Reflections of History in Miniature

by Pam North

Tanya Harvey first became interested in her hobby 15 years ago when she was on her honeymoon in Wales. “My husband and I were out one day,” she explained, “and we came across a dollhouse shop with lots of other wonderful things I had never seen before in my home country, the Ukraine. Before then, the only dollhouse I ever had seen was the one which belonged to the Tsar’s children; it was exhibited in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Although we didn’t buy anything that day, the seeds of a deep interest were sown. When my daughter, Alison, was born, we decided to build a dollhouse for her as she grew up. After making the house, I tried without success to find some soft furnishings for it, so I decided to make my own. They turned out quite well and the owner of a local dollhouse shop asked if I could supply some for them. Originally I was a history teacher, but now I am a full-time miniaturist, as it allows me to combine my family life, my love of crafting, and my love of the past. My family are very proud and happy to be involved. My husband, Andrew, helps with many of the items and my website, and provides constructive criticism, encouragement, and support. My father makes Tudor furniture, and my mother makes a lot of the flowers I use in my work; so it is a real family business. It makes combining home life and miniature making possible, as I can fit my work around my family.” 
Now Tanya makes hand-sculpted dolls, curtains, handmade flower arrangements, dressed furniture, and accessories. She finds her inspiration in history. “I love to visit the many historic houses and halls here in the UK to see wonderful interiors and decorations which I can recreate in miniature. What I love most about miniatures is that they allow me to indulge my love of history, and to create my own small time machine into the past. I can let my imagination run wild, and I can reproduce small items from all periods. I also love the uniqueness of each project.”
While not a teacher of workshops,Tanya has written a number of tutorials for various magazines over the years to share her knowledge. She has had her work featured on several TV shows, and she has made items for several celebrities and, but was asked not to disclose details of those.
Tanya mostly is self-taught. “I don’t have any special training in model making, but in my home country of the Ukraine there is a strong craft tradition. I always have enjoyed crafting, sewing, and doing embroidery. I was six years old when my grandmother started teaching these skills to me.” She cites her most valuable tools as her sewing needles, as many of the items she makes require some form of sewing or embroidery. “The biggest problem I have is finding materials in the correct scale. Often I have to improvise or adapt, and this sometimes can delay my making something.”
Tanya described her latest group of pieces as “a Tudor-inspired tall dressed settle and other Tudor dressed furniture”, and continued, “I found it is very hard to find dressed Tudor furniture and other items for my own vintage Tudor house, so I thought I would try to make them myself and sell them. I thought the tall settle was unique and very interesting.” To make it, she drew from images of the real item on the Internet from Wrightwick Manor in the UK to make a miniature version. The settle itself was crafted by her father, and Tanya then finished and dressed it. The settle was made from real wood, finished with Jacobean oak wax. The scenes were printed by computer onto cotton material. The other Tudor items are from her imagination, made from wood, and dressed with cotton, printed paper, crewel work, hand embroidery, a technique not often practiced today. All her items are for sale through her Etsy shop, website, or dollhouse fairs in the UK such as the Kensington Dollshouse Festival. 
Tanya is optimistic about the future of miniatures. “Although many miniature items are now mass produced, I think in the future there always will be a demand for high-quality, handcrafted things which are unique or created to a customer’s own specifications. It also would be nice to see more young people involved.”  
She has lots of plans for future creations. “I have hundreds of Ideas for hand-sculpted dolls and other items, which should keep me busy far into the future. I would like to continue improving the quality of my work so that it gains wider recognition in the hobby. I hope that as my work improves, it will be considered alongside that of the many great artisans working in dollhouse miniatures. I am always looking for my next inspiration,” she said, “and I am always happy to undertake commissions for dressed furniture, dolls, curtains, floral arrangements, and other special orders.” 

Contact Information:
Address:  27 Swallowtail Close, Ipswich, Suffolk,IP8 3QX,UK
Website: www.thbespokeminiatures.com
Facebook (www.facebook.com/tanyaslitte.curtains) 
Business name: TH Bespoke Miniatures (Previously Tanya’s Little Curtains)