Ivani Grande

Why miniatures, Ivani?

I make miniatures for love, as a hobby, for money, and also a little for predestination. When I was a child, I used to make small pottery pans; I was "addicted" to making them! As soon as I had some bread crumb in my hands I’d start modeling. I always feel like the clay is an extension of my own hands.

What's your background? What did you use to do before?

I was a full-time mom...

What about your paintings?

My paintings – oil and watercolor – are just a hobby. That did not start before miniatures.

So, how did it all begin?

It's a bit of a "secret"... I used to dream of miniatures. For many years I would dream of them, even though I had never seen anything like that in real life. I had no idea what that was all about. I had no miniature item around me. About twice a month I would dream of miniatures. I would dream I was in a place full of little, small things. As if it was a store, with shelves like at a supermarket, but on them there were plenty of very small things... It was a recurrent dream.

One day, in 1992, I left my girls at their piano class, and as I'd have to wait for 2 hours to pick them up, I decided to go window shopping nearby. Valquiria had just opened her miniatures store [obs: it's closed]. When I walked into it and saw everything, I was paralyzed, I couldn't move. It had such an impact on me that I remember every second of that episode. I asked her: "Who makes all this?" She told me she brought everything from abroad: England, the US... So I told her that I believed I could make small foods, cakes, just like those. I had never made miniatures before, but I had experience with cold porcelain, as I used to make tiaras with it, and I really believed I could make the food. So I got home so excited about it – I couldn't believe I had seen my dream come true! After that, I would go to that store every single day. The next day I already brought with me some items I had made to show to Valquiria. She liked them and said she would buy anything I'd make. I never stopped making miniatures after that

Since then I met Pépp, Órson, Regina Nachtigal... In 93 "Casinha Pequenina" [Obs: another brick & mortar miniatures store – also closed down now] was opened and I was their first supplier, and I still am. I introduced the material – cold porcelain – on a TV show by Ana Maria Braga [a TV show host kinda like "Martha Stewart"] many years ago, as almost no one new about it back then.

And did you get inspired by what they were making abroad?

Back then we didn't have the internet, no way. We had some foreign magazines, but rarely... Some friends and I started buying a collection by Del Prado, that was issued and sold abroad. I wrote a letter to the editors – no emails back then, regular postal service letter – suggesting that it would be great if they sold the collection here too. A little after that they started selling "Dollhouse" and "Dollhouse Kitchen" collections here.

Who usually buys your miniatures, who's your "audience"?

Collectors, who find me somehow. For example, I often ship to Canada, to a client who somehow learned that I make miniatures and contacted me. I also send my miniatures to Roz, in Florida. My work has also been taken to (and sold at) a show in Italy. In Brazil, I took part in many exhibits, I won awards. I also supply online miniature stores in Brazil.

Miniature collectors are the ones who usually buy them, or other miniature artisans. They usually buy a finished room or display. Miniaturists buy my miniatures to complete their own roomboxes. So, my clientele goes from beginners to hobbyist to complete their rooms, to stores, and so on.

How are Brazilian miniatures perceived abroad?

They usually complain about the cost (to buy from us and sell retail), but I explain that here we don't have the same supplies and all the resources they do. We need to have almost everything made to order almost from scratch, like the food plates, the dishes, the copper pans, etc. So, this extra cost transfers to the finished item.

What about your classes?

I still teach. But now I have a serious venue problem. Here I can only have two students per class. Before, I could teach up to 10 people at a time, at Regina’s studio, like a workshop. I want to go back to teaching more often, but I need a bigger place.

Besides teaching, do you have any plans on sharing your skills in some other form, like in a magazine, or something like that?

I have plans to write a book, but I want to make it very carefully, high quality. So, it'll take quite a while to be made.

Miniaturists' work in Brazil is just beginning to be recognized. Little by little Brazilian miniaturists are starting their own websites, and some websites devoted to let people know about them are coming up – like yours.

What are your plans for the future?

Teach, write a book, have a dedicated studio, spread the word about our work, have a show of our own in Brazil – we are absolutely ready for that! Besides of all the miniaturists I know in Sao Paulo, there are others all over Brazil – like Ivo in the South, in the Northeast we have Celino, Monica, in Minas there's Zé Maria – he makes framed country kitchens that are to die for.