Maggie - Small World

 1/24/2026 

Small World Installation

My Item: 

    This is the violin that I plan to use, as well as the inside of the space. 

The story: 

    For this installation, I centered my concept around the item that I plan to use. My dad was an orchestra teacher in Cheyenne, and for years, he repaired old, beat-up musical instruments that belonged to the school district. I want to use one of his scrap violins to create my small world. 

    I was heavily involved with music from 4th grade up until the second semester of my senior year of high school. I started by playing the cello, but then moved to playing the string bass for orchestra when I was a sophomore in high school. I was also in the marching band (I played xylophone and such for the front ensemble), jazz band, choir, and the acapella audition group. I was really working to get the letter award for being the most involved in the music program in my high school. However, the students and my choir teacher really sucked.

    There was this toxic atmosphere of competition and stepping on each other's backs in order to succeed. I had a stay at WBI in Casper for a week, during my junior year, after getting particularly overwhelmed by school, the music program, and my undiagnosed ADHD. After that, it felt like a fall from grace. I had gone from one of the most competitive students in the music program to not being able to audition for any extracurricular activities like All-State and All-Northwest. 

    My choir teacher created a lot of this environment. He would play favorites, and often in a very unprofessional (and quite frankly pedophilic) manner. My former best friend became the object of his desires, and she didn't see how creepy it was. One time, he cried to the whole class about how she was the best singer in the school (she sounded like a goat), and that she hadn't made it into All-Northwest, "but congratulations anyway to the people who made it" (yuck). 

    I ended up leaving my high school in the second semester of my senior year to attend an alternative high school and finish my credits online. I never had a senior prom, nor did I walk for graduation, because of how disgusted I was with the music program and the people around me.  

Design Ideas: 

    I want to turn the interior of the violin into a cave. I like caves, and I think they are very visually interesting, but they also represent my bitter feelings towards music. I want to put in colored lights to show that I do still have some love for music, but a lot of it is dark. 

Artist Inspiration:

    For this piece, I am inspired by Matthew Albanese and Thomas Doyle. I am also inspired by these pictures of real caves. 

The Hoax by Matthew Albanese

Thomas Doyle

Maggie, thank you for sharing this so openly. The choice to use your dad’s scrap violin is meaningful and grounded, and it’s clear that the object itself carries history, care, and complexity. That makes it a strong found space to work within.

The idea of transforming the interior of the violin into a cave is a compelling direction, especially as a metaphor for both shelter and darkness. Caves can feel protective, isolating, and immersive all at once, which aligns well with the emotional tone you’re describing. The challenge here will be translating that idea clearly at a small scale so the interior reads as an environment, not just texture.

As you move forward, try to focus on how the viewer encounters the space. Because the violin already has a very specific opening and interior curve, think about:

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

• How does light guide the eye through the space?

• What makes this feel like a place rather than a surface?

Your instinct to use colored light selectively is a good one. Rather than lighting everything, consider using light sparingly so it feels intentional—almost like a trace or echo—against the darker interior. This will help the emotional contrast read more clearly without overcomplicating the build.

Your artist references are appropriate for this scale. Both Albanese and Doyle work with miniature environments that feel immersive because of careful control over depth, texture, and lighting. Pay attention to how they use scale and restraint to suggest entire worlds in very small spaces.

For now, I’d encourage you to:

• Keep the concept simple and focused

• Let the violin’s interior shape do some of the work for you

• Avoid adding too many elements at once

This is a strong starting point, especially for a first installation project. Focus on clarity and atmosphere rather than explaining the full story, and you’ll be setting yourself up for success.