loved pretty much as long as I’ve been able to think! As a child, the new Dolls House Emporium catalog arriving through the letterbox (in the days before the Internet!) was a highlight in the calendar! I was so intrigued by all the tiny things and I have, to this day, a beautiful dollhouse built for me by my late uncle.

Tudor houses have always caught my imagination and, just a few short years later, I was also lucky enough to own a stunning Robert Stubbs house.

Where does the name Homewardflight come from?

At the time of Homewardflight’s inception, we were planning a return home to Skye after a few years away – our homeward flight. It just seemed to fit and now we just couldn’t be anything else, it’s a part of me!

Describe your collaboration process as the mini making duo of Sadie and Val.

The great thing about running a business with someone, is being able to bounce ideas off each other. Having said that, I’m the sculptor and Val deals with all those other things that you have to do when running a business!

Do you remember the very first miniature you ever made?

The very first miniature I ever made was a small cherry cupcake with white icing and, to this day, I can still recall that initial feeling of amazement at seeing such a tiny version of the real thing come to life. I still have it; it’s on my worktable!

What is your favorite type of miniature to create?

Truthfully, it’s whatever I’m working on at the time – it never gets any better than that! I think, with minis, you get so completely absorbed in what you’re doing that it really does become all about that one thing.

What is the most challenging miniature you make? 

The most challenging thing is often when you sit down to create something you’ve never done before. The longer you’ve been making minis, it’s amazing how often there’s a skill which applies from something you’ve made before to help you along the way!

Can you tell us a bit about the traditional British food features you’ve been working on for Dolls House and Miniature Scene (DHMS) magazine?

Originally it was meant to be a 7-part series, but there was so much delicious “comfort food” that it quickly evolved to eight! The last part of the series features a spring picnic scene and it was wonderful to be able to combine both my great loves in the mini world – food and nature. As a project series, it’s quite wide ranging so there’s something that will appeal to everyone and hopefully make most people think, “I’ve got to have a go at that!”

What advice would you give to new miniaturists?

Any time spent creating something is never time wasted. Even when you’ve spent hours lost in something for it not to work out, the experience is always worth having. When you create that perfect version, you have to remember you couldn’t have done it without a few duds along the way!

Do you collect miniatures yourself? If so, favorite miniature you own by another artist?

When I get the time, I have a long list of items from artisans right across the mini spectrum that I want to add to my collection! I think one of the most intriguing minis I’ve ever collected is a doll – a Victorian cook – beautifully handmade with a face that looks like it has a lifetime of memories etched on it. Trouble is, I’ve never known who made her. At the other end of the scale, I have a counter and a till from Delph Miniatures which is one of my favorite things.

Favorite miniature you’ve made yourself?

As I’ve said before, it’s always the last thing I made! However, I love the Homewardflight range of cake slices as I never fail to be fascinated at the realistic texture of the sponge!

What’s your favorite food?

Cheese is a true favorite and something I can never make enough of in 1:12 scale. There’s something about a selection of different tiny cheeses and mini crackers! In fact, my very first venture for DHMS magazine was a cheeseboard which was part of a competition they ran one summer.

What inspires you?

In life or in my work the answer is very much the same: my surroundings. Here on the Isle of Skye, we are surrounded by an abundance of good food and spectacular scenery that people travel from all four corners of the globe to see. For many of those people, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience being here, but I’m lucky enough to be part of it every day!

What is the most memorable miniature you’ve ever seen?

That would have to be a room box by Sally Watson of SallyCat Miniatures which incorporates a transparent wall between the spirit world and our world! Not only is it the most unusual piece I think I’ve ever seen, but it also taps into my own desire to create the unexpected in miniature!

Any favorite miniature artisans you’d like to cite?

Without question, Sally Watson, but also Teresa Thompson of Costume Cavalcade whose dolls are an inspiration to make you want to create a whole world around them! I particularly adore her Celtic figures.

What is your hope for the field of miniatures? 

Like any of the creative industries, it has to continue to evolve and attract new, talented artisans into the fold. The advent of social media in recent years has definitely brought miniatures to a much wider audience. Hopefully, it will continue to do that. I’d very much like to think that, as time passes, with everyone ploughing their energies into making our industry the best it can be, it will achieve new heights!

How can miniaturists and miniature collectors help keep the art alive? 

In the absence of a time travel machine, miniatures are the next best thing and there are so many places we have yet to travel to! It really is an endless craft and the most important thing is, without a doubt, to keep new ideas coming to the fore. I don’t think we need to do anything differently particularly but, as I said about the advent of social media and a wider audience I would love it if the mainstream audience felt miniatures were something for everyone… that you can have a beautifully handcrafted dish or piece of furniture on the mantelpiece without having to go the whole hog with a dolls house. These pieces work so well as a part of your big house too, just in the same way an ornament does!

What would you like to see replicated in miniature?

That’s something I often try to do in my own work – create things that haven’t been seen in small scale before and there’s something I’m working on as part of a larger magazine feature that I don’t think has been seen before. Otherwise, there are many building interiors/themes that are, as yet, an untapped resource of tiny ideas that I’d be thrilled to see someone tackle!

Why miniatures? What appeals to you most about what you do?

Because it’s an endless world, bound only by your own imagination. One day you can be wandering through the metaphorical countryside sculpting a wee mouse scuttling down a hole, and the next, attending a medieval banquet! I’ve always loved creating things and there’s nothing better than bringing what’s in your imagination out of your head and onto the worktable.

What’s to come from Homewardflight?

Oh gosh, where to start?! There’s lots coming up! There’s some very special commissions I’m working on. And there’s some fabulous stuff I’m working on for Dolls House and Miniature Scene magazine which will take me all the way into 2017! In addition to that, there’s loads on the way for our Etsy shop and the website along with, if we can find the time, something which will, hopefully, bring a favorite from the miniature world to a much wider market, making it something lots of people who’ve never been interested in miniatures will want. It’s something that we’ve been thinking about for quite a while. As I say, it’s just a question of fitting it in.

Words you live by?

“The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the ‘buts’ you use today.” —author and motivational speaker, Les Brown.

Favorite miniature quote? 

A doll sculptor who made their excuses, exclaiming “I’ve got a body in the oven!”

Other activities you enjoy?

Photography is my passion away from the miniature world, although more often than not, the two worlds collide! Here in the Hebrides, we are lucky enough to have completely pitch black skies, and I spend hours taking photographs of the aurora borealis and the stars!

What do you want miniature enthusiasts to know about you?

I’m at my happiest when creating miniatures. My worktable overlooks the hills and the loch, and it’s the most perfect place in the world to be… especially at the moment when you realize a miniature has come together and it’s definitely going to work.

Homewardflight was created by Sadie Brown who’s based in the Isle of Skye, Highlands of Scotland. To see more of her work, visit the Homewardflight website, shop the collection on Etsy, and make sure to follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.