(For immediate release – Seeking a journalist)
AD, HG, Vouge &+ but not since 1990s – Eric Lansdown is Back!
Preeminent Dollhouse Artist Reopens Studio in Southwest France
Eric Lansdown featured many times in Architectural Digest, House and Gardens, Vogue, Elle Décor and many more but not since the 1990s.
Now that he’s back, his goal is to see his artwork and medieval studio featured in World of Interiors in their Artist & Studio monthly feature.
Originally Lansdown Arts of San Francisco is now Maisons de Poupées et Volière of Gabian, France.
His studio opened to the public on September 16, 2023 for the French Journées du Patrimoine and remains open. This opening had been 10 years in the making and featured finished pieces and works in progress. Besides his art, he also wanted to share his studio with the public. His studio is a medieval abescat built between 900-1100 BC.
Above his head, 10 leviathan dragons hold the beams in their jaws, part of the ceiling built in 1435. The space has a rich history of being a fortress, an armory, a salle tribunal, and the Abescat de Gabian. With the high painted ceilings and view over the trees to the river, Eric has plenty of inspiration to create the details of his art.
Eric’s studio is a medieval classified historical monument where he creates his renaissance and bell epoch art.
Photo by Kerry Morgan
Eric says “It’s been 25 years since I spoke to the press but its time to do it again.”
Photo by Kerry Morgan
Jessica Lansdown says “I want to share the news about my father, Eric Lansdown, possibly the most famous dollhouse builder/artist alive. He just opened to the public with his new studio and his story is fantastical.”
There are so many different parts of this history, we’ll concentrate on the most picturesque; Eric Lansdown’s Maisons de Poupées et Volière.
Eric began his art in the 1970s and he received many articles in magazines. He worked with retailers like Neiman Marcus, Harrods, Hermes and Gumps and was featured on their catalog’s covers and in window displays. His inspirations have always been classical architecture: the renaissance into the 18th century. Since 2014, Eric has been working on new designs, refining his methodology and training helpers so he can produce his most ambitious works ever.
Eric continually creates new designs but builds only his favorites. Sometimes it takes years for an inspiration to advance to active project stage. This is why he no longer accepts commissions.
One project, an Arch de Triumph on a bridge, started 15 years ago, began realization 5 years ago, and got it’s final roof style decision in 2023. It will represent Ukrainian architecture, painted with yellow and blue with a gilt dome roof. When it is done, it will be a Ukrainian Triumphal Bridge!
Eric is also working on another design series featuring chateaux. The first one will be finished with maritime designs and become the “Admiral’s Chateau.”
His works are made of wood, glass, and paint with pewter castings and iron railings
These snapshots may be updated and staged in October, including more completed works.
Eric built dollhouses and cages as an art form before it became a hobby industry. Now he also teaches art and wood working to young people who didn’t get the school workshop exposure he had in his youth.
Eric is surrounded with an international community of young people who come to work as apprentices in the arts and volunteers who come to plant oak trees in the garrigue to fight deforestation. “I want to pass on my knowledge and help make it better for when I’m gone, pay it forward as they say, that’s why I founded Moulin des Arbres.”
Dolls’ homes and aviaries finance the reforestation with the volunteers.
Eric tells the young people: “Concentrate on what you like to do most because that’s what you’ll be the best at.”
Eric Lansdown started early in life building boats and he grew up in an artist family in a city of artists. He migrated to artistic birdcages in the 1970s for antique dealers in San Francisco, building on his mother’s antiques restoration clientele. This evolved into a showcase market for decorators and high end retailers but eventually became more business and less art.
That’s when he met a French artist and moved to the south of France – 1994. For more history on Eric and his life you can visit:
Photo by Joey Tranchina
There’s a formidable photographic library upon request and there is a professional photographer (www.)Kerry Morgan who lives in Gabian. We have accommodations available through our Airbnb.
To contact us:
http://www.lansdown-arts.com instagram@ericlansdownartwork 33 – 06 07 66 71 83 - eric@lansdown-arts.com 12 rue de l'Eveche, 34320 Gabian, France