The Importance of Little Things

T
here is something exceptionally
appealing about small things: from
miniature railroad trains to tiny cupcakes
we love to make big things small and
small things even smaller. Think about
your own home, are there any miniature
things that you love and cherish? The art of
miniatures capitalizes on this inherent love
of the petite by offering all the pleasures
of the full-size art experience in a pint-size
package. Miniatures not only give viewers
the opportunity to look closely at things that
normally defy minute inspection, they also
allow artists to utilize seemingly mundane
materials to create extraordinary objects. Sally
Curcio’s work is a good example of this as
she uses beads, pins, bits of toys and other
ephemera to create magical landscapes.
Sally Curcio (American, b. 1971)
Atlantis, 2008

Making a miniature can be as complicated or as simple as you want it

to be. Guy Laramée is an example of an artist who uses household
objects to create a fantastical landscape. His piece, Adieu, is
built out of and on the backs of old encyclopedias. Now

Get
it’s your turn to be creative. Do you have any items
lying around your home that you want to turn into
something magical? Whether you want to use

Creative!
your objects as a base or as the starring
attraction this is your chance to make
your own tiny town or landscape.
All you need are scissors,
glue, paper and markers!
Guy Laramée
Common Core State Standard: Adieu, 2013
ELA: Literacy: R.L. 3.3-5.3, R.L. 3.7-6.7, R.L. 3.1-5.1,
R.L. 6.4-8.4, R.H. 6-8.4, R.H. 6-8.7