The two artists behind these stunning terrariums, Lina Cirilo and Laura Gonçales create entire worlds encapsulated in glass jars, bottles, and other glass vessels. They call them mini-ecosystems, as these tiny "landscapes" are complete with live plants, faux rivers and lakes, and little figurines of people, animals, and other objects. What’s even more amazing is that these tiny worlds can survive almost completely on their own, and all they have to do to maintain these beauties is add a little water every two weeks or so. Admire these one-of-a-kind creations below, and learn more about how they are made.
The two artists are often inspired by famous books, novels, or specific places in the world, and they write on their website that the joint project actually started as a series of gifts to family and friends. With time, the hobby grew into a business of its own, and they opened their first shop in 2014.
Each of their creations features a great variety of materials and layers, so they take quite a while to make - from days, to weeks, and even months! In fact, the entirety of their work is completely handmade - they hand-craft the contents of every pot using exclusively raw materials.
The artists usually craft each miniature ecosystem with individual clients' vision and passion in mind. After all, the end results are living, breathing plant terrariums that will serve their owners for years. As the two artists pointed out in an interview:
"Usually, people do not think of plants as pets. But they are! They need water, light, substrates, and affection. The benefit of having a terrarium is that it lives practically alone! It is a self-sustaining mini-ecosystem. Nowadays, not all people have space or time to care for a garden. A terrarium is a great option for those who want to have some green around, but do not have much time to dedicate."
