On the Subject of Dioramas

My dioramas are small theaters, showing individual scenes that, when placed end to end, accumulate into the story of my life.

Anatomy of a Crime Scene

I tried an experiment, where I left Altoid tins in my garden bed to see if they would rust.

A garden bed littered with altoid tins.

Some of them did rust a little bit, and some faded in the sun! I know you are wondering why you didn’t think to try this yourself – don’t despair! You also can fade your own Altoid tins in the sun! Here’s how:

  1. Place Altoid tins in a garden bed, your yard, a patio, or on the dashboard of a automobile
  2. Wait

My initial experiment involved two regular “red” Altoid boxes, and one Cinnamon box. I started at the end of the summer in 2019, and let them sit outside all winter. It wasn’t until later spring that I noticed the finish was fading. The second batch, shown above, started in July, and some of the boxes began fading within 3 weeks.

This diorama is in a box from the first batch. It shows, as you might guess, the Anatomy. of a Crime Scene.

Faded Altoid box, top edge view
Faded Altoid box
Cut paper diorama in Altoid tin showing a sitting room
Detail from a diorama showing a knife and wellington boot
Posted in Dioramas

Close the Language Door

A friend shared this poem with me, and I wanted to make something with it. It’s not quite an insomnia haiku, it’s just lovely. For me, it speaks to intuition and desire.

I’ve had this silver plated box for a while, and thought this was the perfect container. I wrote the poem on a sliver of black Tyvek, which lives in the room, while the moon look on…

Small silver plated box
Silver box half open, showing diorama inside

There is some kiss we want
with our whole lives,
the touch of Spirit on the body.

Seawater begs the pearl
to break its shell.

And the lily, how passionately
it needs some wild Darling!

At night, I open the window
and ask the moon to come
and press its face against mine.
Breathe into me.

Close the language-door,
and open the love-window

The moon won’t use the door,
only the window.

~Rumi

from: https://allspirit.co.uk/close-the-language-door/

Posted in Dioramas

HMS GINA

When I visited San Fransisco last fall, I met this wonderful old gal. Her name is Gina, and she’s since gone over the rainbow bridge. It was lovely to get to know her a bit while staying with her parents.

Gina the dog

I made this diorama for Gina’s folks. They told me that raccoons come into the house at night through the dog panel in their door. I was so envious!

Front view of diorama
Left view of diorama
Right view of diorama
Top view of diorama
WIP view.
Posted in Dioramas

A Walk in the Dark

A diorama in a Trader Joe’s green tea mints box.

2.25″ x 2.25″ x .75″

Cut Paper Diorama in 2" box, A skeleton and dog walking
A skeleton man and dog walking in a graveyard.
Posted in Dioramas

Pestilence Rides Out

Pestilence the horseman over Baltimore
Diorama on its side
Dumb Dumb

This is a 10″x 10″ cut paper diorama.

These are such strange days, and I hope this passes soon. I hope you and yours stay safe and healthy. I hope we all survive Pestilence.

Posted in Dioramas