Daily Mini Interview: Miniatures by MiniArtHouse

Miniatures by MiniArtHouse

|   Website   |   Shop   |   Instagram   |   Facebook   |   Pinterest   |

How did you get started working with miniatures? 

Once, turning over the pages of a magazine dedicated to design and decor, I saw a small dollhouse. IMG_4151It had every thing inside: furniture and tableware. It made me so excited. Later, I wanted to make the same house for myself. My husband helped me and we made our first dollhouse. It was a Dutch house from the 16th and 17th centuries.We were interested in recreating some of the details of the interior, typical of that time and country. Upstairs in the bedroom, we did a wood-beamed ceiling, and in the dining room we created hand-painted tiles. Then we created an Italian house. IMG_3184 (1)At that time in Russia, miniatures were not so popular, so we had to do a lot by ourselves. In the process, we gained invaluable experience. Soon after, we set up a small family shop dedicated to miniature. Our store is filled with various miniatures.

Our main focus is handmade miniature. My daughter, Ksenia is an artist who produces miniature paintings and paints furniture. We create posters. My husband, Georgiy is interested in porcelain and ceramics. My husband and I pay great attention to porcelain. IMG_2143He makes the form of vases, pitchers, plates, and more. Then we paint and glaze the works. We try to find historical patterns of majolica and transfer them to miniature porcelain. I paint porcelain. I also create food from miniature polymer clay, and I love to sew and embroider cushions, rugs, tapestries, and paintings.

For the holidays, we make themed dioramas and roomboxes. For Christmas and New Year, I decorate little Christmas trees, Christmas wreaths, and garlands. IMG_2322We also create compositions, including shelves with plates, tables with fruit and vegetables, and still life works with food and flowers.

How many years have you been making minis?

We’ve been in the miniature business for about 5 years. We are always in search of creativity and the mastering of new techniques.

IMG_4173What different types of materials do you use to make miniatures?

In our works, we use polymer clay, clay, porcelain, wood, MDF, fabric, paint, pastel, plaster, paper, cardboard, floss, and more.

Advice for beginner artists?

For starters, we recommend you pay great attention to detail.

Material or technique you can’t live without?MAH-PZ-2c

Embroidery, modeling, ceramics, and drawing.

Why miniatures? 

It’s a wonderful hobby. Miniature is the reflection of the world in which we live. Through miniature, we want to transfer all the forms, colors, and patterns that fill our lives.

MAH-PIL-41zWhat’s to come from MiniArtHouse?

In the near future we would like to try creating miniatures in the scale of 1:24.

Words you live by?

Beauty and creativity make our lives more interesting.

Miniarthouse is a family affair based in Moscow, Russia. Evgenia creates miniatures with help from her husband Georgiy and daughter Ksenia. To view more of their handmade minis, visit their website, shop on Etsy, or follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest

Daily Mini Interview: Double N Minis

Double N Minis by Nadia and Nora

|   Instagram   |  Etsy  |  Facebook  |

How did you first get started in miniatures?

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by miniatures. There is a certain magic in seeing and touching real things that have been reduced to such tiny sizes!dailyminidoublen4

I am a graphic designer and I have also always been very crafty. I love working with my hands and with various media. Also, because I’m a graphic designer, I think that my attention to detail has helped me a lot with making miniatures. I like to refinish furniture, sew, paint, and more. Making miniatures is the perfect means to combine all my interests. Plus my creations don’t take that much space!

I always thought that “someday” I would build a dollhouse but never really got into it although it was always in the back of my mind. Three and a half years ago, our family life was terribly changed when my husband was diagnosed with brain cancer, and then again when he died two years ago. This, among many other things, changed my outlook in life, and I learned that the best time to do the things you want to do is “now” because we never know when our lives are going to be turned upside down.

At that time, my daughter and I had been working a little bit making mini food charms out of polymer clay and some other clay crafts like pens just for fun. After doing some research to make more charms, the world of realistic miniature food opened up to me. I couldn’t believe the things that people were doing! The Internet is an endless source of information and I started looking at all sorts of miniatures, collecting images on Pinterest, and more. It was at that time that I decided to start our first dollhouse in November 2014. dailyminidoublen3We started with a small kit because I wasn’t sure if I was going to be “into it,” so It was better to start small. (Ha! And now I’m hooked for life!)  We decided it was going to be a bakery with an apartment upstairs. My goal was to make as many things as I could instead of just buying items. If I bought something, I was going to transform it. Everything would have to have our own special touch.

Honestly, I had no idea that I was going to get so immersed in this world! My daughter and I made all the desserts and pastries, and then I started working on furniture, accessories, and other pieces. I love to challenge myself, experiment, and try new techniques. I didn’t know I was going to be able to make so many things! My daughter has a lot of talent in manipulating tiny things, and it’s been great to see how her abilities are changing and the things she can make at her age! I love that she loves miniatures and enjoy spending time working.

dailyminidoublen2What inspires you?

I am very inspired by the work of so many artists and many different styles. When I first discovered the work of Tomo Tanaka of NuNu’s House, it blew my mind. There are also a lot of other Japanese artists that I admire, including Rosy, N Original, and Studio Soo among others. Martiza Moran and Christine-Léa Frisoni make beautiful furniture and spaces. Hyper-realistic artists like Alan Wolfson, Ronan-Jim Sevellec, Charles Matton, Dan Ohlmann and Marc Giai-Miniet inspire me.

What materials do you use to make your miniatures?

Right now, as a beginner, I’m experimenting with everything! I want to really try out many media options, so I can eventually find my niche. So far, polymer clay, wood and paper are my favorite materials.

Advice for beginner artists and miniaturists?dailyminidoublen

Keep working and practicing! Don’t get disappointed if your work doesn’t look like the photos you see on the Internet—it takes time and patience to get there. Find your inspiration from the real world, and observe, observe, observe! I think what makes a miniature stand out is the details: all the perfect imperfections! Find your own style.

Favorite mini you own by another artist?

Well, since we just started and we’ve been trying to make as much as we can, we don’t own many pieces by other artists. A few months ago Angelina (elArtedeAngelina) contacted me because she wanted to trade minis, and I felt so honored. We got a beautiful book from her. At the Seattle Miniature Show, we met Julia Stewart. She makes the most beautiful clothes, and my daughter fell in love with a tutu (she’s a ballerina herself). She loved it so much, she volunteered her allowances for a whole year so she could buy that tutu!

What quote do you live by?

Don’t wait to do the things you want to do. Now is the time.

dailyminidoublen5What do you want miniature enthusiasts to know about you?

Making miniatures has been a blessing for me. After the huge loss I had, being able to just lose myself in my work has been tremendous.

Even though it took me such a long time to finally start working on this, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to learn as much (I am self-taught) if I had started earlier. The Internet is a source of unlimited information and I am so grateful for all the artists that are generous in sharing their knowledge, tutorials, photos, resources, and much more.

Nora Mazonson of Mexico City now lives in Mount Vernon, Washington. Nora and her daughter Nadia are the team behind Double N Minis. Bring home your own miniature by shopping along on Etsy. To see more of their work, head on over to Facebook and Instagram!