Imagination meets reality: Island artist turns books into tiny art

By Gomathi Sridevi Radhakrishnan 

Nov.30, 2023 

Fairouz Gaballa, 21-year-old multimedia artist, book lover and miniature maker.Gomathi Sridevi Radhakrishnan photo.

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The living room wall is covered floor to ceiling of books of all genres along one side.

Posters are hanging on the other walls featuring fictional characters from books.

There is a large cozy couch.

On a coffee table sits a half-empty cup of hot chocolate.

The television is set to mute.

Through the window across from the sofa, there’s a ray of sunlight.

The landscape outside the window almost looks real with green grass and a blue sky.

But it’s a printed picture of a stunning scenery.

This is actually one of Fairouz Gaballa’s miniature rooms.

And it can fit in your palm.

Fairouz Gaballa is in the process of finishing the book lover’s dream miniature living room with tiny sofa, television, books, posters, mugs and tables.Gomathi Sridevi Radhakrishnan photo.

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Gaballa is one of a handful P.E.I. artists who enjoys making miniatures. 

She is a recent psychology graduate from the University of Prince Edward Island. 

She entered the world of miniature art during her final year. Her project was to write a paper using theories of creativity. 

But she didn’t want to write about it. She wanted to create.  

“I decided to make a miniature using theories I learned…I created my dream library with miniature posters, little chairs and tables.” 

People responded positively when she shared it on social media. They thought it was a picture of her actual room. 

But the more they zoomed in, they realized it was a miniature creation. 

The project took her almost three months to complete and she enjoyed the process.

“I wanted to make more miniatures, so that’s what I’m doing right now,” she said. “I love reading so much and I wanted to turn the things that I imagine in my head into reality.” 

Gaballa is often inspired by her favorite books.

Even though it requires a lot of effort, she likes creating things by hand. 

She uses biodegradable items like cardboard boxes, old t-shirts and old notebooks for her art instead of using plastics. 

“Sometimes I get frustrated because of the measurements. I must do everything just by guessing.” 

Being new to the art world, Gaballa mostly uses simple tools like knives and scissors.

“When I read or watch shows, I get intrigued by the things. And I want to recreate in on my own and make it able to see it in real life.” 

Some of her miniatures are specifically dedicated to bibliophiles.

“Those are like a book lovers dream room.” 

She was inspired by the book "The Yellow Wallpaper," which tells a story about a woman who descends into madness after her husband puts her in a nursery room to “rest-cure” her hysteria.

Gaballa read it during her first year of college, and made a miniature room based on it.

She even included a microscopic writing on a tiny notebook which is on the side of the bed.

Fairuz Gaballa created a miniature room based on the book called, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, which she read when she was in her first year.Gomathi Sridevi Radhakrishnan photo.

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Being an emerging artist, Gaballa often spends more money than she makes.

“More than half of the time, the work you put into the items you make, you’re not necessarily paid for it or sell it when you put on exhibitions.”  

But her passion drives her to continue making the art.

Gaballa has contributed to the “Destruction Recrafted” exhibit for the hurricane Fiona at the Confederation Art Gallery.

She has also showcased her works at Charlottetown Zine Fest and the tiny art gallery. There she met Monica Lacey, the curator.

“I look for artists whose art is small or can be made small because of the size of the gallery,” said Lacey.

Recently, Gaballa won the Ertie & Henry Purdy Emerging Visual Arts Bursary from Innovation PEI for her miniature art from Innovation PEI. 

“The artist shows lots of experimentation and imagination and appears to fit very much in the emerging category with plans to use the award to further her practice. The artist’s work in miniature designs is very innovative with great potential to scale up,” said the jurors who evaluated her design. 

The miniature bookshelf with tiny books, flower vases and animals created from a wooden box with a glass door attached to it.Gomathi Sridevi Radhakrishnan photo.

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Despite not being a full-time artist, she was happy to have been acknowledged. 

“I love making art. So, I’m grateful to have received the bursary so I can continue building tiny worlds one miniature at a time,” she said. 

Though most of her miniatures are based on her passion for reading, she is open to new ideas.

“I don’t really like sticking to one theme, and I don’t want to limit myself from being able to make different things.” 

She recently launched a website where she is selling book earrings, a mini library, a miniature room, and miniature books for art collectors. 

“I also do custom miniatures, either furniture or earrings, mini rooms according to people’s requests.” 

Now, Gaballa is working on a self-published comic book and a mini football field with different players in football jerseys and a football.

“It’s going to take me long time to finish that but I’m just going to keep making it.”

If you are interested in her miniature arts and wants to add it to your bookshelves, reach out to Fairouz through her website Fairouz art.