"Little worlds" are created inside the egg dioramas, with all of the scenic elements being individually handmade. Each egg is part of a numbered yearly edition and is signed, dated, and copyrighted. It comes presented in a silk-lined gift box, along with a description and fancy ornament hook.

J. Brooke Patterson is an artist currently working in Oakland, CA. In 1993, she earned her BA degree in Art from UC Berkeley, where she focused on drawing and printmaking.  While attending university, she started the J. Brooke Wallpaper Studio, a business specializing in handpainted wallcoverings.  For some years she had made these egg ornaments for friends and family, simply using chicken eggs.  In 1996, she began selling them through an Open Studios holiday event in Berkeley, CA, where they quickly sold out.  Since then, she spent more and more time working with a variety of eggshells, from as small as finch to as large as ostrich.  In 2000, it became a full-time artistic pursuit, and she now exhibits in many shows and stores throughout the country.

As a container of life, the egg also inspires one to imagine the many things that can dwell inside. It can frame and focus a passing observation, or a deep contemplation. It is opportune medium in which to create little worlds that can enchant, delight, and amuse people. Its irregular shape and size, and its intimate nature, can draw people inwards.

My egg dioramas are handcrafted using real eggshells.  All of the elements inside are handmade individually, so each egg has its own unique character, along with the unique shape that the egg itself brings to the piece. The scenes are created using a variety of sculptural media, in addition to found and recycled materials.  Each egg is framed with custom-cut glass.

My challenge is to create something like miniature set designs to which others can bring their own experiences when looking into the world. And my hope is to communicate and share both my observations and my appreciation of the curious and wonderful details surrounding us all.