Miniature tiny treasures
Dr. Java holds exhibit of miniature artwork

Sunday, November 11, 2008
By: THOMAS B. HARRISON
Arts Editor

"Like many amazing things, the Spanish Moss Juried Miniature Art Show was born out of conversations," Blaesing says. "Kira and I were talking with the artists at Morris Galleries and Charlie Smoke of Mobile Arts Council while brainstorming ways to better market Mobile to art collectors. Finally one of the artists suggested hosting a juried miniature art show. And so our research began.

"We found that artists like Ainsley McNeely were accustomed to mailing their miniature works off to galleries out west or overseas to competitions were quite eager to participate on the international stage here in Mobile."

Blaesing and Zielinski received help from the director of the Miniature Art Society of Florida and members of the World Federation of Miniaturists to begin laying the groundwork for this show and the formation of the Alabama Miniature Art Society to bring miniaturists together along the northern Gulf Coast.

"We not only see this show as a way to bring an international fine art exhibit of the highest level to the Mobile, but also as a way to bring original paintings by internationally recognized masters down to a price most local buyers will find reasonable," he says. "We set a price cap for our inaugural show of $450 and thus far we have received works from two continents and half a dozen states with one or two more entrants works arriving each day."

Blaesing says he and Zielinski knew they were onto something worthwhile well before they began receiving RSVPs and submissions.

"We started getting requests for information immediately," he says, "and the portion of our Web site dealing with this Miniature Art Show (www. drjava.com/miniature/) has been getting between 50 and 100 visitors per day since its creation two months ago."

Dr. Java opened the show to various media: painting, wall-mounted sculpture, textiles, stained glass, calligraphy, photography and scrimshaw, for example. No crafts or computer-generated images will be juried into the show. Award money and prizes exceed $1,000.

The coffee house will not feature freestanding three-dimensional work, which requires acrylic display cases or other special security measures. However, there will be plenty of art in this show.

"This is an event that in the next couple of years may have to grow outside the store," Zielinski says. "We love being able to host this event - it's a great honor. In talking to the Miniature Art Society of Florida, the president talked about their beginnings in hotels and coffee shops."

Zielinski says she and Blaesing are impressed by the depth and range of the submitted artwork.

"It's mostly been very classical," she says, "which is why I am drawn to this field. There is such a strong ethic of beauty to it."

The process of curating of the show will be split among the juror and proprietors. A People's Choice award winner will be chosen by those who attend the opening reception, 4-9 p.m. Friday. Additional awards will be given.

Most of the work is for sale, with a top price of $450 to make the art affordable for Mobilians.

Criteria for the inaugural show is that work must be no larger than 80 square inches (8 by 10 inches), while the maximum outside area of framed work must be no larger than 224 square inches (14 by 16).

"The exceptional detail and quality of miniature art present a great challenge to the judge while providing a marvelous opportunity for collectors during the pre-holiday shopping season," states a Dr. Java news release. "An invitation for membership into the Alabama Miniature Art Society will be extended to all participants of the Spanish Moss Miniature Art Show."

Hand-delivered artwork will be received from noon until 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and will be installed later in the week. Jurying will take place Wednesday and Thursday.

Because the works are small, portable and universally desirable, each will be fastened to panels secured to the walls, according to Blaesing. "As always, our space will remain under 24-hour surveillance throughout the duration of the show," he says.

So far, Dr. Java has received about five dozen paintings by mail from within the United States and abroad. The organizers have RSVPs from local painters representing each art organization in Mobile and the Eastern Shore.

The Spanish Moss Miniature Art Show "will be a unique showing of miniature art in Mobile only," Blaesing says, "and all works unsold at the end of the exhibit will be returned to the artists. In future years we may very well move the show to another or subsequent location to facilitate further exposure and sales for the artists."

Based on the available wall space at the coffee house and the average size of the artwork, Zielinski says Dr. Java could easily accommodate 120 pieces. This exhibit likely will exceed that number, she says.

Dr. Java has become an active participant in the cultural life of Mobile. In addition to regular changing exhibits - including artwork by area students - Blaesing and Zielinski spearheaded the recent "Zombie Walk" that collected more than 300 pounds of food for the Bay Area Food Bank.

"We also added our zombies to the list worldwide making for a Guinness World Record Attempt of more than 5,500 zombies organized to walk against world hunger," Blaesing says.

The monthly poetry reading, which fell on the same day, had a record number of readers as well and continues to grow, he says.

Blaesing says he and Zielinski are working on three other literary projects over the next couple months.

"We even have started laying the groundwork to link the local coffeehouses into a 'Mobile Coffee House Ring' like the used book shops have done in New Orleans with an eye to further establishing a coffee-house culture here in Mobile, " he says.

"We continue to be impressed with the willingness of people in the community to team with others for the benefit of each."

View a printable version of this article compliments of al.com.