A fairy tale for lockdown – The Pig Style

Charlotte tells the story of her journey into Alison’s magical world.

Once upon a time, when the world was grey & we weren’t allowed to leave our house or see our families, I was sitting in front of my computer, wondering if there would be a happily ever after, when my inbox pinged & a message appeared from my fairy godmother.

Alison Horne, someone whose career had been devoted to caring for others had finally had some time during lockdown to spend on her true passion of painting. This had lead her to the world of miniatures & she was instantly hooked. She began to create miniature castles & houses for fairy tale characters, all hand painted by her.

I was intrigued & wanted to see more, so as soon as we were allowed to meet, I travelled up the M11 to Essex to see Alison in her own environment. It was a damp, spring day & leaving the comfort of our own house was quite a major adventure at that time, so travelling from inner-city Hackney to the Essex countryside was heaven.

Arriving at “The Pig Style” I was charmed by the surroundings. A gorgeous old farmhouse with all kinds of animals (dogs, rabbits, lamas etc) running around. Alison was so excited to show me her studio & the work she had been doing over the last few months. I fell in love with her enthusiasm & her love of all things tiny straight away. She had not only started to paint towers & cottages, but also furniture & had a head full of ideas for where she wanted to go.

Alison signed up for our first live show in September 2021 & began working on her new business. Not only did she enjoy creating miniatures of her own, but she found others who could make for her. She also began buying up antique dolls houses, dolls & miniatures, some of which she sells on & others that are going into her own collection. “I’m planning a museum” she told me.

Alongside all of this, Alison is also restoring once loved dolls houses & donating them to care homes & children’s homes to give joy to others. “It can really make a difference” she said and she would know after many years of caring for others.

Alison has now attended 2 of our live events & this will be her first time taking part in our online showcase. This story has not ended yet, so we will see where Alison leads us next.

See more about The Pig Style HERE