Heather Kocsis’ Intriguing 3-D Dioramas Let You Peer into Tiny Scenes of New York City

If the measure of a truly successful piece of art is its ability to draw the viewer in, <a href="http://www.heatherkocsis.com/">Heather Kocsis</a>' entrancing vignettes of New York City life certainly fit the bill. Handcrafted from reclaimed pieces of wood that have been broken down and painted to resemble miniature fire escapes, brick walls and windows, each <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/heather-kocsis-intriguing-3-d-dioramas-let-you-peer-into-tiny-scenes-of-new-york-city/heather-kocsis/">diorama offers a new little world to be explored</a>. We recently had the chance to snap some photos of these truly delightful 3-D assemblages - click through <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/heather-kocsis-intriguing-3-d-dioramas-let-you-peer-into-tiny-scenes-of-new-york-city/heather-kocsis/">our gallery</a> to take a tour of NYC as seen through Kocsis' eyes.

The scenes feature an incredible amount of detail from the tiny fire escapes to even air conditioning units.

Here's a piece that Yankees fans will like: Yankee Stadium, oil on wood, 24” x 42” x 6”, 2008.

Most of the wood Kocsis uses to create her pieces is salvaged or given to her by others. Any wood that is dry and in good shape is utilized. She admits that she uses new materials for her bases since the integrity of the works hinge on having proper bases.

Though inspired by actual architecture seen by <a href="http://www.heatherkocsis.com/">Kocsis</a> during trips to New York City, her artworks are not mere replicas of street scenes or buildings.

By distorting proportions and skewing perspectives, she is able to achieve a sense of movement and dynamism that lends itself particularly well to a subject like the Big Apple.

[gallery_extend]....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/heather-kocsis-intriguing-3-d-dioramas-let-you-peer-into-tiny-scenes-of-new-york-city/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

The 3-D quality of the pieces also allows viewers to experience multiple works of art in one by simply moving around it and changing their own vantage point.

This piece, called Third Apartment, is meant to sit in a corner, and depicts a spiral staircase.

The Places Where We Live, oil on wood, 21” x 48 ½” x 6”, 2010.

More incredible attention to detail - that air conditioner is distinctly NYC.

Kocsis has even incorporated wooden "greenery" into her work with a window planter box.

"The experience of viewing my work brought people back to a particular time and place," writes Kocsis <a href="http://www.heatherkocsis.com/">on her website</a>. "Even if they were not familiar with the exact building it reversed them to similar buildings they would pass by everyday, on their way to perform the ordinary and simple routine of life. The buildings or architectural elements I choose to depict are not always grand buildings, however they are the buildings where the products of our culture have been produced, where the everyday occurrence of taking a dream and creating a product to exist in our reality occurs."

If you are in New York, a selection of Kocsis' works can be seen at the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/event/new-event-submission-architectural-digest-home-design-show/">Architectural Digest Design Show</a> at Booth M192 from March 22-March 24.