First Galactic Fossil Found a Home on Canada's West Coast

I’m Peter Hauerland, the sculptor behind Galactic Fossils. Recently, something happened that really made my day — a tiny galactic fossil sculpture found its way all the way to Canada. It got me thinking about the small, unexpected connections art can create. In this post, I’m sharing some behind-the-scenes moments: the ups and downs of putting my work out there, how platforms like Reddit helped me meet real art lovers, and how a little piece of imagination can travel farther than I ever expected.

A Sale Across the Ocean: How It Happened

I sold a sculpture to Canada! How amazing is that?
Out of respect for the customer's privacy, I won’t mention their name — but I can tell you it was Canada’s beautiful west coast.

The customer discovered my work, specifically a Tiny Galactic Fossil, through a post on Reddit. How cool is that! I only started posting on Reddit towards the end of last year, and honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect. For artists trying to get their work seen today, Reddit still feels like a rare corner of the internet that’s genuinely social — unlike so many platforms flooded with fake content and algorithmic nonsense.

Of course, Reddit has its own quirks. Anyone who ever got banned from a random subreddit for no clear reason knows what I mean. But despite the occasional odd experience, it was Reddit that connected my tiny sculpture to someone on the other side of the continent.

They saw the sculpture, clicked through to my online shop vonhauerland.com, and decided to bring a piece of space-inspired wonder into their world. Every time this happens, it feels like a little miracle.

Building My Own Little Art Corner Online

Selling one sculpture might sound like a small thing. But if you're an independent artist trying to sell your sculptures without relying on Etsy, Amazon, or other big platforms, you know: it’s huge.

The journey — and yes, I’m careful when using that word — from registering a domain name to building a real ecommerce shop where people can buy art directly is long. And that's just the infrastructure part. After that, you still have to find a way to let people know it exists.

The golden age of the internet, when random traffic would magically arrive at your website, is long gone. Now, it’s about crafting your own way, step by step:

• Finding real communities where your art resonates (like the galactic_fossils subreddit).

• Sharing your work authentically without being buried by mass-produced imports.

• Staying consistent even when it feels like no one is watching.

Honestly, patience is everything. Especially after the chaos the world has seen since late 2024, people have a lot on their minds. Art buying is not always at the top of their priority list right now.

But moments like this Canadian sale remind me: staying true to your vision matters.

Galactic Fossils: A Story of Human Curiosity

My Galactic Fossils series isn't just about aesthetic sculptures. It's about the deepest, oldest question humanity has ever asked: Are we alone?

Similarly, setting up a small independent art shop feels like another kind of exploration — asking if an artist can still thrive outside the orbit of huge ecommerce monopolies.

• The big platforms have become increasingly unfair toward small creators.

• Their policies often feel like they prioritize mass imports over authentic handmade work.

• Having my own website means steering clear of that flood, even if it’s slower.

Building everything myself meant discovering how marketing works, how online sales really happen, and learning to stay visible in a world flooded with everything. It’s working — slowly, yes, but it’s working. And every artist who dreams of creating should know: consistency is key.

The Tiny Sculpture’s Journey

After the order came in, I immediately started preparing the Tiny Galactic Fossil for its long trip across the ocean. I always have packaging ready for these small sculptures:

• A deep black, thick-walled box

• A custom-cut foam bed to keep the sculpture snug during transit

• Careful, slow wrapping to make sure it arrives safe and pristine

Silly enough, I took some pictures of the preparation process but forgot to take a final photo of the fully packed sculpture embedded in the foam. This really bugged me on my way back from the post office. So I wrote to the customer and kindly asked if they could take a few unboxing pictures.

And they did! Not just photos — but a beautiful message too.

The Customer's Words

Here’s what they posted in the galactic_fossils subreddit along with their unboxing photos:

"A little slice of imagination. I was incredibly fortunate to come across these incredible pieces of art just when my world needed to see something fantastical. My mind is filled with wonder thinking of all the fossils and artifacts that might live out there in the great beyond."

"I saw this one on the website and knew I needed to give it to my close friend who was going through a rough season. The light, joy, and curiosity as they unwrapped a fossil from another land was pure magic. They’ve started creating ways to mount it that will honor its origin — perhaps some slate or sand?"

"If you are considering a gift for yourself or anyone else, choose this. You will not regret it. The packaging was pristine, the shipping super speedy, and the feeling perfect. Thank you so kindly for sharing your world with us!"

Four wonderful photos showed the envelope with my Galactic Fossils Von Hauerland stamp, the black box lying neatly over it, the sticker, the foam opening, and finally, the fossil itself — a small, tangible piece of imagination on its way to a new home.

Here’s the link to this post and the original comment: https://www.reddit.com/r/Galactic_Fossils/comments/1jvzcyb/a_little_slice_of_imagination/

Why This Sale Means So Much

This wasn’t just about shipping a small sculpture. It was a sign. A reminder that real people still seek out real, handmade art — and they can find it if you dare to step outside the beaten path.

It felt even more special given the political tensions that have been swirling between the US and Canada recently. While governments argue, regular people keep making meaningful connections — sometimes over something as simple and as beautiful as a tiny piece of imagined space history.

Final Thoughts: Thank You, Canada

I want to say a huge thank you to Canada’s west coast for this special connection. I hope the Tiny Galactic Fossil brings curiosity, wonder, and quiet companionship to your desk or shelf for a long time.

It embodies humanity’s endless quest to understand the universe — and for me, it quietly answered a different question:

Yes, an artist still has a chance outside the corporations.
Yes, it’s worth it to build your own way, even when it’s hard.

Thank you, Canada.

Peter Hauerland

You can find my space- and paleontology- inspired sculptural art objects and sculptures throughout my website in the following sections. These are hyperlinks and you can click them to get forwarded to my website:

Galactic Fossils

Interactive Cosmos Sculptures

Art Decor Inspired by Space Objects made of sheet steel

Tiny Space Creatures