An investigation into the enormity of miniatures
Does size matter...
Well well, I have a new topic, one that excites me! It’s interesting, quirky, funny, cute, serious, emotional, fun, artistic, meaningful, deliberate, senseless and real all at once!
MINIATURES!
I have always been fascinated by small things so it is not odd that I eventually starting heading in this particular direction for my thesis. It’s quite ironic, when I look back on previous blogs now, at the images that inspired me, most of them were miniatures...I must have been a bit slow..
In my venture to discover the true meaning of a miniature, I am going to have a series of interviews with artists I contacted who specialize in miniatures. I will then use their opinions and discussions to determine what drives people/artists to create miniatures like: their homes on rings, mini dollhouses of their first childhood home, miniature portraits, miniature favourite items worn around their necks as pendants etc. I will also like to speak to a few psychologists to establish the psychology behind miniaturizing in any area, not only design.
I will be focusing on miniatures in jewellery as a whole, but in order to ascertain why it is important, how it came about and why jewellers, especially in South Africa don’t focus more on miniatures as they do abroad, I need to speak to people from all over to gather my research. I will then try and define what miniatures mean to these subjects personally and how I can promote the art thereof here in South Africa.
As far as my research goes I have found that miniatures, concerning the jewellery community is not of great importance(South Africa). Not much research has been done in this area. I would like to start this research and bring to light that it is an essential area of design in all genres of art, but more importantly that of the jewellery and metal smith.
I hope to identify why miniatures are so fascinating abroad more than here in South Africa. Why in the jewellery industry, it is not as popular an art as miniature paintings and doll house miniatures and more so, why it is not as popular or even close to the popularity of commercial jewellery. Certainly it has been around many years, as many tribes since the beginning of time created miniature metal “gods” and dolls for safekeeping, fertility, love and other reasons.
Some artists in miniature who inspires me and who I will be corresponding with:
Lotus De Wit
Origami earrings, simple and beautiful
Mini Fred with his strainer
Earrings and neckpiece
Barbara Brear’s Dollhouse
Barbara binds miniature books
It is absolutely AMAZING how life like these scenes look on photos!
Petite Connoisseurs and Hestelle Maré
Miniature objects for Doll Houses
Victoria Mason
Amazing everyday objects miniaturized and incorporated into jewellery
Randoms
Pencil sharpening???who thought!
The most unique ideas....
Who says needle work is old fashioned!
Something interesting to debate:
Where does one draw the line?
Where IS the line?
Isn’t it such A NICE FEELING when you know you’re going to enjoy doing something??!!
Artists Images :
· Victoria Mason
· Lotus De Wit-fig 1-2
· Barbera Brear
· Hestelle Maré
· Petite Connoisseurs Artists
·
