dioramas and constructions

handmade in Oakland, California

about the work

Inside the space provided by real eggshells, I create dioramas and constructions, using a variety of materials and methods. Painting media include oils, acrylic, watercolor, and ink.  The miniature sculptural figures are mostly made using clays and resins, and these are subsequently altered in some way, with painting or embellishment, for example, to create the appropriate form and texture.  Papers and fabrics are used, as well as wood and metal.  I also include natural and found materials, and in my hunt for something with just the right texture, shape, or color, I will find use for such things as dryer lint or spice seeds. My garden is also a very rich resource, where I can gather dried up bits of twig and brush and transform them.  The eggshells are strengthened using a variety of techniques, depending on design, and all scenes are enclosed behind custom-cut glass.

about the artist

J. Brooke Patterson is an artist currently working in Oakland, CA.  In 1993, she earned her BA degree in Art from UC Berkeley, where she focused on drawing and printmaking.  For some years she had made these dioramas for friends and family, simply using chicken eggs.  In 1996, she began selling them through an Open Studios event in Berkeley, CA, where they quickly sold out.  In 2000, it became a full-time artistic pursuit, and she now exhibits in many shows and stores throughout the country.