Karen Anderson Singer, the creative mastermind behind Tiny Doors ATL, has accomplished a monumental feat. On Saturday, June 24, the doors of ABV Gallery in Old Fourth Ward opened to reveal an incredible array of Tiny Doors that were transformed by some of Atlanta’s finest artists.
The show’s lineup includes more than 60 artworks made by notable local creatives such as 70dot, Artsy Elaine, Alex Ferror, Catlanta, Chris Veal, Dr. Dax, Drew Borders, Fabian Williams, Joe King, Janice Rago, Killamari, Grant Henry, JONESY, PaperFrank, R Land, Sanithna, William Massey, Travis Smith, Karen Singer, and ABV founder Greg Mike.
I navigated through the gallery, maneuvering my way through an impressive crowd of artists and art lovers. As visitors snapped pictures and videos of the artwork I began to notice all the red dots that marked pieces. Over half of the Tiny Doors were already sold, and this was only a couple of hours into their opening night. I wandered back outside the front doors and found Karen Anderson Singer herself contending with a seemingly endless line of well-wishers and artists hoping to speak with her.
Singer spared a few minutes to chat with me about the event, and she shared just how overjoyed she was with the outcome of this exhibition.
Singer told me that she had initially begun discussions with ABV Gallery about doing a collaborative Tiny Doors show that would enlist some of her favorite local artists. She provided a list of participants to invite, and ABV provided their own. Together they hashed out a veritable who’s-who of Atlanta’s artists and planning officially began.
Each artist was given a blank Tiny Door with a tiny ziploc baggie of miniature door knobs taped on the back. Singer said that when she gave out these blank doors to artists– many of whom are predominantly 2D artists– she anticipated getting requests for help. To her surprise, they didn’t need any assistance.
The artists embraced this new challenge and created an impressive selection of vastly different takes on the Tiny Door canvas. With pieces that vary from representational to abstract, otherworldly to familiar, and humorous to inspirational, the works on display each invited visitors to transport their imaginations to a new, tiny world.
Did you miss the opening night festivities? Well, you’re in luck. The exhibition will remain on display this week and you can stop by during open hours from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. and during the Drink and Doodle Vol. 111 event tonight, Wednesday, June 28, from 6-10 p.m.