McBoxArt, Charlotte, NC
My obsession with re-creating boxes started with the Cancer Foundation for New Mexico in 2007. They hold an annual silent and live auction. It is their major annual fundraiser. I painted a small candy box and it was a big hit at the auction. Every year since then, I have donated a decorated box to the Auction.
My main source of boxes is cigar stores. I forage through all their castaways and choose boxes that would work as trinket boxes, recipe boxes or just a fancy box. I have also had great success with boxes from farm auctions. My sister lived in Pennsylvania and frequently would send me a box of boxes for me to transform.
Boxes are sanded, painted, legs added, interior embellished with tape or fabric, quirky knobs are attached, and the exterior painted. Each one is a unique item. Many have clever text added inside or out.
While I do not have any conventional training in art, I do have my mother’s genes. She was a master crafter and her house was a reflection of this. It was cozy and inviting and filled with her “projects”. My sisters also share the artistic edge.