Q&A with Tiny Doors ATL’s Karen Anderson

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Since the summer of 2014, Tiny Doors ATL has become an inherent part of Atlantabs public art scene, bringing bbig wonder to tiny spaces.b Just like the name suggests, Tiny Doors ATL installs 6-inch life-like doors throughout the city. Located at popular locations like the Beltline, Paris on Ponce, King of Pops and even at the foot of a tree in Grant Park, the doors act as an interactive part of the community and serve to foster accessibility and appreciation of Atlantabs neighborhoods and landmarks.

We caught up with the projectbs mastermind Karen Anderson following the installation of the newest door, Tiny Door #11, at the Center for Puppetry Arts, which was unveiled March 18. With a degree in visual art from Rutgers University and a penchant for small-scale art and installation, Anderson championed Tiny Doors ATL to combine the eclectic spirit of the Atlanta community with a similar project (bfairy doorsb) shebd seen in her hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan. As she repaired Tiny Door #2 on the Beltline, Anderson spoke with Creative Loafing about rainbows, tiny art and the future of the project.

So youbre repainting the rainbow on the Beltlinebs Tiny Door #2 today?

Yeah, so with this door, you know, itbs two and a half years old. This is door number two. We painted a rainbow over it a couple years ago in the spring and it felt right. Because itbs street art, it gets painted over and things happen to it. We just kind of count on that. Somebody wrote something homophobic over the rainbow and so I painted it over with the winter scene and now Ibm putting the rainbow back. I donbt make a big deal when stuff like that happens because I really donbt want to make this a project thatbs like bTiny Doors Against the World.b Things happen because this art is part of the public sphere and itbs so rare that I just donbt worry about it.

Tiny Doors ATLHow did Tiny Doors ATL start?

Ibm a sculptor in small scale, thatbs what I love to do. I moved here in 2013, and right after I graduated I volunteered as the Applied Arts Director for Girls Rock Camp and got to know the city. I knew I wanted to get into street art and I wanted to start working as an artist here in Atlanta, but I wanted to figure out my voice. I work best with people around me who form good council. So I made a friend for the specific purpose of trying to get this process started with her. Shebs an Atlanta native and shebs very crafty. So I brought her in, her name is Sarah Meng. When Ibm deciding on where a door goes, I call her. Shebs my council. I lived near the Krog Tunnel and it seemed like, after watching it for a couple of years, that that was the place to start.

Thatbs where Tiny Door #1 is, right?

Yes! And it always will be. That is where the project started. I didnbt start this thinking, bIbm going to do this! Atlanta is going to love it!b I started this project thinking, bIbm going to try this. Nobody will care. No one is going to even notice. Itbs going to get painted over and kicked in and peed on, end of story.b And for a while, for five months, nothing happened. It didnbt get painted over. It was kind of worse than that. It was like, bWow! Nothing is happening at all.b The door went in during July of 2014 and then in October I made some tiny jack-o-lanterns. I said to myself, bFine, Ibll make something. Ibll put them in front of the door and see what happens.b And I walked to the door and there were already tiny jack-o-lanterns there! I thought, bWhat is happening right now?b So I watched the door for a while and then a week later, nine little plastic cats appeared. And then slowly over the next week, they started to disappear. People would take one and I just sort of watched it. It was unexpected. Finally, one day in November I was driving by and I saw a little white piece of paper in front of the door. I turned around and got out. I thought it was a napkin or something, but it looked really deliberate. I walked up to the door and it was a tiny Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the tiny door. And I thought, bOK, someonebs paying attention. Someone cares and itbs not like theybre painting it over. Theybre participating.b

After that, I opened an Instagram and it was a slow grow from there. Ibve kept it deliberately slow. I would rather have a project that is interesting and engaging and involved in Atlanta than have a project thatbs just prolific.

Tiny Door #11 at the Center for Puppetry ArtsTiny Doors ATLHow do you choose locations for the doors? Is there some sort of process involved with that?

I choose locations for the doors from applications that are received, a little known fact that Ibm trying to spread the word about. We need an advocate in every neighborhood because thatbs how the doors are received. Grant Park is a good example. Grant Park applied for a door and we went through a year of permitting and now people in Grant Park love that door. I love that door because it looks like Grant Park.

Tell me a little bit about the new door at the Center for Puppetry Arts.

The doors only go in places that apply. Once we receive an application there are criteria. The door needs to be free to visit. It needs to be walkable from another door if at all possible, or on a route that will eventually be walkable. It needs to be accessible by wheel and by foot. I have to maintain my passion to do this and I really only feel engaged if we allow the doors to be accessible to everyone. This is something that has always been part of Tiny Doors ATL. Ibm always thinking about that and Sarahbs always thinking about that.

This new door is a visual representation of what webre thinking b of accessibility, of highlighting that itbs for everyone. The wheelchair ramp was an undertaking. It was so worth it. It felt good and it felt right and it solved a lot of problems. Center for Puppetry Arts has a new beautiful building and when they applied for a door we said yes. It was a great fit! I love that they are also for everyone, you know, you donbt need to know language to understand puppets. Every culture has some form of puppet or human representation and I love that.

Tiny Door #1 at Krog Street TunnelTiny Doors ATLBut then in a meeting we had, they told us that we couldnbt adhere anything to the building. All I do is adhere things to buildings! We were worried it wasnbt going to work. We had to problem-solve and thatbs part of art. Eventually, someone mentioned a wheelchair ramp b both as an anchor and as a way to get into the building. So I said yes to the ramp not knowing how I was going to do it but it worked out in the end!

In terms of future plans, whatbs next for Tiny Doors ATL?

Therebs going to be another door close enough to the Center for Puppetry Arts and itbs kind of a game-changer. You canbt say where it is, but itbs a game-changer because itbs a tourist destination. People come in from out of town to go to this particular venue and so it becomes something people who are visiting accidentally see when they come here. Itbs a great opportunity to bring in other people, who arenbt just the residents of Atlanta and thatbs really cool for us.