Interview with Mini Mandy
1.) Please tell us something about your background and your art journey so far.
My name is Amanda. I am thirty-one years of age and I live at the Jersey Shore. I recently started exploring the art of Miniatures again, something I haven’t done since childhood. I build and restore dollhouses, Create Dioramas, and Miniature Scenes.
2.) Describe what a normal day looks like as an artist.
A normal day in my life as an artist is often chaotic. When I get an idea, I need to begin executing it immediately. I will often drop everything I had planned for that day to make that vision come to life. Which in doing that , makes things even more interesting if you don’t have all the materials needed. There is a lot more creativity and spontaneous decisions that come from doing things in such a manner.
3.) Can you tell us more about the theme in your art and your inspiration?
The "theme" of my art is pretty much that there is no theme. I love exploring and learning new things. I am always testing a new skill or method, so I like that none of my dollhouses or dioramas look like each other. I am very inspired by my family, friends, their everyday lives, experiences we have had, and things we have seen. In every miniature there are either hidden secret messages or pieces that remind me of someone in my life. I believe that because life is always changing so will my art.
4.) What practical advice can you give to fellow artists?
My best advice I could offer to other artists would have to be that you don’t need an "aesthetic" or just one style, even if you feel pressured to have one. Create and explore all your talents and ideas freely and always think out of the box.
5.) Is the artist life lonely? Please share your thoughts and experiences.
I have found the artist life is quite the opposite of lonely with what I do. So many people in my life have offered support and shown interest in what I am doing. When I finish a project, I now have so many people I can call to talk to about it. I have also realized that because I am so inspired by those around me, it has made me want to get to know people in my life on a deeper level. It has also brought me closer to my family who often want to be involved and help me through the process of making these. Whether that be emotionally, through constructive criticism, or taking photographs. The artist life for me so far has been filled with love and I have been so lucky to have met so many cool people as well because of art.
Social media: @happy_camper_miniatures (on instagram as well as tiktok)