BROWNSBURG — Artistic Designs Gallery here had planned to host its fifth annual Miniature Fine Arts Show in April, when disaster struck.
The entire strip mall that houses the gallery was consumed by fire when a lighted sign on one of the building caught fire and quickly spread throughout the other businesses.
”We are elated to have it back because we had all of the work in here before the fire in April,” said Laura Tesdahl, owner of Artistic Designs. “We had to send it all back to the artists and cancel the show. It was a real bummer because we had it set up so that people would come through for ArtsGo and also we had an after hours planned with the Chamber of Commerce.”
But Tesdahl said she’s pleased to have the opportunity to have the show in a clean, fresh space.
”This is the highest quality art work that we’ve ever had,” she said. “It’s been good every year, but this year is exquisite. The artists that are participating are very well known in miniature fine art. To have this level of artists participating is very, very exciting.”
One of the artists participating is Wes Siegrist.
”The difference between miniature art and small paintings is that miniature art is a tradition that has been around for about 500 years,” Siegrist said. “About 110 years ago, there were societies created to try to keep it going and preserve it. Basically, it was the art form that was replaced by photography. If you wanted a momento of your loved one, you would commission a miniature painter to do a painting that you could carry around with you.”
When photography was developed in the 1830s, it basically replaced miniature painting.
”The other aspect of it is, that those societies tried to adhere to the historical presidents,” Siegrist said. “In other words, they wanted to keep enough of the history in the modern that they tied together. Yet they wanted to be relevant to their modern age. They allowed changes in style, but they kept the items small.”
Siegrist said there are many objects of art that are referred to as miniature art, but they are not related in any way to the history of miniature art. He said they’re just small art pieces.
”In history, it would have meant a very refined technique that would have impressed you, even under the closest observation,” he said. “As far back as the 1700s they were talking about looking through magnifying glasses at these paintings.”
Siegrist said that many of his paintings take between three days and two weeks to complete.
Siegrist was on hand to have a demonstration and a workshop about the paintings last Saturday. His art is one of many different artists who will be featured at artistic design through Nov. 19.
Artistic Designs Gallery is at 152 Northfield Dr., Brownsburg.
For more information, visit the website at www.artisticdesigngallery.net.
ryan.palencer@flyergroup.com
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