|
Only its popularity is large
Art that is no larger than a sixth of the object it represents draws more fans and practitioners each year. The 26th international show this month should be a big surprise in many ways.
By BRANDY STARK
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 11, 2001
Country Kitchen, 21/4 by 31/8 inches, by Elizabeth Corbeil.
|
BELLEAIR -- Proving that the quality of art does not depend on size, the 26th Annual International Miniature Art Show returns to the Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa. Artists from 15 countries and 40 states are represented in the 900-piece display.
The show has an impressive list of participating artists.
William Mundy's Murray Livingstone Smith won first place in transparent watercolor. Mundy, a world-traveling artist, is known for his portraits of royalty. Violet Temple, a Canadian artist, is this year's Best of Show winner with her fired porcelain work Reflection. Temple's piece measures a mere 2 by 2 inches. Other winning artists include Jane Mihalik, for Apples and Grapes, and Kim Barnes, for Sea Grapes.
To qualify for the show, the art must conform to the "one-sixth guide" for creating works that are no larger than one-sixth of the subject's natural size. Works cannot exceed the overall dimensions of 5 by 5 inches and must evidence great attention to detail, even when magnified. Photography and photographic techniques are not allowed in this show. While the artistic methods to create miniature art vary from artist to artist, the most common elements in producing miniatures are patience and fineness.
Reflection, 21/4 inches, by Violet Temple.
|
"It's no exaggeration to say that you won't see anything else like this in Florida. There are miniature shows and galleries, but nothing on the scale to which this has grown," said Charles Curtis, vice president of public relations for the Miniature Art Society of Florida.
Miniature art has been a fascination throughout history. Ancient Greeks created rings and coins that bore engraved portraits. Monks in the Middle Ages often embellished manuscript pages with illuminations in a red pigment called "minium," from which the word "miniature" later evolved.
 |
Artist finds the little things count
Markissia Billiris is known for her work as a professional portrait painter, and she prides herself on 30 years of artistic experience. Born in New York, she currently lives in Tarpon Springs with her husband, Michael Billiris, a former city commissioner for Tarpon Springs, and her son, John. |
However, the greatest influences on miniature art came from the Elizabethan era. Miniature portraits were commissioned by royalty and the wealthier classes to arrange marriages, confirm signatures on contracts or serve as personal mementos of a loved one during absences. Works could be easily carried in a pocket or locket.
In America, the art form gained a freer style and a wider range of subject matter. Its popularity dipped with the advent of photography but later regained momentum in the early and mid 20th century.
The Gathering, 23/4 by 27/8 inches, by Patricia Payne Weaver.
|
The Tampa Bay area has supported miniature arts for more than 25 years. In 1974 Bede Zel Angle founded the Miniature Art Society of Florida as a forum for miniaturists and to educate the public about miniature art. The society presented the first exhibit of contemporary miniature art on the Suncoast in 1975 at the Gulf Coast Museum of Art. Since then, the show has seen remarkable growth. Last year's show, hosted by the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, brought in 10,000 visitors.
Murray Livingstone Smith, 3 by 4 inches, by William Mundy.
|
The miniature arts are popular for several reasons, according to Curtis.
"Art patrons can get fine original art in a small scale. This can be appreciated in some of the smaller-designed living conditions today," he said. "You can hold a complete work in your hand and see the complete detail, which fascinates people. There is also a certain intimacy about a work in a small scale."
PREVIEW
26th International Miniature Art Show, at Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa, 25 Belleview Blvd., Belleair. January 14-28. Show hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Thur., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sun. Free. Call (727) 443-3701.
Back to Weekend
© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111
|
