About Us

 

There seems to be several stories or legends, if you will, of just where did he come from.    Some seem to have more credibility than others.  Some seem even a little far fetched.    So let us look a little deeper into the mystery. 

His name obviously comes from the earliest use of the word Mannequin  -  Old  French, little man, figurine and early  Dutch  - Mannekijn a little man. When you hear the different stories the main theme is he seems to have come to life.    Miraculously somehow he was given the power to think.  And once you have the power to think?    Well, anything is possible. 

 The idea of Mannequins brought to life has been around for a long time.    Do a Google search of them coming to life and you will find millions of hits.  In the 1930s, doll maker Lester Gaba created a lifelike mannequin named Cynthia and proceeded to take her along to his various events.  The pair became celebrities,  with Cynthia proving to be quite the endorsement  —  Tiffany’s, for example, sent her jewelry,  while  LIFE  Magazine ran a feature on the couple.  Recently in 1987 was the release of the movie '”Mannequin,”  starring  Kim Cattrall as a mannequin who comes to life.  And one of mythology ’s greatest love stories is the story of Pygmalion and Galatea.    In ancient Greece, the sculptor named Pygmalion carved a statue of a beautiful lady,  so exquisitely carved that she seemed almost alive. 

  Now love is the most powerful of all emotions.    Combined with any thought and it becomes a powerful force.   

 Another powerful force is the power of visualization along with the belief that something is actually real.  So a thought and a total belief that it is or will happen - will happen. 

Modern Quantum physics is pointing us to this same conclusion.    That  Thoughts become things.    So,  Pygmalion, as we all know,  loved Galatea so much and believed so much that she was real that she became real.  She came to life.   So this is what we believe happened.   

  Miniman was probably on display in some shop somewhere and with the power now to think and he kept thinking of all the possibilities if he was just able to move.  But, it wasn’t enough.  There had to be something more.   One day he just so happened to be in a Kiteboarding shop.    Watching all the happy people coming and going; purchasing gear; leaving with smiles on their faces.    Then one day the shop owner set up a video monitor and started playing videos of Kiting all over the world.    Miniman was awestruck.    What was it?    He fell in love with it.  Dreamed about it all night long when the shop was shut down and the lights turned off.    It was all he thought about.    He truly believed he could do it.    He totally visualized himself doing the same thing they were doing in the video.    Over and Over this happened.  Every day and night.    It never left his mind.    So, apparently, the desire became so great that one night he completely fell off his stand onto the floor and suddenly . . . he could move.    He was alive.    He escaped the shop and has been spotted even in places halfway around the world Kiteboarding.   There have even been recent rumors of him spotted skateboarding.    Would n’t be surprised to see him spotted in different parts of the world doing all kinds of things.  

 What is your current status in life?    Ever think of doing something spectacular?    Always remember.    Just like Miniman.    It all starts with a Thought.    If you can truly visualize it and have a passion for it and really believe it, It will happen. Always remember that . . .

"Thoughts  become  Things."

 Who is Galatea?

For the past couple of years, Miniman has been traveling the world.

On his travels, many have commented that there should be a girl in Miniman's world.  

 And once a thought gets into anyone's head, and then possibly reinforced over and over again . . . well!? 

 Thoughts become Things.

So, Galatea enters Miniman's world.   

Her name comes from the ancient Greek meaning “she who is milk-white”.  

In Greek mythology, the name "Galatea"  was the statue that was carved in ivory by Pygmalion. The goddess Aphrodite was so impressed with her likeness and beauty that she answered Pygmalion’s prayers and brought her to life.

 So, here we have Galatea.  Turns out she has a special gift.  Ever hear of the Galatea effect?  The Galatea effect is a phenomenon where people's own opinions about their ability and self-worth influence their performance. The Galatea effect is self-driven.  It is that part of one's motivation that depends on self-expectations and self-worth. 

 If a girl thinks she can perform well, chances are that she will do well. If in that situation, she receives positive encouragement from her friends, family, or co-workers, it will not only boost her confidence but will also do wonders for her performance. 

This Galatea has the ability to impart this gift onto anyone she comes into contact with.  The gift of encouragement is often the difference between success and failure -- hope and hopelessness.

Encouragement is giving hope or promise; to inspire with courage, spirit, and hope.

The amazing thing about encouragement is that the smallest of positive words or deeds can have a huge impact

 The beauty of encouragement is that whatever energy or effort we give, it will be given back tenfold! 

 We all have good intentions, but by putting some of our thoughts into action, we can offer hope, promise, and inspiration to someone today . . . including ourselves.

 So, give the gift of encouragement to yourself or someone else who needs it.  Purchase a Galatea 3D print or t-shirt for yourself or for someone you feel like encouraging today. 

 

Her favorite quote?

 “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — your right” 

     Henry Ford

She is often heard saying things like:

“Go out There”, “You’ve Got This” and “Make it Happen. 

 

How a Thought Becomes a Thing

 

     I have often been asked how I got involved in Miniman.  It really did start out as a thought.  One day I asked, Why isn’t there any real art in my sport?  Wouldn’t it be so cool to have a sculpture of Kiteboarding on my desk or coffee table?  Something that was subtle yet showed the detail of the sport.  An art piece that somehow would just capture your attention and say hey, that is cool.  Something that would capture someones attention enough to ask the question, What is that?  A conversation piece. 

     The thought came and went.  Didn’t give much more attention to it.  Yet, the very next day I’m in a customer's home and right there on the kitchen table is exactly the artwork I was thinking about the previous day.  I immediately took a picture.  I had a long conversation with the owner about it and found out she even played the flute. 

 

    Now, it doesn’t seem like much.  Very subtle.  Not much to it. Yet, if you played the flute? That would be very cool to you.  It was exactly what I had in mind the previous day.  These kinds of things happen to me all the time.  I may start a blog on all the little events that seem to stand out in my life.  This was one of them.  It struck me so much that I immediately started asking and researching just how to make something just like it.  Over the years I have worked with many artists, designers, and modelers. I've learned so much about art, modeling, 3D programs, 3D printing, website development, online stores. 

     So, Miniman is the result.  A vision that has developed from an idea.  Miniman came from a thought and has gone through many changes and developed through the help and inspiration from many people.  A piece of art that was subtle yet showed off the sport in a very detailed way.  

     I never intended to go this far with a Facebook page, website and online store selling t-shirts and such.  Yet, so many have encouraged me to take it further. So, here we are.  A thought became a thing.  

     Thank you to everyone for the help and inspiration.  God bless you all.