By Roxanne Brown
Sherry Allen Creates Tiny Worlds of Wonder with Second Hand Finds
Sherry E. C. Allen doesn’t simply make fairy gardens. She creates miniature worlds where gnomes have histories, fairies inspire stories and grown-ups are invited to feel like children again.
About two years ago, troubled by the steady stream of bad news, Sherry began filling tabletop gardens with tiny houses, fanciful characters and unexpected treasures.
“I wanted to do something to bring love and happiness to myself and to others,” she says.
The idea dates back to when Sherry’s daughter was 8 and started a fairy club at school. The two searched their yard for fairies and collected miniature pieces together. Years later, when her daughter left for college, Sherry returned to those magical memories.
“I thought, ‘If I make fairies, it will still bond me to her and make me think of her,’” she says.
One garden led to another, and encouragement from others prompted Sherry to begin selling her work at pop-up shows throughout Lake, Sumter and Marion counties. She also accepts commissions, turning customers’ ideas and personal stories into one-of-a-kind scenes.
The materials are just as unique. Sherry searches antique shops, thrift stores and flea markets throughout Florida for unusual finds she cleans and polishes before building a story around them, including gnomes dating back to the 1930s she once used.
Plus, each display is designed to spark the imagination.
“Do you know what a joy it is to have a little kid come into my booth, point at a little fairy garden and start telling a story?” she asks, explaining that each story can be different.
Still, some pieces carry deeply personal meaning, like a floral bicycle garden called “Mommy and Me,” that Sherry created for an apartment her mother was expected to occupy. Her mother died during the planning process, so Sherry dedicated the piece and next show to her.
A legal and medical translator and interpreter for more than 30 years, Sherry considers her artistic talent a blessing to herself and others.
“When I do these things, it brings me peace,” she says. “I believe this is a gift that was sent to me by God, so that I can bring innocence and happiness to others.”
Photos: Nicole Hamel
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Originally from Nogales, Arizona, Roxanne worked in the customer service industry while practicing freelance writing for years. She came on board with Akers Media in July 2020 as a full-time staff writer for Lake & Sumter Style Magazine and was promoted to Managing Editor in October 2023—her dream job come true. Prior to that and after just having moved to Florida in 1999, Roxanne had re-directed her prior career path to focus more on journalism and went on to become a reporter for The Daily Commercial/South Lake Press newspapers for 16 years. Additionally, Roxanne—now an award-winning journalist recognized by the Florida Press Club and the Florida chapter of The Society of Professional Journalism—continues working toward her secondary goal of becoming a published author of children’s books.
