Mint editions

As a challenge set at a meeting of a group of mixed-media textile artists, I accepted to decorate an Altoids tin. (The challenge was rather simple: decorate either a tiny basket or an Altoids tin. The basket seemed too easy, so I opted for the tin.) As is my wont, I decided to put a figure inside the box (and my sister pointed out, “you’ve always put little things into little boxes; in what way is this a challenge for you?” Hmph.) Nevertheless… unable to find a suitable figure commercially and – as always – loving the creation of costumes, I sculpted a figure: head and hands of polymer clay (my first attempt at it), with a body of pipe cleaners, and clothed in a dress made from tiny scraps of cloth. I chose an easy pose for the figure: sitting in a chair reading. The words “shhh…I’m trying to read” inscribed inside the cover of the tin seemed a natural choice. When I thought of how to cover the tin, a book cover was an easy leap to make. 

From there, it seemed obvious to reverse the process: to choose novels with iconic characters and create the character inside an Altoids tin. I put out a request for favorite book characters to my bibliophile family and friends. They have provided no end of suggestions! And so my collection, Mint Editions, had its debut.

I love creating the tiny heads and faces, sometimes with a character in mind, often not. I’ll go on a binge, creating six or eight heads at a time, along with associated hands and feet. I’ve made a little frame to hold them all, atop their toothpick stands, for baking; it’s quite fun to see a small sea of waving heads, hands and feet headed to the oven to harden. Equally enjoyable is the challenge of creating costume and props that represent the iconic character of the book, all within the tiny confines of an Altoids tin.