The Soul of the Small: Why I’m Reclaiming the Trinket

"There’s Just So Much to See"  Between 2025 and 2026, I’ve watched a beautiful shift in the design world: the rise of the trinket aesthetic.

If you’re not familiar, trinkets are tiny treasures - small, meaningful objects that carry personality, nostalgia, and individuality. As someone who has always been obsessed with the "little things," this trend makes me so happy. I remember the first time a friend walked into my bedroom; she stood still, fascinated, and finally said, “There’s just so much to see!”

Even my bag is a world of

its own - kids love exploring it like a treasure chest. That sense of joy and discovery is exactly what this trend is about. It’s a celebration of the whimsical details that make a house feel like a home and a person feel like themselves.

The Trinket Trap

We see it everywhere now: charms on bags and crowded shelves. There is a clear desire to be different, original, and full of whimsy. But as with any trend, the market has been flooded with plastic, soulless versions of these items.

Take the "Labubu" craze of 2025, for example. There is a deep irony in calling something a “trinket”, which is supposed to be unique, when 100 million of the exact same mass-produced figure are hanging on 100 million different bags. A trinket’s true power comes from its story and its energy. When it’s produced by a mega-corporation, that "heartbeat" is stripped away.

I believe in reclaiming the trinket. It’s time to resist meaningless consumerism and return to the joy of organic discovery - stumbling across a treasure made by a human hand, not a factory. In a world of excess, how you choose and arrange your space is an art form in itself.

Introducing: The "Good Fortune" Series

This shift is what inspired my newest series, “Good Fortune.” I wanted to dive into the trinket trend through my own medium: oil paint on canvas. There is an incredible intimacy in a painting you can almost cradle in your palm. These 4x4-inch miniatures are the exact size of a real fortune cookie, offering a rare chance to own an original piece of fine art—something with a soul, a history, and a heartbeat. Whether it lives on your desk or a curated shelf, it's a small window of joy for your everyday space.

A lot of people think working on a 4x4-inch canvas is easier than a large painting, but in the world of photorealism, the opposite is true! When you scale down, every brushstroke is magnified. Capturing the delicate "crunch" of a pastry’s texture or the way light hits a stray crumb requires immense discipline to ensure the cookie feels as real as one you’d hold in your hand.

One of the most important drivers for this series was accessibility. I believe everyone deserves to own a piece of fine art, regardless of the size of their walls or their budget. These minis are intended to be permanent "good luck" charms - a direct connection between my hands and yours.

Curate Your Own Universe

I’ve created several paintings with pre-set fortunes, but I am also offering you the chance to customize your own messages. We’ve all had that moment where opening a fortune cookie feels like the universe is speaking directly to us; this collection lets you curate that moment for yourself or a loved one.

In a world that tells us bigger is better and faster is superior, I’m finding so much peace in the small, the slow, and the steady. I hope these minis bring you as much joy as I found in creating them.

Explore the "Good Fortune" Collection Here