Miniature art exhibit shows off small wonders

Several New Jersey artists will participate

By:Vanessa S. Holt
   BORDENTOWN CITY — The miniature art exhibit held this past spring at the Firehouse Gallery was so successful that the gallery will put on a second show in time for the holidays, spotlighting artwork small in size but great in beauty.
   The exhibit again features acrylic landscapes by Florida miniature artist Patricia Hornbrook and a variety of pieces by several dozen artists throughout New Jersey.
   All art in the show will be eight inches or smaller in each dimension, not including the frame. Paintings as small as a postage stamp will be included in the mix, as well as photographs, drawings, sculpture, mixed media and some limited edition prints.
   "The exhibit will offer art lovers a chance to give a unique, original piece of art as an affordable holiday gift," said gallery owner Eric Gibbons. "You can put it in your pocketbook and take it home with you."
   Mr. Gibbons will include several of his own pieces in the exhibit, photographic monoprints based on "The Wizard of Oz," and figurative photographs that have been abstracted through a chemical process.
   "They often look computer enhanced, but it’s done right in the emulsion of the film as it’s developing," explained Mr. Gibbons.
   All artwork will be for sale, and most will be under $200.
   Janice Bernath of Bordentown City said she will have several of her sculptural terra cotta boxes in the show.
   She also plans to exhibit several small paintings based on her dreams.
   "The dreams were frightening when I had them but they aren’t any more," she said.
   She used watercolors to transform the dreams into interesting, colorful symbolist images.
   "I’ve always been interested in symbolism and dreams," she said, describing the style of the paintings as somewhere between abstraction and realism. "They look something like the trajectories of planets of the solar system."
   The size restrictions in the show are not a problem for Ms. Bernath, who normally makes small models of larger pieces she has planned.
   Another local artist, Todd Radwell of Columbus, will be represented by several watercolor and mixed media paintings in the show ranging in theme from abstracts to landscapes.
   Although he frequently works on a small scale, Mr. Radwell said he thinks many visitors to the gallery will be surprised by the rich variety and possibilities of miniature art.
   "I think it’s a good opportunity to see things you normally wouldn’t see," he said. "A small piece can highlight an area rather than take over the space."
   Also from the local area, Janet Cebular of Columbus will have several small oil paintings and collages in the show and a number of artists from nearby Trenton, Hamilton and Robbinsville will be represented.
   The miniature art exhibition at the Firehouse Gallery will open with a reception from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 18 at the gallery on 8 Walnut St. in Bordentown.
   The show will run through Feb. 1, 2002. The opening is free and all artwork is for sale.
   Regular gallery hours are Wednesday 4 to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday mornings by appointment. For more information call Eric Gibbons at (609) 298-3742.