#9 A Teeny Tiny Me?! The Magical World of Customisation
Sept 20, 2024
Is that a tiny me in there?
As my collection of Glass Cathedral designs grew, it seemed people really identified with the little figures in the boxes – tiny but mighty!
Art imitating Life (2004)
Right from the start, people asked me to paint the figures in particular colouring to match their own, or for me to add an extra figure to represent them and someone special to them.
There were a few seminal moments when I realised that custom work could open up a whole new world of inspiration and expression.
Life imitating Art (2007)
In 2007 I had an unusual order that showed how dramatically Glass Cathedrals could resonate with people’s lives. Caterina commissioned ‘The Marriage Vow’ to give to her fiancee. She’d already proposed to him – but after many years of her indecision, he remained skeptical and told her she had to convince him (and herself) that she was ready to “take the plunge”. So she set about proving her commitment, and how better than by giving him The Marriage Vow?
You won’t believe it but their actual marriage was then inspired by this Glass Cathedral – with the bride making a star turn in a sparkling white swimsuit and goggles for all the guests!
Is that a teeny tiny me? (2009)
The next level of customisation was when I began creating unique miniature figures to resemble real people in much more detail – their age, style and demeanour as well as their basic physical attributes.
I did this for the first time with ‘Evergreen’. In the original, an old couple are sitting on a bench below a tree, with their initials carved in the tree. Someone asked if I could get the couple to look like them. Looking through my collection of model railway people I realised I could adapt figures that vaguely looked like the (actual, human) couple, using clay, paint, a scalpel and sometimes a speck of glitter or two for some bling. Move an arm here, lean a head there, and often the resemblance would be uncanny!
On the left, the original non-custom version of Evergreen (which I still love) and on the right, more recent versions
Family Tree (2010)
Why stop at two people? Soon my ‘tree-boxes’ were being filled with families of three, five, fifteen. As a customer who wanted four generations in their Glass Cathedral said: “I think you’re going to need a bigger box!”
Memories in miniature (2012)
From there it was a hop, skip and a jump to start capturing people’s unique memories, where all the elements were custom – place, figures, activities. This continues to be 90% of the art I make – below a small platter from the feast of examples on my website.
There’ve been a few times where I’ve been asked to freeze a literal moment in miniature. My instinct has been to say – no, are you crazy? But then instead I’ve had a go, and boy I’m glad I did…
SPUD
Take the time I was asked to capture that classic moment in the game of SPUD … you know the one? No? I’ll explain.
In SPUD, each person has a number. Someone throws a ball in the air and shouts one of the numbers while everyone else sprints away as fast as possible. When one person hears their number, they sprint back to get the ball, shout SPUD! and everyone freezes.*
SO MUCH FUN TO MAKE IN MINIATURE!
I also highly recommend playing SPUD irl if your knees, ligaments and heart can take it.
*more rules of the game at end of email
GLAM
The first time I was asked to make miniature outfits match those from real life, was when recreating a black-tie birthday party that got kinda crazy. The guests ended up making a teetering tottering human pyramid, the birthday girl at the top (dancing in the red dress).
Things get super-custom when wedding mayhem hits, but I’ll save those wonders for my next instalment. Ticking off Week 9/20!
I would be super-appreciative if you spread the word about Glass Cathedrals to some equally brilliant and discerning humans. It’s just me running this show, so word-of-mouth recommendations make a huge difference.
Love Lisa
* Once they’ve shouted SPUD, the ball-bearer has three leaps and must try hit someone under the knees with the ball. If achieved, that person gets a letter of SPUD and then is the one to throw the ball in the air and shout a number in the next round. If not achieved, the thrower gets the letter and throws again. Get all letters of SPUD and you’re out, last person standing wins.
1. The Short Origin Story ✔
2. The Long Origin Story ✔
3. A Treasure Trove of Small Stories ✔
4. Africa in My Blood ✔
5. Oppositting with Ralph ✔
6. Harold’s Planet – The Original Joyful Failure ✔
7. The Joy of Many Failures: Last Lemon Productions ✔
8. Starting the Art Adventure ✔
9. A Teeny Tiny Me?! The Magical World of Customisation ✔
10. Wedding Portraits Galore
11. Glass Cathedrals of My Very Own Life
12. 2015 Project 1: One Small Thing (maybe not?)
13. 2016 Project 2: This is What Humanity Looks Like
14. 2016 Project 3: The Traveling Bookbox Show
15. 2018 Project 4: The Swerling Circus of Small
16. 2019 Project 5: Here, it’s Beautiful California
17. 2019 Project 6: Cinerama
18. 2020 Project 7: Starstuff
19. Why I Love What I Do
20. TBC