THE DOSEUM

In the summer of 2024 I applied for the Artist-In-Residency (AIR) program at the DoSeum in San Antonio. The call was for miniature artists who had a concept for a train layout in their new and updated holiday train exhibit. I was awarded the residency with 4 other artists. Growing up going to train shows with my dad and uncle, leaving pennies on the tracks and taking countless photos with train engineers, it felt right up my alley. And, if you know me, you know I love all things miniature – especially if they’re made with recycled materials. My dad is also an artist so I sent them a pitch to work on this project with him as a team. I came up with a concept, story and sketches based on a miniature golf course with each hole representing a place or memory from my childhood that I now share with my young children. I used wood, felt, recycled goods, cigar boxes, papier maché, polymer clay, gouache and house paint for my medias and displayed new and seasoned skills of mine in painting, illustration, sculpting, needle-felting, sewing, woodcarving and animation for the final piece.

After installation, each artist was asked to run a workshop or provide materials for kids to learn about our process during the museum’s Big Day of Play. I built another piece from cigar boxes with each box representing a place that the children liked to visit with their loved ones and invited them to create their own self-portrait to add to each place. It was so interesting to see which places were the most popular, but most of all I loved making work with and for children and will forever cherish this big piece I made with help from my dad!