Bethany- Small World

 January 25

For the small world installation, I am taking inspiration from Shelia Hicks. She is a fiber artists that makes long rope-like installations as well as ones that look like big pompoms. I want to combine these ideas into one installation.

Shelia Hicks examples

My found object is a candle holder, I think. I found it at Goodwill, and I like that it has two openings. I want to use one opening as a way to hang yarn and the other as a window, but I am not sure which one will be which. I would like to create more of an environment rather than focus on a singular object like Hicks does. 

My goal is to create a fun/whimsical environment for the viewer. I chose a color pallet of pinks and blues, but I might want it to be a little more muted in the final product. I want the viewer to feel engulfed in yarn.

I want to hang yarn from the top of the object so it forms a slight column that is dissected by strands hanging down independently. The base of my object has a rim that I want ot surround in pompoms that engulf the viewer. I want the top to be the focal point.

Option #1: Top view of object

In this option, the window would be in the top of the candle holder. The yarn would hang from the other hole, and the pompoms would be on the wall rather than the floor.

Option #2: Front view

In this one, the yarn would hang from the top and the pompoms are on the ground. I like this configuration better, but it is a little tricky to see inside this way. I would need to add lighting to help with visibility.

Some possible concerns I have for this would be that my space is non-adaptable from the exterior because it is ceramic. I am limited by the holes that exist. I also am worried about lighting. I don’t really know how to add light sources or what my options for that would be.

Bethany, this is a solid and thoughtful start, and Sheila Hicks is an appropriate and productive reference for what you’re interested in exploring. Your focus on fiber, accumulation, and softness is clear, and the desire to create an environment rather than a single object aligns well with the goals of this project.

The candle holder is an interesting found object choice, especially because it already contains multiple openings. You’re right to recognize that those openings are not neutral—they determine how the viewer can access the interior space. Thinking about which opening functions as entry versus window is exactly the kind of spatial decision this project is asking for.

Your instinct to create an engulfing, whimsical environment through hanging yarn and pom-pom accumulation makes sense conceptually. I’d encourage you to think carefully about how much fiber is necessary to create that feeling at a miniature scale. At this size, fewer strands, pushed further, can often feel more immersive than adding as much material as possible.

Between your two options, Option #2 feels stronger spatially because it emphasizes gravity and downward movement, which works well with fiber. If visibility becomes an issue, lighting can be simple and subtle—small LED tea lights or light bouncing off lighter-colored yarn may be enough. You don’t need to overcomplicate this.

Your concern about the ceramic exterior not being adaptable is valid, but also part of the challenge of working with a found object. Rather than trying to change the outside, focus on how the interior can be activated through material, density, and placement. Let the object’s limitations guide your decisions or you may need to find an object that would be more flexible.

As you move forward, ask yourself:

• Where does the viewer “enter” the space visually?

• Which opening matters most, and why?

• How can yarn and pom-poms define a sense of enclosure rather than decoration?

This is a promising direction. Focus on clarity, restraint, and letting the material do the work, and you’ll be in a good place.