Faculty of Art

Sculpture/Installation

Nala Ren

At Home in a Fairytale

"I held a porcelain castle no bigger than my two fists, with six wee towers, each ending in a miniature candle holder. And oh! Strung between a window in each of two towers was a gossamer thread of china from which hung - laundry! A man's hose, a robe, a baby's pinafore, all thin as a spider's web. And, painted in a window downstairs, a smiling maiden waved a silk scarf.”- Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson LevineWhen I was little, Ella Enchanted was my favorite novel, and that line has stayed with me all these years. The idea of creating something so perfect, so delicate, so detailed at a tiny scale - it speaks to everything I love about making. This series of fae homes represents that dedication to the craft of miniature; every brick individually cut and weathered, every roof tile laid by hand, every accent sculpted with care. Each home is covered in personalized details, reflecting the individuality of the fairies living there.CottageThe fae who lives here prefers the quiet isolation of the forest to the hustle and bustle of the city. She built this cottage from the ground up – from its rock foundations, to its oxidized copper windows, to the hobbit-style doorway ringed with stones. A small shack on the left protects the firewood she uses to keep warm in the winter, and a cellar beneath the ground holds her stores of dried fruits and herbs.DuplexThe residents of this duplex make lovely neighbors, who respect one another’s aesthetics and unique lifestyles. On the left live a fae couple with the greenest of thumbs – they’ve turned their house into a botanical paradise. Their walls and roof are bursting with plants of many varieties, from moss and lichen, to long grasses and ivy. Even their balcony railing is made from layered leaves, and a living wreath on their door welcomes all to their loving home. On the right, a witch lives with his familiar, who enjoys sitting on the balcony and watching the world go by. The friendly neighborhood tentacle monster also likes to make an appearance, stretching his many limbs into the fresh air and sunshine. There’s always something bubbling in the cauldron by the garage, and don’t mind the slime leaking out of the chimney – a little corrosive sludge never hurt anybody!MicrohomesThese stacked microhomes house several different fae families. They grow mushrooms and vegetables on the wooden exterior to supplement their diets, and natural lichen provides excellent perches for sitting and watering the plants. Because the units are detachable, they can easily relocate when necessary – either for a change in scenery, or for when the neighborhood cat is causing a ruckus.