Saturday, January 23, 2016

An exciting delivery (and a new project)

It's been a bit quiet around here: most of my energy has been focused on a six-month contract that I started at the beginning of last week.

I've been getting used to a new rhythm to my days, learning as much as I can in the new role and I've been getting home at night exhausted, which means no brain space to thinklet alone do anything—miniature.

I'm working in the city for a change, and on Wednesday night I was pleased to be able to trot down the road from work to the opening of Ampersand Duck's latest exhibition (long-time readers might remember she was part of the Call of the Small exhibition I curated at Craft ACT way back in 2010.)

At the exhibition we chatted about what our plans were for 2016, and I mentioned that I wanted to build and manage a teeny tiny gallery, or a chain of teeny tiny galleries (something I've been talking about and working towards since the close of Call of the Small), and had been talking to a couple of people about places for it to live.

And she said 'I've got Bette Noir in my studio: perhaps that would work for you?' And I had to admit I had no idea what she was talking about. She explained it was a miniature gallery that was well-known in the Canberra arts scene many years ago and that she'd been given custodianship of some time ago and hadn't had the time to devote to because of other commitments.

'I'm clearing out my studio this weekend', she continued. 'Would you like to become its curator?'

And so it came to pass that my assistant Wendy is, once again, assessing a gallery space.
Modern dolls' house miniature doll standing on a wooden floor and leaning against a white wall.
Modern dolls' house miniature doll standing in a miniature art gallery. On the front of the gallery is a sticker with the name 'Bette NOIR' on it.
And I've had to find room (temporarily) for another (large) miniature in my flat
Dolls' house miniature art gallery on a stand, in a hallway.
(And space in my schedule for a pile of research on its history...)

3 comments :

Rebecca said...

Oh, it's wonderful! I look forward to hearing more about it. I also want a mini gallery - I have been thinking of a two-roomed one, but so far just looking at roomboxes etc on ebays. I look forward to your first exhibition, too!

Naz said...

what a lovely idea - the miniature galleries collection. I have a second hand shop and my intention was to have an "Artist in residence" a the rear of the fine art/ collectibles section of the shop. However, it doesn't allow the viewer to see him well, or his artworks so I am thinking of adding a studio to the roof area. My wonderful girlfriend who paints amazing original works made me up a booklet with ALL her original works in it in miniature (like postage stamps) so that i can mount them and frame them for the gallery and studio. So I would be keen to finish this project that I started years ago. Thanks for the inspiration Anna-Maria

Carolyn said...

I am excited to see how your gallery evolves, I too am working on a miniature gallery where I hope to have shows and sell my original artwork from. I am just beginning to create a whole house into a gallery with my studio in the upper attic area. It is fun to take my artwork to a different level, this one being in miniatures.