meehan miniatures ~ a dollhouse miniatures emporium

Don creates and makes all of the chandeliers. He's been re-creating period lighting for almost 30 years. The fixtures are made of brass, every bulb is replaceable, only the finest quality Austrian crystal is used. Each piece is thoroughly researched, and takes countless hours to complete. The chandeliers are truly fine works of art, and can be found in many private collections and museums throughout the world. An awesome treasure to be owned, for sure.

I began creating period fabric over twenty years ago. Don and I became involved, along with a handful of other miniature artists, in an enormous project for the Franklin Mint. The prototype, for the project, called for period fabric for the drapes and upholstery. We were able to "fake it" for the sample. The idea of reproducing fabric in miniature has been simmering in my mind ever since. I majored in fabric design in college, and I felt that now I could put that knowledge to work. To date, I have re-created over 90 designs in perfect 1/12th scale. They are all authentic reproductions of antique period decorator fabric. Many are appropriate for wall coverings. I "paint" each design on my computer, then I screen and dye each piece by hand using cotton, peau de soi, taffeta, or georgette, capturing the look of the original. I do not use color copies, or a scanner.

Don and I both have a hand in creating the Oriental Carpets and Americana Hooked Rugs. They are all reproductions of existing full size carpets, either in private collections or museums. I research and choose the designs. Don does the artwork for reproduction, then screens an outline on extremely fine broadcloth. We both match the colors, then I start stitching. The finished piece is a perfectly scaled (1/12th ) pile carpet. Stitching is done by hand using the Russian Embroidery technique. There are approximately 10,000 stitches per square inch, and take hundreds of hours to complete. After the stitching is finished, Don clips the carpet. The Chinese designs are not only clipped, they are also carved! Many of the carpets have been featured in magazines and private miniature collections. One of these beautiful carpets could easily be the focal point in any room setting.

Doesn't this look real? Don has taken photographing miniatures to new heights. He feels that photographs of miniatures should be given just as much attention as the pieces themselves. According to Don, this is a much over looked aspect of documenting miniature art. He has written a series of articles for Miniature Collector Magazine on the art of miniature photography, which he has since turned into a an e-book. Don has photographed many private and museum collections across the country.

Don's other favorite pastime is singing and writing music. He's been a song writer, singer, bass player, and guitar player all his life, and was a recording engineer for 30 years with CBS Records (now Sony Music). Don has had a number of Gold and Platinum records awarded to him over the years, and presently has his own studio and record label.

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