Local artist teaches students how to make dollhouse miniatures

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Longtime haunted dollhouse miniaturist Pat Benedict passed down her knowledge to help others in the community bring their own figurines to life.

"People love Halloween and they love this type of magical stuff," Benedict said. "This gives them an opportunity to create their own and also learn about sculpting miniature dolls. I sculpt 1/12 scale, which is one inch equals six feet. They'll learn how to sculpt at scale."

Students in St. Joseph will be learning the craft of making miniature dolls from Benedict, who has created them for more than 30 years. Students will start from scratch with clay and wire to construct their miniatures.

The classes began a few years back, when Benedict expressed her desire to teach the art of making miniatures to museum officials.

"Pat came to me and she said, I like to teach, and I want to teach people about these miniature dolls," Albrecht-Kimber Museum of Art guest services official Alex Asher said. "My first thought was that sounds weird. But then she showed her work to me, and they're incredible and very detailed. Just going through all the steps and all of the creativity that comes out of them. She's been able to teach both adult and kids classes, and it's been amazing ever since then."

The museum is hopeful that classes similar to Benedict's can eventually be expanded with bigger groups in attendance.