Tiny signs and a love letter to Marin, Tam Glad sitdown with Chelsea Andersson

Tam Junction is a curious place. I mean this in the sense that on any given day thousands of people will arrive and depart thinking about this hectic and vibrant spot between them and the adventures they seek. If you were to slow down, park, or take a walk you would start to unearth all the fantastic spots one could desire and as I've pointed out in the past, there are landmarks for delicious food, coffee, adventure, and art everywhere you look. 

But what if I told you there are things to see hidden in plain sight?

It started as a curious research project as all my stories begin. I dive deep into the subject matter and try to unearth the stories most people may miss. In this case, it’s literally a story people miss. On one early Saturday morning before the traffic began to build I was walking through Tam Junction with a coffee and noticed a tiny green object that appeared to mimic the larger street sign.

This peaking all my interest, I approached the sign looking carefully as it appeared to be masterfully created. The sign said “California” with an arrow pointed down. It was thought provoking and confusing all at the same time. It appeared like someone purposely created a tiny sign designed just like the green street signs we see everywhere pointing towards destinations. 

Now I was hooked. What was this tiny sign doing here? Were there more? I spent the next few months observing my surroundings and came to find that YES! There are other tiny signs in and around Tam Junction. They were placed in the open in public areas for all to see. But, if you weren’t part of the crowd of curiosity, you would miss them completely.

They are the brainchild of an incredible maker, miniaturist, prop designer, and finalist of the NBC show Making it. Unfortunately, before I was able to meet in person, she had moved away from Tam Valley. But, her lasting impression on our little Tam Junction is here for all to see. I reached out to Chelsea Andresson for a long-distance sit-down about her time in Tam Valley and inspiration for the tiny signs on display. 

Here is our conversation:

You lived in Tam Valley/Mill Valley for quite some time. How would you describe “life” in the area and what is your favorite part?

Tam Valley is the center for everything. 15 minutes to the Golden Gate Bridge, 15 Minutes to Muir Woods, 15 Minutes to a beautiful downtown - you really can’t ask for more! I always just loved how crisp the air smelled and how incredible the fog looked rolling over the mountains. I don’t think anywhere in the world is more special.

You're an Architect, but how did you get into miniatures?

I’ve loved miniatures ever since I was a kid. I spent all of my free time making furniture and outfits for my dolls. It wasn’t ever something I thought could be a career and so my love of tiny things sort of fell to the wayside as I got older. It wasn’t until I was working full time as a Landscape Architect and building scale site models that I remembered how much I enjoyed it. From there it quickly became a way for me to design and imagine furnishings and home decor that I couldn’t fit or afford in my tiny Bay Area apartment. I took a class through TamMakers which allowed me access to tons of different tools and introduced me to so many amazingly talented artists and makers in our community.

Where do you get inspiration from?

A lot of what I make is inspired by furnishings and objects I hope to one-day have in real life. I like to think of miniatures as a 3D vision board. Admiring homes from Architecture magazines and furniture from catalogs allows me to think about the type of furniture I would want in my life. Other times, just taking a walk in nature and letting my mind wander helps kick start my creative process.

When creating local sign miniatures, how did you decide which ones to recreate and why in Tam Junction?

When I first started making #tinyhighwaysusa signs, I wanted it to feel like a treasure to be discovered. I didn’t tell people I was doing it, or where they were. I just hoped that the right person would see them and smile. It was also sort of a love letter to Marin; taking time to stop and read highway signs, really studying them to make sure the miniature version matched. I focus on signs that pedestrians would walk by, and places I could safely install. But most importantly, I focused on signs that pointed to places I loved or had special meaning to me.

You were recently a finalist on NBC’s “Making it”. How was that experience and how did it change you or your work?

Making It posed challenges of all different scales and styles. It forced me to put aside miniatures and really see what I was capable of. It helped me prove to myself that I was far more capable than I ever thought possible.

We’re all fans of your work here in Marin, how do we purchase your amazing pieces?

Thank you so much! The easiest way to purchase is through Chelseamakes.com; If you’re looking to purchase or sponsor more tiny highway signs, you can do so here: Link

What do you miss the most about Tam Valley/Mill Valley?

Everything! (Really) But most of all, I miss all of the incredible nature. Tam Valley is like no where else in the world, and if you live there, I hope you get out and enjoy it as often as you can!