Upcycle Project: New England Miniature

This project is based on a New England aesthetic, inspired by seasonal foliage, natural materials, and simple, functional architecture. I also took inspiration from my high school art teacher and ski coach, along with past experiences building small cardboard skate ramps. The goal was to create a semi-realistic, “skateboardable” scene.

I started by gathering materials from the Art Parts store in Boulder and creating an initial sketch to plan out the scene and layout; which can be seen on my Unrulr using the link at the end of the page.

A big part of the build involved hand cutting and sanding small wooden “bricks.” While not the most efficient method, I enjoyed the precision and hands-on aspect of making each piece. The house was made from posterboard cut into the siding and popsicle sticks for the trim pieces.

I’m very happy with how the diorama turned out. A lot of time went into painting and assembling the details, and the final result captures the look and feel I was aiming for.