Lisa Swerling’s Glass Cathedrals are a series of artboxes containing brilliant tiny worlds, each making their own small statement on our complicated lives.

  • A woman’s work

    A woman’s work

    The only bit of housework I enjoy is sweeping, especially sweeping up pink glitter. I feel like some ideal of womanhood.

  • All the Days

    All the Days Customisable

    The figures match your description (gender + hair colour). Also available with localised map of USA, Rome, Paris, San Francisco or London.

  • All the World’s a Stage

    All the World’s a Stage

    A voyeuristic glimpse into the lives of others, some attention-seeking, others seeking privacy. Limited edition (200). Figures will vary from shown.

  • An Utter Disregard for Consequences

    An Utter Disregard for Consequences

    She is in so much trouble! ...but will be forgiven anything. The graffiti is drawn by a child (!) so will vary from piece to piece. Gender and hair colour customisable and you can ask for a name to be scribbled on the wall.

  • And on the eighth day, God created Pizzazz

    And on the eighth day, God created Pizzazz

    All that sparkles upon the earth...

  • Believe.

    Believe.

    "Do you believe in fairies? Say quick that you believe. If you believe, clap your hands!"

  • Bisou Bisou

    Bisou Bisou

    Kisses from Paris - a special commission but I'm sure a sentiment shared by many.

  • Cleanliness is next to Godliness

    Cleanliness is next to Godliness

    I'm fascinated with the parallels between prayer/religion and cleaning/cleanliness - the physical act, the transformative effect, the moral dimension...or maybe it's just because I'm messy.

  • Contemplating Pinkness

    Contemplating Pinkness

    Wouldn't the world be a better place?

  • Destined for Greatness

    Destined for Greatness

    We are all destined for greatness.
    Just with some of us it seems to be taking longer than anticipated.

  • Dreaming of One Day

    Dreaming of One Day

    Open to commissions on this theme - childhood dreams of being a cowboy, a show-jumper, a trapeze artist....

  • Evergreen

    Evergreen Customisable

    An old tree, a shared life, enduring love.
    Your choice of initials are carved on the tree and it can be customised with figures matching your description.

  • Faith in Superglue

    Faith in Superglue

    But did I actually use superglue?

  • Family Tree

    Family Tree Customisable

    Your choice of initials are carved on the tree and the figures will match your family description (hair colour, gender, age - not an exact physical match!). Price includes up to 6 figures.

  • Farty Party

    Farty Party Customisable

    Go on you know you want to

  • Feature Wall

    Feature Wall Customisable

    A man's home may be his castle, but a woman's home is her Art.
    I can make unique Feature Wall Glass Cathedrals, using off-cuts of your special 'feature' wallpaper. Email me for details of how it works.

  • Feeling Guilty?
  • Fifteen minutes of Fame

    Fifteen minutes of Fame

    Your moment in the spotlight - enjoy!

  • Freewheelin’ San Francisco

    Freewheelin’ San Francisco London version now online

    The figures match your description (gender + hair colour). If there's a different city map you'd like instead, contact me with requests.

  • God’s Gaze

    God’s Gaze

    When people respond emotionally to my tiny people - compassionately, in amusement, at times patronising, and often voyeuristic - I wonder - is this how a God would feel as he gazed upon his creations?

  • Golden

    Golden Customisable

    We played on the beach every day, even when the wind howled. Childhood memories stay golden no matter the weather. Your choice of names are written in the sand and the figures will match your family description (hair colour, gender, age).

  • Gone Fishin’

    Gone Fishin’ New

    A bad day of fishing is better than a good day doing anything else (apparently).

  • Hello ‘ello ‘ello

    Hello ‘ello ‘ello

    It's hardly topical, but from afar I've begun to appreciate England as a rare island of (relatively) liberal values and common sense.

  • How much is that Doggy?

    How much is that Doggy?

    Someone buy that kid a dog!

  • In case of Dullness, Blow
  • In case of Emergency Break Glass

    In case of Emergency Break Glass

    Keeping all options open!

  • In case of Emergency Break Glass II
  • May we grow old on one pillow

    May we grow old on one pillow Customisable

    This piece is based on a traditional wedding blessing, so I wanted to surround the couple with a thousand twinkling stars as they slept.

