THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605160202
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mary Ellen Riddle
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
By virtue of its diversity alone, the International Miniature Art Show at Seaside Art Gallery is setting up to be a really BIG show.
Space is not a problem here, with each work's total size restricted to 40 square inches maximum. Art from all over the world is taking up small corners of wall, counter and cabinet space.
A collection of art showed up this year from Russia. The 26 highly detailed, hand-painted lacquer boxes from contemporary Russian artists are rendered in a romantic style.
Couples in love, women with feathers and snowy scenes are some of the pictures covering boxes that run from about 2 inches square to a 7- or 8-inch-long rectangle. Some of the papier mache boxes feature gold or mother of pearl inlay.
With the Russian work as a shining example of the beauty of miniatures, the International Miniature Art Show opens for its fourth season at Seaside. On the final day for entries, gallery co-owner Melanie Smith was still opening small brown boxes.
A new shipment had just come in, and excitement was in the air as she handled the packages.
The nearby panels in the already overflowing art gallery were covered with paintings that included non-representational, fantasy, realistic, figurative and colorful geometric designs, plus collages with medals, photographs and figurines.
Glass cases were temporarily protecting sculptures of mermaids, bronze figures, a beautiful maple burl vessel by local artist Kent Godwin and a hand-painted wooden ``Warrior Mouse'' sent in by a Hopi Native American.
A state of melancholy is represented in the work of Rubin Gotesky from Canada. A stack of clear plastic, empty envelopes were all addressed: Melancholic Solitude, 101 Life St., Human World.
Canadians favored the show this year with a large number of entries. But works were also shipped from Austria, England, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Japan, Russia and Venezuela. Thirty-three states are represented.
``What I like about the show is how diverse it is,'' Smith said, surrounded by more than 350 pieces of art for the miniature show alone.
Standing out among the figurative and scenic paintings are the non-representational works by Venezuelan Abraham Gustin. Three small vertical pictures were painted in acrylic and enamel. The strong compositions and color, plus the interesting titles ``The Room of Crystal'' and ``Internal World,'' add dimension to them.
Featured in the show are works made from hand-dyed bark, etchings and oil paintings, including ``The Corn Maiden'' by Faridum Negnat-Zade of Nevada.
The maiden's head is adorned with corn, and more husks float in the air surrounding her head. Jean Roller's ``Cosmic Grief'' offers food for thought with a tiny picture of a Victorian woman, her face buried in a hanky, with real marbles sitting on a ledge below.
J. Kelly Gravely's monotypes are rich, and the acrylic painting by Aaron Horrell of a minute bird flying through an impressionistic garden scene is lovely.
The gallery is alive with pictures of galloping horses, postage stamp paintings, drawings of antique cars, painted wizards, sunsets and even dog kisses.
The collection of miniature works creates a powerful show this year, and juror David Scott of Elizabeth City will have his hands full choosing winners.
Scott is a sculptor and painter who has worked as an art educator on all levels, including teaching gifted and emotionally and physically challenged students.
His exhibitions include the Museum of Modern Art, Minneapolis Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Art Guild and numerous shows in Virginia.
The reception for the show is 7 to 9 p.m. May 25. at the Seaside Art Gallery in Nags Head on the Beach Road. MEMO: Mary Ellen Riddle covers Outer Banks arts for The Carolina Coast. Send
comments and questions to her at P.O. Box 10, Nags Head, N.C. 27959.@
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY ELLEN RIDDLE
Melanie Smith shows off a piece of miniature art that will be part
of the International Miniature Art Show at the Seaside Art Gallery
in Nags Head. Among the other works on exhibit are 26 highly
detailed, hand-painted lacquer boxes from contemporary Russian
artists that are are rendered in a romantic style.
by CNB