Birthday Memory Box – Commission Case Study

This large, matte black-framed Memory Box was commissioned as a 40th birthday present. It housed a collection of keepsakes and mementoes sent in by 25 friends and family members to celebrate shared memories, special events, and life milestones.

Andreas contacted me after seeing my assemblage art in a local café and wanted to commission a large Memory Box to mark his wife’s 40th birthday later in the year.

The initial consultation for this project was somewhat unusual. Typically, during our first meeting, we review the collection of items the client wishes to include. However, in this case, there were no items—just an idea. Andreas had the wonderful concept of reaching out to friends and family around the world, asking each person to send an item that represented a shared memory or experience, along with a few personal mementoes from himself and their children.

Although unconventional, it was such a lovely idea that I was thrilled to be part of this special project. Instead of reviewing existing objects, we discussed the parameters that needed to be shared with contributors – after all, we didn’t want someone to send a treasured item from abroad only for it to be too large to include! We established ideal size and height restrictions, considered materials that might be difficult to work with, and, most importantly, set a clear timeline. With a hard deadline just days before Harriet’s birthday, we worked backwards to determine when all items needed to arrive, allowing enough time for the creative process, assembly, and framing.

As we had around 25 contributors, Andreas and I used a shared Google Sheet to track incoming items and their senders. It was a little nerve-wracking waiting for them to arrive, not knowing what people would send, but as the parcels began to turn up, it felt like I was being taken on a journey through Harriet’s life.

There were some items we couldn’t include – for instance, a set of small Penguin Classics books. Though compact (just smaller than a postcard), they were too visually dominant for the composition. Instead, we sourced miniature, dollhouse-sized versions of the same books. Similarly, Andreas wanted to incorporate a copy of their wedding ‘Save the Date’ card, but its size didn’t align with the other objects. To resolve this, I created a scaled-down version of the card and even replicated a miniature version of the dark blue-striped envelope they had originally used.

Once all the items had arrived, I spent several days experimenting with different compositions, providing Andreas with both landscape and portrait layout options. Since he lived nearby, he was able to visit the studio to see the final arrangement in person and give it his seal of approval. I then encouraged him to ‘live with’ the design for a few days to ensure he was completely happy before I began fixing the items in place.

Alongside the framed artwork, we decided to include a handmade RA Summer Exhibition-style booklet, inspired by the first Summer Exhibition they had attended together – a beautiful, personal touch. The booklet featured a line drawing of the final arrangement, with each item numbered and linked to a page detailing who had contributed it and a message for Harriet. This added a heartfelt element to the piece, and I must admit I had tears in my eyes while putting it together.

It was an absolute privilege to work with Andreas and his loved ones on such a meaningful project. The final piece – a striking, rectangular composition of treasured objects – tells the story of the places Harriet, her friends, and her family have been and the life experiences they’ve shared. Now hanging proudly in their East London home, I know it will be cherished for years to come.

“I went into this project with a bit of an idea of what I wanted for harriers 40th.  I knew I wanted artefacts/keepsakes from her loved ones and our family that represented different stages of of Harriet’s life, our shared milestones and her deeper connections. Through working closely with Pippa we refined this idea into something really special. 

Pippa immediately was bought into the idea which was so reassuring. She immediately made clear what the limitations were (ie size, colour and materials or items) timings and why. This helped me support contributors to the piece to pick the right item. 

It was great debating what options we had and how we could make that project that extra bit special. Whenever we came up against a stumbling block she always had a creative solution. I was so happy (and more importantly, Harriet was so happy) with the end result. Working with Pippa was such a pleasure, I’d highly recommend her for any project"

Andreas Bickford

– –

A bespoke Memory Box is a beautiful way to honour a loved one’s memory or celebrate life’s milestones – whether it’s a wedding, civil partnership, the birth of a child, a milestone birthday, or retirement.

Do you have a box of sentimental keepsakes tucked away? Why not bring them to life? Let’s work together to create a unique piece of art that keeps your memories alive and brings a smile to your face every day. Read more about commissioning a Memory Box here.