Steampunk Commission
My client approached me with a request for a very special birthday gift for her dear friends, who were celebrating their 65th birthdays. She envisioned a collage of meaningful items that represented their long-standing friendship. Among the pieces she provided were a small robot slot machine and a cherished photo of the two couples.
After several thoughtful conversations about the memories and symbols that defined their friendship, I brainstormed and noted down ideas. I searched through my collection and found several items that fit perfectly, though I had to order a few softball-related charms to complete the design.
In the middle of the process, my printer unexpectedly broke down while printing the photo. I quickly ordered a new one, determined to keep everything on track. Once I had all the elements, I carefully assembled the piece and snapped some photos for approval before applying the final resin coat.
When my client gifted the heart-shaped collage to her friends, it brought them to tears. It was truly a meaningful and heartfelt piece. Here’s what my client had to say about the process:
“Our collaboration with Kristen on a custom steampunk heart was a fabulous experience that resulted in an incredibly unique, beautifully meaningful gift that exceeded our expectations and floored our friends of 35 years. She is an amazing artist whose ability to listen, interpret and then breathe life into someone else's vision is an extra-special talent on top of her many other talents. At first, my husband and I found that gathering our thoughts, choosing mementos and selecting photos was a bit challenging, but Kristen was extremely patient and made helpful suggestions. You could say she inspired us to be inspired, and it was so much fun (and so rewarding) working with her to design a one-of-a-kind, custom piece that I'm positive we'll collaborate again. Thanks for sharing your mad, artistic skills with anyone who wants to work with you, Kristen! (PS - pictures of her work do not do the real thing justice)”