All the Little Things: Miami Miniaturist François Piacente

Though always an artist at heart, François Piacente of Coral Gables spent years hopscotching through mediums—experimenting with everything from writing fiction around custom toys he invented to beat-making—before melding his childhood fascination with miniatures to his eclectic adult artistic skillset around eight years ago.

“Basically, I’m a storyteller who happens to use miniatures to express myself,” Piacente says. “I was finally able to merge my three passions: storytelling, crafting, and problem-solving. Paired with my adult life experience, interests, and work ethic, I was able to grow my art career and hone my craft.”  

Piacente recently took a break from a busy schedule of commission work for collectors, brands, and television to speak with AQUA Miami about the value of seeing things at a smaller scale.

Do you remember the first time you realized something in a television show or movie was a miniature? 

Yes, I noticed early on that a lot of movies set in New York City like Ghostbusters or Escape from New York were using miniatures. They had this very fun, authentic touch. Ironically, they were made to trick the eye and give the illusion of the real thing, but to me, that slight off feeling gave them so much character. 

Do you find yourself noticing small details in your everyday life out and about in the world while doing this kind of work?

That is exactly what’s going on in my head all the time! My phone is full of reference pictures of random items. For me, it’s more about a theme or a mood, which is always realism with a touch of patina. I find beauty in things that have had some life in them. It can be a rusted AC unit, a patch of grass in the middle of concrete…I always ask myself: Why is this here? How did it get there? What’s the story behind it? All those tiny details, often overlooked by most, help me add so much realism to my pieces.

What is your process like? 

When I recreate something, it’s all about references and documentation. If I can physically go to a spot, I do. I take all my measurements then scale everything down to the desired ratio. When a building is far away or no longer exists, I rely on photographs or paused video frames to catch the best angles. And that aspect is actually my favorite part: the problem-solving. It’s all about logic, perspective, and geometry, with a good dose of intuition and decision-making. From there, I lock myself in my art studio, zero distractions, and go into a deep flow state. I come up with ideas and methods to figure out measurements, choose materials, and keep the whole piece accurately scaled. Sometimes, I look at my finished pieces and wonder how I did it. It’s an extremely rewarding feeling that helps keep the motivation high for the next project.

Do you find people hungry for this sort of physical craftsmanship in an age of AI anxiety?

I’m glad you used the word hungry, because I’ve always said that at some point, people are going to crave something tangible, something real, made with a human touch. We’re already at that point, actually. You just can’t fake energy. To me, art is a transfer of energy, which is why you can feel emotion when you see certain pieces. I’m definitely not against AI, but it’s all about how it’s used and with what intentions. Art is human. End of story.

Have you learned anything about life from miniature work?

Absolutely. First, it taught me to slow down, observe, and appreciate those random moments in everyday life. It also taught me to trust my gut more often, using my intuition for decision-making and quickly knowing if something feels right or not, not just in my art but also in my life, with people or places. Actually, my intuition told me to move to Miami to take my art career to the next level. So far, it’s working really well!

Find Piacente on Instagram at @scaleton_

Photographs courtesy of François Piacente