Art is a relaxing hobby for me, and sometimes I get to marry that with my passion for volunteer work.

Little Free Library

I worked with the Ginsberg Center at the University of Michigan to design their Little Free Library.

In the spring of 2014, Abby Fanelli of the Ginsberg Center approached me about the Little Free Library they were making. Could I design the exterior?

I looked over the model they’d put together and created a concept:

I envisioned a book being held open and characters falling out.

I like to work with mixed media, so I scoured my collection for book pages. I have a vendor who rescues books from the shredder and saves the pages. Using those, I created a world of characters.

The Ginsberg Center picked a J.K. Rowling quote for the back and I created some Harry Potter characters to grace the corner. Alice also makes an appearance, painting a nearby rose.

You can find out more about the Ginsberg Center here. The center does some fantastic work and I’m so proud to partner with them.

Check out this map of Little Free Libraries all over the country!

Note: I completed the Little Free Library project in 2014, before JK Rowling’s views on trans women were widely known. I do not agree with her, and if I were embarking on this project now, I would pick other beloved characters and words about the power of reading. There is simply too much wonderful art available to give oxygen to an artist who uses her platform to make the world a colder place. /rant