Karen Anderson, Artist – Atlanta, Georgia
Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, a lifelong lover of art – Karen graduated with a degree in Visual Art from Rutgers University in New Jersey. She volunteered her musical talents in Atlanta at Girls Rock Camp ATL (while living in New Jersey) and made the decision to move to Atlanta after graduating college.

Thank you for creating your Tiny Doors mixed media installation… it brings a smile to my face. Am I correctly describing your art as a “mixed media installation”?

• Yes, you can call it a mixed media installation. A tiny door is first created through my design and then a silicone mold is created. Then, a resin tiny door is molded so that it will endure the elements of the environment where it will be placed.

Tiny doors is a whimsical idea… how did it come to you?

• I was always an artist and loved miniature things. When I was young, I would remake my dollhouse furniture out of clay. I saw “Fairy Doors” in my hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan and got an idea. I made my Tiny Doors about communities and neighborhoods and bringing people around public art in their neighborhoods.

Tiny doors reminds me of the children’s storybooks that I grew up enjoying, where the little critters or faeries had their tiny abodes hidden in the forests against a rock or tree trunk, etc.  Do you get feedback or find that little children are attracted to your installation?

I consider my art for everyone, and there is a mix of everyone – both young and old – that interacts with the doors.

The Tiny Doors look like they are made of wood – are any of them made of wood?

• What you see on the street is a resin. I use a proprietary method of creating my tiny doors.

I hope this doesn’t happen, but have you noticed if people vandalize the Tiny Doors?

• Tiny doors get loved and need to be maintained. Sometimes things need to be replaced or painted, etc. The wear and tear can happen quickly where people walk, as on the Atlanta Beltline where 20,000 a day walk a section where there are three doors. Vandalization is rare, but something I planned for and quietly take care of.

How do you choose your site installation and do most people welcome you adding them to their property?

• Doors only go where they are invited – I take applications and we find a spot and then I spend up to 2 yrs creating something special for that neighborhood.

Do you maintain them (as in, repairing, painting, etc) or is that left to the proprietor of the property?

• I consider the installation of a tiny door a commitment to the neighborhood. Currently, there are 15 public doors and I maintain them.

Have you ever added tiny led lights to any installation?

• Yes, private ones – a few of them have lighting. Three at Mailchimp headquarters and one other install.

How often do you create a Tiny Door?

• For the public, a few a year are created. But for private, it can vary. Once a location has been established, I do my due diligence and envision things such as, how to design the door to reflect the surrounding neighborhood’s architecture and community spirit, what might attract the neighborhood to interact with it, how can the door feel accessible to everyone, and what type of weather and foot traffic might be encountered. We love creating the surprise as people walk by, hoping to lift their spirits.

Do your Tiny Doors earn an income?

• On top of donations to the project from Tiny Friends around the world, I receive custom commissions. Mailchimp has 5 tiny doors in their corporate headquarters and I also make custom art pieces. My goal is to inspire curiosity and exploration and make this art accessible.

Do you believe that you will continue to bring your Tiny Doors to other spaces or destinations?

• I like to put them where they are invited – and that can be anywhere. And it deserves a commitment for someone to take care of it. It is a love letter to a neighborhood.

Thank you very much for letting us know a little bit about Tiny Doors in Atlanta