Interview with Casey of TreasureBeans

Today we a featuring an interview from Casey of Treasure Beans, an amazingly talented artist who deals with a hard subject in her art.

 

Hi, my name is Casey and I'm the artist behind Treasure Beans pebbles and the micro-miniatures of Tiny Dream Shop.  I live in Ontario, Canada where I raise my family and create my tiny works.

Your art is very specific: tiny sculpted pieces related to child loss.  The question that always comes to my mind with this type of art is, "how did the artist arrive at something so unique?"

I first began my journey in the pregnancy & infant loss 'market' after my first child was stillborn.  I offered keepsake images of personalized pebbles, photographed in an artistic way.  Over time I began to add colourful artwork to make these pebbles more personal and started selling them.  I dabbled in assorted memorial items and thought, "I want to offer something to grieving families that can't be found that expresses what they truly long-for... to hold their baby". Whether lost to miscarriage, stillbirth, medical condition or other tragedy every parent wants nothing more than to hold & love their baby.  Because of this work-vision, I coined the phrase, "The dreams of your heart in the palm of your hand." for my works.

Your art typically deals with a very sensitive subject; Do  you ever feel it's challenging to make child loss related art either because of personal feelings or because of reactions of those around you?

I started a line of pebbles featuring faceless women in long, flowing dresses (and hair), holding/lifting their angel(s).  Shortly after that I thought how wonderful it would be to have a 3-dimensial version, and have it presented like a treasure.  I landed-on the idea of using tiny, train model people; altering them by adding clay and paint to create tiny scenes symbolizing longing, love, hopes and dreams - captured inside tiny vials, domes and cases.  I eventually switched to using all clay sculptures so they would become 'my own'.   The design possibilities became endless and the feeling, much deeper. Although the subject is so taboo - you can never frighten a bereaved parent away from remembering their child.   I even began showcasing pieces that featured women at gravesides and angels watching-over tiny caskets/urns.   I found this very therapeutic - as it's such a 'real' feeling for a baby-loss mother; and no memorial art can make me feel any sadder than I already do for the loss of my daughter.  My work is an extension of her on earth.  Helping others share & honor their babies is my goal and it's also healing and inspiring for me.  I believe in taking pride in your children no matter where they are.  I encourage others to raise awareness to acknowledge the children who existed and are loved, to respect the families affected and to educate communities to prevent future losses.

Are there other forms of art that you have engaged in, either in the past or now?  Did any of them stick around?  If so, why do you feel drawn to continue to do them?

My newest creations are hand-sculpted, micro-miniature, baby angels on stone, metal and silver pendant necklaces.  My customers have expressed how much they love these sensitive pieces but wear them with pride, as they are too cute not to share. 

I still paint keepsake pebbles with babies, angels, animals and my Pure & Tender, signature style.  Occasionally I paint my visions onto miniature canvas' and magnets, and now also offer hand-painted footprints of actual baby prints, personalized and presented on a colourful, clay base.  (I just LOVE to see the images of the little feet I'll be painting).

What is your favorite thing you have ever created and why? 

I fall in-love with every piece I create and find it a challenge to send them home every time - but it would be selfish to keep them!  I'd have to say that my favorite piece is the very first, Pure & Tender pebble. It was inspired by my own loss;  featuring a hillside scene with blue sky and clouds and a woman in a purple dress, lifting-up a little angel baby in a diaper - celebrating being together.  

What is the most amazing thing about what you do?

People are always amazed by the tiny detail involved in my pieces but I'm actually amazed by full-size art and personally, find it very difficult to paint/sculpt anything much bigger than I do.  I'm not 'amazed' by anything I do but I AM amazed by the people I always meet and grow close-to throughout my journey of grief and grace.  My work inspires them in so many ways,  and quite a few of them have gone on to do great things, including pay-it-forward and other memorial programs. THAT amazes me.

What would you say to those who are dealing with the pain of a lost child?

Through any kind of loss, comes change.  You can make the choice to use that change to hold you back/bring you down, or you can let it inspire you to make a positive difference in your own life and hopefully, in others'.  If you can't change something, why not turn it into something else?...  This doesn't mean you have to move-on or 'get-over' your pain... it means, don't torture yourself, emotionally if there's just no point.  As I've heard many times before: "It's not the weight of load - it's how you carry it."

Finally, Where can we find you and your art?

Thank you for reading my story and thank you so much to Hippy Beads for taking the time to feature my ministry.

My pieces can be ordered through www.treasurebeans.com & www.tinydreamshop.com.  To view many more creations, I can be found on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TreasureBeansPebbleworks & www.facebook.com/TinyDreamShop