(Bonnie L. Cross - Fallingwater Reimagined)
A New Look at a Famous Classic
by Pam North
Bonnie L. Cross, is a talented hobbyist residing in the country near a very small town in northwest Pennsylvania. She makes a wide assortment of miniatures, mostly in 1:12 scale, and she prefers focusing on constructing unique and unusual buildings.
Her interest in all things small began when she herself was small, in early elementary school, where she enjoyed duplicating her art projects in miniature. It was a passion that grew and remained a part of her, bringing delight into her adult life as well.
Now retired and widowed not long ago, she has come to a place in her life where can devote more time to her hobby, saying, “I have plenty of mini time!” Family also is important to her. Her husband, Vince, had been a major source of support and encouragement for her, and he is greatly missed. “He was my biggest champion,” she said, “along with my son, Mike. Mike is my photographer. My sister, Sharon, and my three grandsons also are great fans of my hobby, and they are very proud of me.”
Self-taught, with no formal training in crafting miniatures, she nevertheless has managed to assimilate necessary relevant skills and knowledge of the use of helpful tools, such as her Craftsman bolt-on power tool set that she swears she can’t live without, her Mighty Mite table saw, and her X-ACTO® knives. She is fortunate to have a basement workroom  that her husband had built for her that is well-equipped with a desk, two workbenches, a table, and one wall with installed shelving for bins of assorted supplies. That comfortable space contributes to her being able to create impressive work.
One such project of Bonnie’s is her beautifully executed Fallingwater Reimagined. It is her interpretation of the famous home, Fallingwater, designed in 1935 by renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959). Located in the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania (also known as the Laurel Highlands) in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, about 70 miles east of Pittsburgh, the house was designed as a private residence and weekend home for the family of Edgar J. Kaufmann, Sr., a Pittsburgh department store owner. Fallingwater is one of Wright’s most widely acclaimed works, and best exemplifies his philosophy of organic architecture - the harmonious union of art and nature. Wright designed the home to rise above the waterfall over which it is built. Completed with a guest house and service wing in 1939, Fallingwater was constructed of native sandstone and other materials quarried from the property, and built by local craftsman from Fayette County. Today, Fallingwater is open to the public as a museum and surrounded by 5,100 acres of natural land known as the Bear Run Nature Reserve.
It was a visit to that landmark structure that sparked Bonnie’s interest, inspiring her to try to build her own interpretation of the iconic home. Fallingwater Reimagined became her entry in Hobby Builders Supply’s 26th annual Creatin’ Contest in 2019, winning her an Honorable Mention. Nicely captured is the contemporary yet organic feel of the original home, with its stone floors and walls, rich wood accents, and bonded-with-nature atmosphere, all put together in Bonnie’s own unique perspective, which perfectly captures its light, airy essence.
Bonnie started with the contest’s basic kit, Serendipity Shed #72019, a required component of each entry. It was a compact, enclosed structure in raw form to which she added the necessary materials for completion, mostly wood and stones made of plaster. The slate flooring was accomplished by tearing paper egg cartons into various-sized pieces, which then were glued to the floor, dried, and painted in various muted tones of acrylic paint. Grouting of thick gray paint was applied. After it was dry, two coats of Mod Podge were applied. It was all her own work. About half of the furnishings were bought and used as is, or reconfigured to suit her needs.
“I made this piece because of my fascination with the full-size Fallingwater,” was her explanation for her endeavor. “As always with my projects, it morphed over time, but it did come out as I had envisioned it, with just a few small adjustments here and there. The biggest difficulty involved was making the piece realistic. My favorite parts about it were the creek, rock walls, and waterfalls below the house, as they were the most fun to create, and I love how it turned out.” She plans on keeping the piece, but said if she ever were to sell it, she would have to ask at least $2500.
The enjoyment that miniatures has brought into Bonnie’s life is something that she wishes others to similarly experience in the future. “I wish more young people would become involved; we need to ensure the future of our hobby. It would be a tragedy for this to become a lost art. What I love most about miniatures is the whole process of making them from start to finish. I enjoy creating and collecting them. In fact, I live and breathe them, as ridiculous as that sounds to most people, but what else can I say? I find inspiration in everything around me. That challenge of undertaking the task of replicating a full-size piece into a believable miniature is what I embrace. I also hope people enjoy viewing my work as much as I do building it!”
Next on the agenda for Bonnie is an abandoned stone cabin, built using red/orange stones from Oklahoma, and, of course, those future Creatin’ Contests beckon each year.
Contact Information:
Name: Bonnie L Cross
Email: bonmini02@verizon.net
Address: 8700 Hanlin Cross Rd. - Union City, PA 16438
Phone: (814) 392-6208