Robin Maria Pedrero, an award-winning artist whose works can be seen in various places like museums in Florida and Greece, created a Tiny Door for Grady Lane Boutique, located in Chestnut Street, McKinney.

Inspired by the business’s logo and the boutique itself, Pedrero detailed her Tiny Door along with the reflection of the boutique’s mission.

“[The boutique] is a place where all are welcome, and it’s size-inclusive,” Pedrero said. “And my door has a cactus on each side of the door and a round door, and there are women dressed in different fashions on the front of the door.”

Despite her initial excitement for the event, her Tiny Door installation had to wait over a year due to the boutique owner’s unexpected struggle. Pedrero reflected on the impact of a bond she built through this event.

“Sadly, my tiny door being installed was delayed because the owner[‘s baby] had some birth defects, … and we were all praying for her and the baby,” Pedrero said. “It was a difficult time for her. So, I got to know her more and be a part of the community that was praying for her and the baby and her family, … and that was very impactful.”

The Tiny Door event not only gave the artist an opportunity to create connections with the community members and the area itself, but it also offered various meaningful experiences and moments for her.

“ Because this is a big community event, … it was so exciting to see the first time the mayor was cutting all the tiny ribbons for the tiny doors, and everything that happened on social media and all of the people around the town going to look at them,” Pedrero said.

Pedrero expressed how the community members feel when they come across her Tiny Door.

“A complete joy. That’s always the purpose of any artwork,” Pedrero said. “[It] is to have somebody feel joy and be happy and entertained with it.”

Learn more about Robin Maria Pedrero’s Tiny Door here.

Kim Guthrie, a Texas-based artist whose works focus on oil painting and paper marche, created a Tiny Door for Tye Realty Group, located in Tennessee Street, McKinney.

“Originally, [the building] was a clothing store when I did the Tiny Door, and then the clothing store closed,” Guthrie said. “But it’s a realty office [as well as a] photography studio, all kinds of studios upstairs.”

As the office is housed in a three-story building, Guthrie was inspired to make her Tiny Door imitate this as well as add her own taste of historic charm through unconventional materials.

“Because it was a tall building with a lot of people in it, the theme was tall, so it has long columns and different doors upon the door,” Guthrie said. “[As for the materials], I used a lot of Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs from my childhood. So, they were antique pieces of wood and some thimbles that were wooden from thread.”

Moreover, she shared her intended story behind her Tiny Door along with her love for the materials she chose.

“Because I like the antique or the found objects, I think recycling is my message of [that] you can repurpose something and still have enjoyment from it,” Guthrie said.

Besides her experience creating the door, Guthrie expressed how her involvement in this event influenced her as an artist and a community member.

“ I think as an artist, sometimes I can be kind of reclusive,” Guthrie said. “So, it helps to be a part of an art community and have activities like this to get you to come out and share memories.”

Learn more about Kim Guthrie’s Tiny Door here.

Theresa Strange Johnston, a retired hospice manager and a current local artist in the area, created a Tiny Door for La Tiendita, a nonprofit that acts as a community grocery store as well as training and support center for Latino residents.

“My tiny door looks like the front of La Tiendita, and their actual door, which I made out of a resin, and a glass you can kind of see through it into the store,” Johnston said. “One of their iconic features on the outside is a bicycle, and one of the local artists here that I hooked Jason [the owner] up with … painted it a Spanish theme.”

Johnston further elaborates on the choices she made for the Tiny Door, particularly emphasizing the interior part of the installation.

“Inside of the door, there’s this young man who works there in this store learning to be an apprentice. He makes sandwiches …, but he also dances so much that he’s now in Spanish dance competitions,” Johnston said. “There was a picture of him doing that dance right outside the door at La Tiendita that I saw on their Facebook page, so I captured that image and I have him right inside the door doing that dance.”

Customizing her Tiny Door based on the community bond and experience she formed, Johnston expressed what she wants those who walk by the Tiny Doors to experience.

“Every door that’s posted anywhere, whether it’s inside, outside, on the window, or at the doorstep, they all make you feel like it’s a treasure hunt, but the other thing is that they all [welcome you] in a different way to that establishment,” Johnston said. “So that’s what I’d like for people to feel like when they see one of my doors or any of our doors.”

Learn more about Theresa Strange Johnston’s Tiny Door here.

Anna Terry, part of the restoration crew for existing tiny doors and a local muralist, created a Tiny Door for Texas Monkey Business, a sports memorabilia store located in Louisiana Street, McKinney.

“I wanted [the door] to look like you could go inside the door, so it’s like a little box with a door and a window, … and then inside is painted the store owner’s little dog,” Terry said. “Then [there are] like some flags and things from their store, so … you’re looking in a little tiny version of their store and almost a little dog house feel.”

Inspired by the store owner’s dog, Terry further discusses the rationale behind her dog house-shaped installation.

“[I] just kind of wanted to make it look like you could go inside and look around,” Terry said. “You can peek through the window and look around and see that’s a world in there.”

Having worked as both a creator and a restoration crew member for the event, Terry was able to gain experiences that impacted her as an artist.

“Just going around and seeing all the different [doors] up close and working on them and seeing what other artists have done, that’s what I love,” Terry said. “I’m always super curious. I always learn things when I’m around other artists and see what they do and how they do it and their approach … I always learn something new.”

Learn more about Anna Terry’s Tiny Door here.