Every box tells a story, stories of our lives told through art

4 min read

As I mentioned here, I created a house art installation wherein every ‘brick’ is a small music box, and the boxes tell the stories that make a house a home.

These are the 20 designs created for Constructing Deconstruction. Each was only made in an edition of 10.

For each bird design, there are 2 versions, a telling of the two sides of every story.

This is an image of a steel and bronze music box with a bronze bird on top and an abstract image sculpted inside the box.



Accept

Song: “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, fresh water pearl, magnets, music mechanism

This is an image of a steel bronze music box with a bronze bird on top, a sterling silver necklace integrated inside the box along with Swarovski crystals.



Reject

Song: “What the World Needs Now”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, sterling silver, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Accept and Reject consider our innate need for self acceptance - the parts of ourselves we struggle to accept but often make us most unique and interesting. These boxes reflect on how confidence often comes easiest when we reject the influence of outsiders, mistaken old beliefs, and trust our inner voice.

Accept and Reject are reminders to love yourself so you can be open to loving others.

Purchase Accept or Reject


This is an image of a steel bronze music box with a bronze bird on top and an abstract image sculpted inside the box.



Indulge

Song: “Candy Man”

Materials: steel, bronze, sterling silver, Swarovski crystals, magnets, music mechanism

This is an image of a steel bronze music box with a bronze bird on top and an abstract image sculpted inside the box.



Nourish

Song: “I’d Like To Teach the World To Sing”

Materials: steel, bronze, sterling silver, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Indulge and Nourish straddle that fine line between satisfaction and excess. They celebrate our sensual, expressive and nurturing, comforting sides - both instincts for survival and prosperity.

Purchase Indulge or Nourish


This is an image of a steel bronze box with a bronzed abstract item on top, flowers on the top inside portion of the box and a jade stone in the bottom portion of the box.



Broken

Song: “After the Lovin’”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, lava, magnets, music mechanism

steel and silver and bronze bird with broken wing music box sculpture called Witness


Witness

Song: “What a Wonderful World”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, lava, fresh water pearl, sterling silver, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Broken and Witness tell the story of suffering and healing through love. Sometimes we must experience pain in order to feel the full extent of joy. There are many wounds that lead to beauty and discovery - we often can’t have one without the other.

Purchase Broken or Witness


bronze bird nest and steel and silver and jade music box sculpture


Comfort

Song: “Let Me be Your Teddy Bear”

Materials: steel, bronze, sterling silver, jade, magnets, music mechanism

bronze bird nest and steel and copper music box sculpture about comfort and wounds


Conflict

Song: “Spoonful of Sugar”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Comfort and Conflict go hand in hand in a big family. Often conflict leads to resolution and a greater sense of security and connection. We have a huge appreciation for comfort and relief from suffering when we’ve experienced pain. When we learn to self soothe we can always find relief and appreciate a sense of freedom from things that are out of our control. There is also a sense of contentment and well being that can only be had through connection with others.

Purchase Comfort or Conflict


steel and bronze and copper music box sculpture with bronze duck butt and little blue flower


Escape

Song: “Puff the Magic Dragon”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, amber, glass bead, magnets, music mechanism

bronze duck butt on steel and copper music box sculpture about exploration


Explore

Song: “The Gambler”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Escape and Explore reflect on the unexpected treasures that come from pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone. When we experience the unexpected, whether it’s intentionally sought after or accidentally stumbled upon, life becomes bigger and fuller.

Purchase Escape or Explore


bronze bird with stuck leg trying to take flight on top of steel and copper music box sculpture


Surrender

Song: “The Impossible Dream”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, mirror, magnets, music mechanism

bird in flight with tied leg bronze and steel music box sculpture with silver fish out of water


Resist

Song: “Oif’n Pripentschok”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, sterling silver, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Surrender and Resist ponder our ability to survive and thrive despite adversity. Sometimes we must let go and sometimes we must fight, either way can be part of the journey to a better reality.

As the saying goes… do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain.

Purchase Surrender or Resist


happy birthday bronze egg music box sculpture - art to celebrate life


Create

Song: “Happy Birthday”

Materials: steel, bronze, sterling silver, magnets, music mechanism

bronze egg with silver butterflies commemorating death - music box sculpture plays amazing grace


Passage

Song: “Amazing Grace”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, sterling silver, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Create and Passage are both a celebration of life. While birth is a happy occasion and represents a new world of opportunity, death is a transformative time to commemorate life and all the experiences and changes it holds.

Purchase Create or Passage


content bronze bird on top of steel and copper music box sculpture with rough diamond


Content

Song: “Just the Way You Are”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, uncut raw diamond, magnets, music mechanism

bronze bird on steel music box sculpture with embedded hematite rock celebrating contentment in solitude and self fulfillment


Void

Song: “O Sole Mio”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, hematite, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Content and Void remind us to find a sense of well being in silence and solitude. We may find unexpected contentment in emptiness or quiet beauty in wholeness - either way, a connection to self and sense of being grounded within oneself allows us to be more authentically available for others.

Purchase Content or Void


bronze bird lovebirds on steel music box sculpture with silver butterflies perfect for 11th anniversary or 8th wedding anniversary or wedding proposal


Union

Song: “Wedding March”

Materials: steel, bronze, sterling silver, cork, suede, magnets, music mechanism

barbie hands and hair inside steel and copper music box sculpture - art that tells the story of friendship with bronze lovebirds


Token

Song: “Best of Friends”

Materials: steel, bronze, copper, Barbie hands and hair, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Union and Token are a celebration of togetherness. A token of appreciation, an act of kindness, an expression of devotion - no matter the people involved or level of commitment these boxes promote and honor love.

Purchase Union or Token


bronze bird taking flight on steel and copper music box sculpture with silver fish in blue water representing climate change and future deterioration if we don’t make changes yesterday


Dread

Song: “Yesterday”

Materials: steel, bronze, stainless steel, sterling silver, blue resin, copper, magnets, music mechanism

bronze bird in flight on steel music box sculpture with crystal points and silver fish out of water representing the need for change and dreaming of better future


Dream

Song: “Tomorrow”

Materials: steel, bronze, stainless steel, sterling silver, quartz crystals, magnets, music mechanism


The Story:

Dream and Dread are a testament to our future self, how our actions now can change our destinies. Our past and future are intertwined and one can always learn from and affect the other, both on an individual personal level and universal scale.

Purchase Dread or Dream


As mentioned above, these stories are what transform a mere structure or building into a home. They are the stories that make us who we are and connect us through love and pain and celebration. They are also delightful pieces of art to add to your collection, knowing you are part of something bigger.

See more on the art installation, Constructing Deconstruction, where these were first displayed.

Here are all 20 designs in one image for a quick side by side comparison:

Constructing Deconstruction music box series_CG_Grisez.jpg

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