Art gallery to display miniature masterpieces

Staff report

MENTOR

Masterworks in Miniature, a show and sale by internationally famed artists, will return to Gallery One, 7003 Center St., on March 7 and run until March 22. The opening will include a reception for artists and collectors from 7 to 9 p.m.

Now in its 23rd year, Masterworks in Miniature will include more than 150 original works of art. Admission is free and the public is welcome.

Displaying artists include David Utz, Carl Brenders, Robert Bateman, Terry Isaac, Michael Dumas, Paul Brunelle, Linda Daniels, Sue Wall, Bill Bell and Jane Jones. Prices for the unique sculptures and original paintings, including their applicable framing, start at $250.

Prized for centuries, miniature art is included in museums and collections across the globe. Masterworks genres include wildlife, fantasy, portraiture, still life, landscape, Western and abstract.

Some of the pieces fit in the palm of the hand, while others measure 9 inches by 12 inches. Each one-of-a-kind piece is exquisitely detailed and representative of the standards for which its artist is renowned.

Though some are miniaturists, most of the artists participating in Masterworks are known to art collectors for their full-size originals which command prices that don’t fit the average wallet.

Consequently, these smaller-scaled pieces are extremely affordable and demand is intense. In some cases, prospective buyers must submit “intent-to-purchase” forms, from which the names of lucky purchasers are drawn at the close of event, while other pieces are available strictly on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Procuring such a piece is considered a major coup by art lovers,” said Alan Brown, Gallery One president. “We have been in business 40 years, and Masterworks continues to draw art lovers from all over North America. The event represents a unique opportunity for a collector to obtain original works of art — often for less than the price of a limited edition, and once people see the entire exhibit, they return year after year for the opportunity.”

The entire exhibit can be viewed online beginning March 7 at galleryone.com. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.