Handcrafted, Personalized Shadow Boxes
About the project
My name is Marcia Aftimus, and I am a British Columbia-based visual artist. My contemplative artwork has already been welcomed into Cowichan Hospice House and the new Quw'utsun Valley Hospital, where my work was created to bring moments of calm, beauty and connection into healthcare spaces.
Through that experience, I began thinking about another way art could support people and families during a very tender time of life.
That is how Treasured Moments was born.
Treasured Moments are small, handcrafted shadow boxes, approximately (8.6 × 8.6 in), created especially for hospice families.
Each piece begins with one of four peaceful scenes a garden, a window filled with birds, a place by the water, or a bridge surrounded by nature — and is personalized with the image of the person chosen by the family.
They are about honouring the person, celebrating what matters to them, and creating something beautiful and meaningful for the family to hold onto.
Every shadow box is made by hand. I prepare and print the illustrations, cut and paint each element individually, hand-paint the background, build different layers to create depth, add dimensional details, and personalize the final piece.
Using a photograph provided by the family, I create an individual illustrated figure so the person becomes part of the chosen scene.
Choose Your Scene
1 — Birdsong at the Window
2 — A Garden in Bloom
3 — Sunshine on the Water
4 — A Walk in the Garden
What Is Iincluded In The Complimentary Project
Treasured Moments is funded through donations and offers one of four pre-designed scenes at no cost to participating Cowichan Hospice families.
You choose one of the four scenes and send a photograph of the person you would like represented. Using that photograph, I create a personalized illustrated figure and incorporate them into the selected scene.
The background, setting and main elements of each of the four scenes remain the same. The personalization offered through this project is the creation of the illustrated figure from the photograph provided.
Looking For Something Created Especially For You?
If you would like a completely custom scene — for example, a specific place, activity, pet, setting or additional elements that are not part of the four Treasured Moments scenes — I would be happy to discuss a custom commission with you.
Custom projects created from a new idea are not part of the complimentary donation-funded hospice program and are priced separately.
Please contact me to discuss your custom project.
Made By Hand With Care
Each Treasured Moment is created by hand, step by step.
From preparing and printing the illustrations to painting, cutting, layering and final assembly, every piece is carefully made to become something personal and meaningful.
Each piece is printed, painted, cut, layered, assembled and finished by hand.
Request Your Treasured Moment
Choose your scene, upload your photograph and share the information I need to personalize your piece.
Help Treasured Moments Reach More Families
Treasured Moments is made possible through the support of the community.
Contributions help cover the materials, printing, shadow boxes and the work required to create each piece and offer it at no cost to participating Cowichan Hospice families.
If you would like to support this project and help make more Treasured Moments possible, you can contribute securely through GoFundMe.