Hardin County News
August 4, 2002

Getting It Down To Size

( picture )

Kathy Mailloux show the wooden replica she made of her home in Silsbee, 
which is an historical landmark.

Graphic artist is a model citizen

Silsbee woman makes detailed replicas out of paper, balsa wood

By Tara Smith-Deckert
Reporter

SILSBEE- 
Kathy Mailloux can build a masterpiece with just one sheet of paper.  
Her works of art include 3-dimensional replicas of houses and museums, 
each complete with interior detailing.

"I was so excited about buying this house which is an historical landmark 
for Silsbee, that I decided to make a  paper model of it," Mailloux explained.  
"It was just a flimsy thing."

But no matter how flimsy the paper model might have been, it impressed 
her friend Nelda Overstreet, curator of  the Kirby-Hill House Museum in Kountze.

"She made the model of the Kirby-Hill House for us six years ago," Overstreet said.  
"I asked her to do it after I  saw a model she made of her own house out of just one 
sheet of paper.  She is a graphic artists and obviously very talented.  
So I knew she could do it.

Mailloux, a New Orleans native, moved to Silsbee in 1994, where she discovered 
her talent.

"This (making models) was all kind of new to me, but I was up to the challenge," 
Mailloux said.

She has since made a more detailed model of her home out of balsa wood.

"I prefer working with balsa wood," she said. "It does very nicely, and I can sculpt 
it and shape it at will.   If something doesn't fit I can scrape it and cut it down to size 
and sand it.   I coat everything with glue so it is fairly durable, and the balsa wood is 
very light but strong.   I really would like to remake the Kirby-House with balsa wood."

In addition to making replicas of the Kirby-Hill House and her own home, Mailloux 
has also finished a wooden  model of the Hardin County Courthouse.

"To watch her do this is really something," Mailloux's husband, Sidney said.  
"With the Hardin County Courthouse all she had to work with was some photographs 
and the perimeter - not the walls-just the outline.  She constructed it from that bit of 
information."

Last year, Mailloux traveled to New Zealand in order to make a replica of her 
sister's home.   "She bought a church and wanted to see how it would look once 
she was finished, so I took their ideas and  reconstructed what it is they wanted done 
in the church," she said.

Mailloux explained that she relies on her talents as a graphic artist to create such 
detailed models.

Although the models she constructs are not exactly to scale, they are close.

"I'm not a draftsman, but I just find something that is a standard throughout the house, 
like a door, or a window.    Most of these old places will not have blueprints.  
I just kind of go through it and measure everything.  
This is my hobby, and once I get started at something, I don't want to put it down."

Mailloux's creations are on display at the Kirby-Hill House Museum and at the 
Hardin County Courthouse.  

Replicas are also on display online at http://www .agalleryofartists.com -  
Mailloux's work is displayed under the name Kathy FerDon. 

(END)

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