Miniatures of the Month: Dogs in Miniature

Before the month closes, I wanted to get a post in about some amazing animals you have to see - in miniature, of course.

A dog lover in real life, Dutch miniaturist Dolores van den Akker knew she wanted better pets for her own miniature collection than the ones she’d found.

“I always loved pets and had only the plastic dollhouse pets, which I hated,” she says.

She came up with what any miniaturist would agree is a logical solution: “I started to make my own Yorkie, after that I made my own dog in mini, a Skye Terrier.”

Dolores has since made dozens of realistic dogs that will make any dollhouse seem more like home.

“Dolores’ Miniature Dogs” are available at her website. Additional dogs can be seen at her photo site.

Pets Plus

A miniaturist for eight years, Dolores enjoys making not only the dogs, but has branched out to dog and pet accessories such as leashes and horse saddles, as well as ceramic dishes and cups with animal photos on them.

And then there are the baskets, which seem to have taken on a life of their own. “Dog baskets, cat baskets, food baskets, you name it, I make it, ha-ha.”

The dogs range from tiny Chihuahuas, to giant Saint Bernards, and all sizes in-between. Dolores starts with a wire frame and then builds up the body with clay. It can take from 45 to 80 hours to sculpt the body. After that she applies the wool for fur.

She doesn’t discriminate, either. She also makes cats, other animals like squirrels, and even the tiniest of guinea pigs. The animals average in size from 1 to 6 cm. (3/4” to 2 ¾”). Dogs range in price from 15 euros, up to 125 euros for the largest dogs. She also donates 5 percent of each sale to the world animal shelter.

Dogs and More...

Dolores has found a welcome audience for her life-like animals, which isn’t surprising given her artistic background. Besides working in miniature, she paints life-sized decorative art on walls, specializing, of course, in animals. During the summer, it isn’t unusual for someone to even bring a door over for her to paint cartoon figures on for a child’s room.

So far, Dolores has made dogs in dozens of breeds, either by request or after looking in a dog breed book. She’s made Shepherds, Poodles, a King Charles Spaniel, American Spaniel, Afghan Hounds with silky hair, Borzois, Westies, Bassets, Corgis, and more.

The dogs are realistic, with personalities all their own. Looking at her Beagle, it’s easy to see the charm of the breed that made Uno a winner at the recent Westminster Dog Show. She’s also had the honor of having her Dachshund, and many of her other dogs, on exhibit at the Poppenhuis Museum in the Netherlands.

Besides dogs, Dolores creates cats and even the teeniest of guinea pigs less than 1” in size.

That, of course, is just the beginning. After all, she has many breeds yet to make. She loves trying new sculpts and admits that it can be addicting.

“Everything about it is great,” she says. “You work on the head, you give it eyes, and to see it looking at you is a thrill. When you finish and work on the poses, you can’t stop. You keep on working with them.” #

Dachshund Petey from "Searching For A Starry Night" has a new friend!

Petey, the mischievous Dachshund from SEARCHING FOR A STARRY NIGHT made a pal!

Bratwurst, (pictured) is a little older (and much wiser!), so here's hoping goofy Petey learns something.

You can see what the two of them had to "bark" about in today's post at The Diary of a Dachshund blog.

Boy, that dog sure gets around!

SEARCHING FOR A STARRY NIGHT - Chapter 1 - Meet Petey!

Chapter One of my upcoming mystery, SEARCHING FOR A STARRY NIGHT, A Miniature Art Mystery - coming in MAY '08 - is now online!

Meet Petey, the mischievous Dachshund who has his nose in everything, including finding the missing mini Van Gogh!

Meet Sam, who thinks the end of summer is ruined, but finds herself immersed in tracking down the missing minature art.

Meet Lita, Sam's bff, who loves writing despite her friend's teasing ("too much like homework," says Sam). When Petey digs up a family curse, Lita is sure she's doomed. Is she?

You can read Chapter 1 at http://www.echelonpress.com/chapters/cv-sfasn-chap1.htm .


***Watch for upcoming contests, prizes and more in the coming weeks! Let the fun begin!

SEARCHING FOR A STARRY NIGHT DUE DATE: MAY!!

I got the word!

My upcoming book, SEARCHING FOR A STARRY NIGHT, A Miniature Art Mystery, will be out in MAY!! Once the book is up on Amazon.com (probably before then), let the pre-ordering begin! The book is being edited now. Stay tuned for updates! Online virtual tours and other events will begin shortly!

Do You Know What A Dachshund Thinks?

