Meet Aubergine: The Purple Hearthmade Tiny House

Introducing the newest Hearth Member: Aubergine, the Purple Hearthmade Tiny House!

Aubergine was born on the front lawn of The Umbrella Community Arts Center in Concord, MA during the BIG Art; Tiny House project.  From June 2015-June 2016, the community of Miranda’s Hearth came together to bring her into the world through blood (yes, actually), sweat, and tears. There has also been plenty of laughter, large quantities of handmade bread, and endless trips to every hardware store within a 30 mile radius.

Over the past 379 days, not that we’re counting, Aubergine has taught us how much heart it takes to go tiny. By the 2nd BIG Tiny House Festival on July 16, we will have spent roughly $25,000 and over 1,000 hours bringing her to life. More than 30 people have come out to join in our first house raising. New builders, professional carpenters, and some very, very good cooks.

But building itself was just the beginning! Now that Aubergine exists, the real fun starts as artwork pours in from all around Greater Boston. She already boasts a beautiful handmade mahogany front door created by Jon Schmalenberger, complete with a stained glass hearth made out of handmade glass by Craig Elliott, both artists at The Umbrella. Her floor is covered by a 4′ x 8′ floorcloth created right down the street by Terry Kelly-Ruhlmann, who will be exhibiting at the festival. The floorcloth was created out of over a decades worth of clothes collected from Miranda and her family.

If this wasn’t enough, Aubergine has even already had her portrait painted by Andy Newman, a resident artist at The Umbrella represented by galleries in England, France, Italy, Portugal and Canada. As soon as we’re finished installing the trim, we’ll hang this painting inside the tiny house along with the rest of the artwork.

And more art is on the way! Handblown glass from Hearth Member Nathaniel Bearg, a painted door stop from Jonathan Smith, handthrown pottery from Caitlyn Marsh, a woven blanket from Barbara Willis, a painted Tyveck curtain from Max Payne, and so much more. By the time she is complete, we expect stories from over fifty volunteers and artists to be living inside her walls.

Best of all, Aubergine is just the beginning. In the long-term, Miranda’s Hearth will become the first community art hotel, where everything from the food to the furniture is handmade by local artists.

As soon as we find the space to bring this hotel into reality, we’ll roll Aubergine onto the front lawn where she’ll become the first hotel room.

Come and meet her for yourself at the 2nd BIG Tiny House Festival on July 16 and stay tuned for what’s coming next!