Within the confines of small, egg-shaped frames, Caroline Dewison, of A house full of wonderscraft miniature scenes loaded with remarkable detail. Building on previous mystical vistas inspired by the woodlands surrounding her studio in Warrington, England, the artist’s latest ventures blaze a deeper path into the otherworldly.
Floating above tiny streams and valleys, UFOs contrast sharply with Dewison’s hand-painted nature scenes. The artist has been fascinated by the possibility of beings on other planets since childhood and continues to explore this speculation.
“In my lifetime it has gone from just us to scientists finding hundreds and thousands of exoplanets, many with the possibility of life,” she explains. “I’d like to think we’re not alone.” In each diorama, the flying saucers are cleverly arranged so that they protrude beyond a two-dimensional background, promoting a sense of depth.
In addition to revisiting her lifelong interest in the extraterrestrial, the artist has also rekindled her relationship with automatons. She enjoys problem solving and the logistics of constructing kinetic pieces, and says: “I enjoy figuring out how to create a moving work of art and really enjoy designing the mechanism to give life to to add my work.” As a result, the small UFOs also appear dynamically, spinning and hovering above strange crop circles and thickets of pine trees.
While Dewison still works primarily with laser-cut plywood, Jesmonite, acrylic paint, clay and a 3D printing pen, she also works on constructing new designs for frames.
The artist has a busy year ahead. Dewison’s work is currently on display as part of Small works | Big impact bee Momentum Gallery in Asheville, and later this month her dioramas will be on display at the Oddities and curiosities Expo in Melbourne with Beinart Gallery. Find Dewison’s miniatures for sale in her shop, A house full of wondersand keep an eye on it Instagram for new work, upcoming shows and more.