  • Of one thing I am certain

    Of one thing I am certain

    In an uncertain world...
    Artwork also available with female figure, with hair colour and length of your choice.

  • On reflection
  • One is small, but two can touch the sky
  • Original Creation

    Original Creation Customisable

    Mud - the start of life and our final destination. May as well enjoy getting a bit muddy in the middle - you never know you could create something amazing...

  • Party People

    Party People

    Go party people!

  • People watching

    People watching

    It would be nice to hang this in a cafe or corridor, so that mutually interesting people watching could occur.

  • Proof

    Proof

    Hard to photograph this wriggly little fairy. I let her go afterwards.

  • Silly Little Men

    Silly Little Men

    Well they just are :)

  • Smile!

    Smile!

    Well it's hard not to, isn't it?

  • Smoking Kills

    Smoking Kills

    This was one of my first boxes, designed about 5 years ago. Most people see it as anti-smoking, I'm thinking - hm - so god smokes Marlborough Lights?

  • Sunseekers

    Sunseekers

    I made this Glass Cathedral just before relocating from London to California. Weirdly, I felt I was leaving behind me a nation of sunseekers....

  • The Dream Life of Cows

    The Dream Life of Cows

    Maybe I should lay grass on the outside of the box for the next one I make. Yes!

  • The Dream Team

    The Dream Team Customisable

    The children figures will match your family description (hair colour, gender, age - not an exact physical match). The adult figures aren't customisable beyond hair colour, and you don't have to have the baby in the bed!

  • The Grass is always Greener

    The Grass is always Greener

    Rarely, I find a figure more perfectly at home in a Glass Cathedral than his makers could ever have dreamt when they designed him. The orange-shirted man in The Grass is always Greener, gaze fixed, hose eternally at the ready, is one such happy find.

  • The Green

    The Green

    Also available with a woman golfer.

  • The Marriage Vow

    The Marriage Vow

    A beautiful leap into the unknown.

  • The Naughty Corner

    The Naughty Corner

    When the whole world is as small (or as vast) as the corner of a room.

  • The Night Job

    The Night Job

    I love the way the space inside a Glass Cathedral can be as infinite as the night sky or as contained as a room.

  • The Playroom

    The Playroom

    If you thought not-stepping-on-cracks-in-the-pavement was fun...!

  • The Seed

    The Seed Customisable

    The little heart sign can have your choice of initials and/or a date. The hair colour is also customisable.

  • The World is a scary place, but I have Armbands

    The World is a scary place, but I have Armbands

    A well-loved piece, I hope Armbands will keep spreading smiles for decades to come.
    The American version says 'waterwings' and not 'armbands'.

  • This is it

    This is it

    Actually one of the first Glass Cathedrals I ever made, I recently found some photos of it.

  • Under Construction

    Under Construction

    A bad photo of a great piece. Can you see they're standing round a hole? No-one can resist the temptation to wiggle their finger inside the box.

  • Unplugged

    Unplugged

    Don't pull out your bath plug folks!

  • Waiting for Inspiration

    Waiting for Inspiration

    An empty space? Or filled with the infinite possibilities of inspiration...

  • Wallflower

    Wallflower

    How sweetly she waits, always hopeful. For whom is she waiting? And for how long? A beautiful melancholy piece - one of my favourites.

  • Where we are

    Where we are Customisable

    The hikers can be walking on almost any part of the UK map (although then the sections on the walls of the box won't necessarily be continuous). Hikers can be male or female combinations.

  • White Christmas

    White Christmas Customisable

    My first Glass Cathedral with interior lighting. The lights are blue-white, but the box doesn't look blue like in the Darkness detail shot, it's tricky to photograph.
    Customisable with figures matching your family.

  • Word Up

    Word Up Customisable

    #1 Fancy. My new American friend loves the word Fancy. Now I do too! I will make bespoke boxes with your word or phrase...sparkle!... hot mama...will you marry me?...Everything is going to be alright...in the colours of your choice and with corresponding customised little person/s.

  • Yes, you look fabulous!

    Yes, you look fabulous!

    Just add 'you' - smiling at yourself in the mirror!