NPR: For Micro-Miniaturist Willard Wigan, Less is More

For Micro-Miniaturist Willard Wigan, Less is More

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Earlier this month, the collected works of sculptor Willard Wigan sold for over 11 million British Pounds ---22 million US dollars.

His subjects include the Titanic hitting the iceberg, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and the Statue of Liberty. But Wigan brings a remarkable perspective to these subjects...his work is all very small. Very very very small. In fact, many of Wigan's sculptures aren't visible to the naked eye. Starting with a grain of sand or rice, he carves away for months with a diamond shard before a piece is completed. And because the scale is so minute that he can only see what he's doing by using a microscope, Wigan can lose months of work by accidentally inhaling a sculpture or sneezing one away.

Check out some of his work in the video above.

Win Rosenfeld

7:06 PM ET | 09-17-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

This rules, especially the part about the fly hair paintbrush. Awesome.

Sent by Lauren Spohrer | 9:04 PM ET | 09-17-2007

Wow, just beautiful! Seems impossible to create something like this, I am simply amazed . I wish to see these sculptures now. :)

Sent by Carmencitta | 9:22 PM ET | 09-17-2007

Amazing. If he used the hair from a dead fly as a paint brush, how does he hold it to paint?

Sent by Larry Jordan | 11:25 PM ET | 09-17-2007

Wow, I love when things are reduced to realy small sizes. I love miniatures, but even this is too small for me!
What a wonderfully steady hand. And the detail is superb.

Sent by Susan | 2:43 PM ET | 09-18-2007

Fascinating. So how many angels he could fit into the eye of a needle?

Sent by Greg | 2:42 PM ET | 09-19-2007

kudos goes out to a talented artist..now that he has gotten his payday, I hope he continues his art and insoires others to imagine an art form...again, Kudos

Sent by G | 3:52 PM ET | 09-20-2007

What a great story.

Sent by Sam | 11:28 PM ET | 09-20-2007

Museum of Jurassic Technology - they have another miniature exhibit called "The Eye of the Needle" that features the work of
Hagop Sandaldjian- really amazing museum, really amazing miniatures.

Sent by Frannie | 1:30 AM ET | 09-21-2007

Saw some of his amazing work today."Those that can't,teach!,those that can DO!!!!!!! (yeah!)".A refreshingly modest and special person whose art cannot fail to bring joy and inspiration.Seeing this artists work genuinely brightened my day.Thank you!

Sent by Heidi Wilson | 6:33 PM ET | 10-23-2007

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