(Submitted photo)
By Renee Larr
The Museum of Miniature Houses and Other Collections in Carmel is hosting a one-of-a-kind exhibit featuring local Hoosier miniature artists through Dec. 31 called Hoosier Making Miniatures.
“The exhibit comprises only professional miniaturists who work or live in Indiana. It covers about 35 years of miniature making,” said Elaine Mancini, executive director of the museum. “Many of the artists are either artisans or fellows of the International Guild of Miniature Artisans.”
Artisans are selected to become members of the prestigious group. Items on display include tiny versions of real furniture, food, dolls, porcelain items, stoneware and rooms.
“It’s pretty much the entire gamut of tiny little accessories to room settings,” Mancini said.
The project is the museum’s second legacy project with the Indiana Bicentennial Commission.
“Miniatures were extremely popular in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. A good percentage of the active professional artisans were Hoosiers. Hoosiers are extremely creative people, and they love to make things. They were important in the miniatures industry as well as others,” Mancini said. “This exhibit documents this importance.”
The Carmel museum is one of only five in the U.S. devoted to miniatures.
The cost to attend is $5 for adults and $3 for children under 10. The museum is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.
The museum recently celebrated its 23rd anniversary and has several upcoming events throughout the year. For more, visit museumofminiatures.org.
Upcoming events
- Oct. 1-Bring Your Doll Day: Visitors of all ages are invited to bring dolls and share stories about them.
- Oct. 5-Fashion Dolls from the Private Collection of Elizabeth Kraft Taylor: Fifty 14-inch dolls dressed in designer fashions will be on display until Dec. 4. Each has a name, a backstory and is authenticated by both the doll and the fashion designers, such as Jason Wu.
- Nov. 12-Breyer Fun Day: Enjoy the Breyer horses in the musuem’s permanent collection, enhanced with manes and tails made from real horsehair, handmade bridles and saddles and costumed riders. Paint a Breyer 4-inch “Stablemate” horse with materials provided and take it home as a souvenir.
