1. Beginning the Dollhouse

I’m writing my MA thesis on dollhouses, with a particular focus on Carrie Stettheimer’s (which lives at the Museum of the City of New York). As part of the thesis, I’m commissioning my own dollhouse, from fabrication to furnishing., and this is where I’ll be documenting that process. Carrie was a New York City woman-about-town in the first half of the 20th century; with two of her sisters, Ettie (brilliant writer) and Florine (DELIGHTFUL painter), she held salons for artists and intellectuals. Some of these artists went on to provide Carrie with miniature renderings of their own art for the dollhouse. My hope is that I can follow in Carrie’s footsteps, commissioning contemporary artists to create miniatures for my little house as well.

So far I’ve spoken to KLN Studios, a Brooklyn-based design/fabrication studio. Last week, I sent them a very rough drawing with my ideas: a general layout, overall scale, little features.

I’ve also emailed interior designers, asking if they would be willing to consult with me, in as much detail as they’d like. I’m taking this extremely seriously. Dollhouses are, as I hope my thesis will illustrate, a serious business.

A few things I’m considering, as of right now:

• Emailing Amy Sedaris to talk about her dollhouse

• Going to Chicago to see Colleen Moore’s famous Fairy Castle

• Talking to set designers to hear what they think of dollhouses as a form of theatrical display