I do.

Petey, the mischievous Dachshund in my upcoming mystery, SEARCHING FOR A STARRY NIGHT, finally has his say in my new short story, "Secrets" in today's Flashshot. You can read the story here , or click Last 10 Flashshots.

I will post it on my site soon; a link will be at cverstraete.com/fiction.html

Art in Miniature - Van Gogh's Starry Night

Van Gogh's masterpiece, The Starry Night, is one of my favorite paintings, and part of the plot of my soon-to-be-released mystery, SEARCHING FOR A STARRY NIGHT.

Thanks to artist Lucie Winsky, I now have a real-life version of the miniature painting featured in my upcoming mystery novel. The painting's frame measures 2 5/8" long x 2" high.



Lucie's Art

Lucie, who is also a skilled miniature doll artist, has been painting "since I could hold a paintbrush," she jokes, but has only been painting in miniature since 2006.

Her inspiration to try painting in miniature came from her desire to paint a portrait of the Victorian lady who is the logo for Dana of Miniature Art's Mini Doll List. The logo is based on the circa 1907 painting, "At Home," by Philip Boileau. The painting was donated as a prize for a contest on the doll list.

This painting, like her other miniature art, is done in oils, just as a life-size painting would be done. It can take up to a month or longer to complete one painting.

No Small Feat

Each painting is done using tiny paintbrushes that are trimmed down, along with split toothpicks. Even more incredible? Lucie paints without use of a magnifier! "My eye doctor told me that I have really good close-up vision," she says.

There is one pitfall to working on such small detail, of course: "Neck pain from looking down too much," she admits.

The secret to Lucie's work? She half-jokes: "Patience."

Read more about Lucie's art at her website, Art By Lucie .

Last minute gift? The Heat of the Moment!

THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT is a new anthology of stories on the theme of fire by 21 authors, with all proceeds going to help survivors of the San Diego wildfires through the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County.

My story, "Fire and Magic," features my young sleuth, Sam, from SEARCHING FOR A STARRY NIGHT. Sam and her mother face a menace from the past. This time, even magic might not be able to save them... Read more at http://cverstraete.com/heatofthemoment.html.

Get a copy for yourself, for a gift, or ask your library to order one to help others!

New Story, New Trend?

I seem to have unintentionally started a new trend in my writing.

First, it was birds, as in the blackbirds in my spooky short story, "The Witch Tree."

Then it was a dog, namely the mischievous little Dachshund, Petey, in my upcoming mystery, "Searching For A Starry Night."

Now it's a little black cat with shiny gold eyes. The cat appears in my eerie story, "Cat Cries," which will be published in an upcoming issue of Cat Tales Magazine from Wildside Press.

I wonder if I can do a story on an elephant next?

Searching For A Starry Night cover

It's so exciting to finally see a visual image of Searching For A Starry Night! Isn't "Petey" the Dachshund adorable?

In "Searching For A Starry Night," a nosy Dachshund digs up a family curse...can Sam find the missing miniature replica of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" and save her longest friendship? Read a short synopsis at http://cverstraete.com/Starry_Night.html .

Perfect for the young - and young at heart! Coming in spring '08 from Quake/Echelon Press, http://www.quakeme.com/

Fun Dog News - Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

I've come across an assortment of fun dog items that readers may get a kick out of. And a thought for Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.

Dog's Best Friend - Dogs and cats are not always mortal enemies, at least not to this Golden Retreiver that decided to nurse a stray kitten. http://davesdaily.com/out.php?id=33253

Two-legged dog - I've heard of three-legged dogs, but wouldn't have thought a dog could get along like this if there wasn't a photo. This poor Chihuahua, found abandoned, is missing its two front legs. Funds are being raised for a doggie wheelchair. Oct. 10 posting at http://www.doggienews.com/

Petey's favorite - October is Adopt a Shelter Dog month. Petey, the fictional Dachshund in my upcoming book, Searching For A Starry Night, came from a shelter and highly recommends people bringing a shelter dog home.

A friend of mine in England has several dogs that she has adopted from shelters. At any given time she has at least three or four dogs at home. Her view is that the old or the ill deserve love, too.

This time, she chose a little Jack Russell Terrier who is old and nearly blind, as she says, " I can't think of her spending the rest of her life in a kennel and most people won't adopt an old dog." The other dog, a Springer Spaniel, had a skin condition and "was a mess," she says. Also unadoptable by most people's standards. The dog's condition is now cleared up, a lesson perhaps in judging by appearances.