Inspired by the home and artwork collection at our feature home in Issue 6, I’ve been dreaming of creating a piece of memory box art. Not exactly a shrine or altar, but more of a focused piece that means something to me. Something to evoke fond memories of loved ones or reminders of life’s purpose.
Whatever you call it: shadowbox, collage, diorama, altar or shrine, I’m attracted to this sort of art. For me it is almost like a scene of a journal entry. From altoids tins to old drawers, I have lots of ideas on transforming these into personal wall art.
Above Image, clockwise from top left:
An Altoids tin shrine by Lisa Vollrath is an homage to discovery or maybe changing paths. It’s also portable as a pocket shrine.
Steampunk Mini Collage Shrine by Sunny Skye Creations on Etsy
San Jose Shrine or Blessings Box by KC Willis You can take a class to learn her techniques.
Day of the Dead Religious Skully Shrine Shadow Box by Feliz Dia on Etsy
Above Image, clockwise from top left:
Retro Scrapbooking Shadowbox by Sunny Skye Creations on Etsy is a fun take on representation of a seamstress. I can see a personal version of this as a memory of a loved one with items saved from their personal belongings.
Messy Artist Shadowbox by Midnights Dreams on Etsy. What a fun way to depict the life of an artist. Quite appropriate to be inside a paint bucket I think.
Miniature Matchbox Art by Helena on Craft and Creativity is a fun way to spend an afternoon crafting with your kids or maybe even a party activity and take home gift.
“A Bad Job” Miniature Reproduction at Shaker Works West I love this diorama style version of an original etching from 1500′s Germany. I think I’ll be having dreams of a 3D version of Van Gogh’s Starry Night for weeks to come. I have just the space for it too.
Vintage Style Shadowbox Art by ESummerStyle, How about depicting your Grandmother’s kitchen in miniature for some fun memory inducing art?
Anyone else inspired? Just writing this gave me ideas for plans for a multiple piece installation. I think I’d like to take multiple tins and create little visual remembrances of special people an events in my life.
Also, if you need an excuse to add to your crafty tool arsenal, check out this letter and number stamp set, metal hole punch, and these shadow box miniatures. If you’re looking to create your own miniature shrine but don’t know where to start, perhaps these tin nichios will inspire you to just get going.
Oh and I also almost forgot the artist that put all these ideas into my head originally. Check out these beautiful little matchbox “letters.” There is an entire collection of sweet matchbox art to peruse. She’s got some impeccably bound books as well for the book lovers among you.
Image from Paperiaarre on Etsy
Roxanne D
A self-employed home renovator and interior designer, Roxanne is living in her third 1920s-era home in one of Tulsa’s oldest neighborhoods. A small-town Oklahoma girl at heart, she has also lived in Australia, which helped inspire her love of design. Roxanne loves sewing, knitting, crocheting, repurposing furniture and salvaging architectural pieces. She loves to tackle a do-it-yourself project, no matter how small or large. As our very own “granola girl”, Roxanne dreams about designing everything from dresses to gardens to her day, whatever comes across her path.
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Wonderful article. I am the chairwoman for the Tulsa Living Arts, Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos)Committee. We would love to have you build an altar for the event! You can contact me from my e-mail for more information.
Also…your Feature Home, Issue 6…is this a magazine? Or e-zine?
Thank you and I would love to participate in the Dia de los Muertos activities! I will be contacting you soon.
We are an e-zine and this is our year anniversary for producing it. Please let us know what you think!
[...] might remember this post about miniature altars. I’ve enjoyed studying other’s cultures and traditions for as long as I can recall. In [...]