Meet the Miniaturist: In Conversation with Contemporary Artist Kelan Andrews

At D. Thomas Fine Miniatures, I’m always drawn to miniature work that challenges assumptions—about scale, about craft, and about what miniature spaces are allowed to represent. When I first encountered Scene, the squatters dollhouse created by UK-based contemporary artist Kelan Andrews, I immediately knew I wanted to take a closer look into this work.

Kelan’s work departs from the expected comforts of traditional dollhouses. Instead of nostalgia, Scene offers realism—raw, lived-in, and emotionally complex. It sits at the intersection of miniature art and social commentary, asking viewers to slow down, look closer, and reconsider what dollhouse-scale spaces can communicate about the real world.

Artist Background

Based in Manchester, England, Kelan Andrews is a contemporary artist whose practice spans sculpture, installation, and miniature-based work. He holds an MA in Fine Art and has exhibited widely across the UK, earning recognition for work that thoughtfully engages with lived experience, identity, and the environments we inhabit. While much of his earlier practice explored chronic illness and deeply personal narrative, his recent work reflects a broader investigation into space, scale, and realism—using miniature forms not as nostalgia-driven objects, but as tools for social observation and emotional truth. That evolution is clearly felt in Scene.

Finding a New Direction

Much of Kelan’s earlier work centered on lived experience with illness. It was deeply personal and meaningful, but as his health improved, the creative focus naturally began to shift.

“A lot of my previous artwork has been about my lived experience with illness. However, more recently, I’ve been really well.”

That change, while positive, created an unexpected pause.

“When your art practice is about your illness, it meant things came to a bit of a stop.”

Scene emerged from that moment—not from a single reference or concept, but from something simpler and more instinctive.

“This piece was more of an exploration of the things I enjoy doing, and the other aspects of who I am without illness.“I don’t think anything inspired me as such—it was more that I saw an opportunity to play again.”

What followed was a return to making driven by curiosity, experimentation, and the pleasure of building—without the weight of autobiography.

A Lifelong Pull Toward Miniatures

Miniatures have been part of Kelan’s life for as long as he can remember. Childhood play revolved around building small worlds—Lego, Playmobil, model trains—carefully staged scenes filled with detail and intention.

“I loved toys and play when I was growing up… I was just obsessed with creating miniature scenes.”

Some of those scenes were convincing enough to become literal obstacles.

“I’ve got so many memories of my Dad accidentally standing on little toy cones from police and fire cordons I’d set out with my toys.”

That fascination resurfaced years later during the COVID lockdowns. Revisiting an old model train set became a way to stay grounded during isolation—a long-term, immersive project that brought focus and comfort when the outside world felt paused.

“It was a great way to spend months focussing on something and keeping busy when we were all isolating.”

Building Scene: Materials and Process

From a technical standpoint, Scene was built over the course of about three months. The structure combines wood, plastic, and extensive 3D printing, balancing traditional model-making with contemporary tools.

“Most of the piece is made of wood and plastic. Lots of 3D printing as well.”

One of the most striking details—the boarded windows—is deceptively simple: thin 1mm plywood painted with a mottled finish to convincingly mimic OSB board.

A guiding principle throughout the build was material honesty.

“If you’re trying to make a small version of something, make it out of the real material if you can. The bin bags are made of real bin bags, the metal fencing is metal, the foam roll mats and cardboard are just thin foam and cardboard It's easy to overcomplicate miniature making, but the easiest way to get that authentic look is just to use the real materials.”

That philosophy gives Scene its uncanny realism—an authenticity that feels immediate rather than decorative. Some elements, however, required patience—particularly the graffiti.

“I painted it with a brush to start with but it looked awful. I then tried an airbrush, but I quite quickly realized I wasn’t great with an airbrush, or writing graffiti was a process of trial and error, but I feel I did eventually manage to get some decent tags in the house.”

Why This Piece Matters

Responses to Scene have been varied, which Kelan considers essential to the work’s success.

“I’ve had a varied response to the work, but that’s always really important and valuable for me as an artist.”

Given the subject matter—squatting and homelessness—care and responsibility were central throughout the process. Kelan spoke directly with individuals who had lived in squats and consulted homelessness charities to ensure the work was grounded in respect and realism.

“The response from those individuals and organizations was that Scene was a more realistic representation of what some people have to live with. It’s not a dream-like mansion—it’s a very real-life home for someone.”

Perhaps most meaningful were reactions from those with lived experience.

“People who had actually experienced these things found Scene homely and were really happy about the representation. That’s been the most rewarding part of making this piece.”

At its core, the work asks for empathy.

“It’s not just a toy to look and laugh at—it’s very real.”

Availability and What’s Next

Scene is currently available for sale, with a percentage of proceeds donated to a local homelessness charity. While it isn’t on public display at the moment, future exhibitions are planned, and the piece is expected to reappear in upcoming shows.

Final Thoughts

Scene challenges the traditional boundaries of dollhouse making. It demonstrates that miniature spaces can do more than comfort—they can question, document, and tell stories that matter. By combining technical skill, material honesty, and lived research, Kelan Andrews expands what contemporary miniature art can be.

# # #

Written and Edited by Darren Scala with the assistance of AI technology