Jane Dyer and Gail Roberge

The “The Tiny Museum" pays homage to Alice Steele's historic miniature rooms. Our attention was paid to Cummington's Women of the 19th century and their busy lives. While we have focused on wool, (spinning, carding, quilting and knitting), we have also depicted other tasks such as candle making, cooking, and baking.  

The installation consists of a sage green wooden structure made of cedar, 6’H x 30”W x 21” D. Displaying 5 rooms. With a plexiglass front, so everything will be easily visible, yet protected from the weather. Each of the five floors showcases a different aspect of the 19th century life with figures at a 1:6 scale, sculpted of clay and dressed in period clothing. The rooms are decorated historically accurate and the piece is mounted on a base securely “planted” into the ground

Collaborative Artist Statement

We both live in Cummington in houses built in the 19th Century. Thus began our interest in this period of Cummington history. We wondered, who lived here? what did they do? In the book, Only One Cummington, Vol. II, it states, “historical records of this time neglect the contributions of women”. Yet we know that they were responsible for providing their families with the necessities—food, clothing, child-rearing, blankets, quilts, and more. Sheep supplied the wool which was needed for so many of these, and most households had their own flock. We therefore focus a bit more on sheep and the uses of their wool.

In “The Tiny Museum”, we present scenes of women in 19th Century Cummington. Peering into the main structure and barn, visitors of all ages will get a glimpse of the daily tasks performed. Women did not have large amounts of time to do handwork, so they would gather together for a “quilting bee”. This was a rare occasion for a social event, while still being industrious. The quilting bee was purely an American phenomenon.

We are both also doll-makers and constructed the figures for the Tiny Museum out of oven-bake clay, wool (from Cummington sheep), and fabrics. Our installation pays homage to Alice C. Steele whose historic miniature rooms can be found at the Kingman Tavern Museum. This project combines our love for the art of making dolls with our interest in the history our beloved Cummington.