Jeff De Boer, a Calgary-based artist, has dedicated decades to mastering the ancient art of armor-making with a unique twist - he creates intricate suits of armor designed for mice. What began as an unconventional art school project has evolved into a recognized fine art practice that has earned him international acclaim and gallery representation.
De Boer's fascination with armor began during his childhood when he first encountered a medieval suit at a Calgary museum. "Armor is like one of the first evolutionary defenses against a hostile world," De Boer explained. "If you have an exoskeleton, you can survive the bite of some other monster." Growing up with a father who worked as a sheet metal fabricator, De Boer spent his childhood playing in the shop and had even constructed a few full-sized suits of armor, though they were time-consuming projects.
The breakthrough came during his art school years while studying jewelry making. Working with tiny precision tools, De Boer had a sudden inspiration: "Oh, my God, I could build a suit of armor for a mouse." When he presented his first mouse armor piece to his instructors, their reaction was telling. "I just remember handing that mouse in, and the teachers were silent. And they said, Jeff, I don't think you have to worry about making jewelry anymore," he recalled.
While De Boer still creates occasional jewelry pieces and sculptures, he has established himself primarily as a mouse armorer in the fine art world. His work extends to cat armor as well, and his pieces are now featured in galleries and sought after by collectors worldwide. Despite his success, he regularly encounters skepticism on social media, with people questioning the purpose of his work. "You get those messages on social media. It's just like the big why. Why? Well, you know, why make anything?" he responds.
The armor pieces themselves are masterworks of miniature craftsmanship that De Boer emphasizes are not intended for actual mice to wear. Each suit features hinged visors designed to protect a whiskered face, intricately detailed rivets and fittings, and jointed plates that cover even the tail. His designs draw inspiration from diverse cultural traditions, incorporating elements from Viking armor, Indian imperial styles, and samurai helmets. "The nice thing with mouse scale is that you get to do a whole lot of neat things. You get to explore all of the different cultures, all the different forums," De Boer noted.
Recently, De Boer shared his expertise by teaching a mouse armor master class in Seattle, attracting students with varied backgrounds and interests. The hands-on workshop involved multiple stages of metalworking, beginning with using sanding belts to smooth wooden shapes that serve as molds for the armor. Students then designed their own armor patterns and punched each piece from copper sheets before gently hammering, soldering, and smoothing them into finished forms.
The students who attended brought diverse motivations to the workshop. Thiago Vidotto, a video game designer, sought to learn real-world construction techniques to enhance the believability of his virtual creations. "To make something real when it's digital, it needs to have imperfections, 'cause nothing's perfect. So you have to learn where you can add the distress, where it could be a problem," Vidotto explained. Meanwhile, Laurie Raubacher, a new artist, enrolled both to improve her metalwork skills and because of the project's inherent charm. "I really appreciate the whimsical nature. Like, it's just there to be enjoyed," she said.
For De Boer, the work carries deeper meaning beyond its whimsical exterior. As a small-scale artist who has often felt like "the little guy" in the art world, he identifies strongly with the mouse. He believes many people can relate to this feeling as they navigate life's challenges. "The idea that the mouse could find an edge, that it could put on a suit of armor and go out there and maybe make a difference, I think that is what we're all dreaming about," he reflected. Whether inspiring people to face their personal dragons or simply creating a gorgeous helmet that fits on a thumb, De Boer's miniature armor represents both artistic excellence and the power of imagination to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
