Mini masterpieces
Works from 200 artists
On February 9 Settlers West Galleries in Tucson, Arizona, will host its annual American Miniatures show, which will present collectors a chance to own small works by more than 200 artists.
“Our American Miniatures show has enticed collectors for over 30 years with the promise of ‘big’ paintings in small packages,” says Mike Salkowski, gallery manager. “It presents an opportunity for buyers to either branch out of the typical subject matter or styles of work in their collection, or to add more pieces by some of their favorites without overwhelming their walls by trying to squeeze in one more big painting. For our artists, the struggle of painting small is a welcome challenge, stretching their abilities as well as their creativity. The results are often spectacular, and the small jewels of this show are among the most sought-after pieces we will offer this year.” Settlers West shows are famous for their can’tmiss opening night reception, during which all of the works are sold in a fixed-price, by-draw sale. Although unsold works will be on view following the show, collectors make a point to come out for the opening night to mingle with the artists and put their names in for their favorite pieces. The energy in the room—collectors browsing, artists answering questions, the impending bell signifying the end of bids—creates a palpable sense of excitement. This year’s show starts at 5:30 p.m. and kicks into high gear with the purchase draw at 7 p.m. As many as 340 new works will be available.
One of the artists with works in the show is Scott Tallman Powers, who has participated in numerous Settlers West shows. He will be showing Lunch Time, a market scene featuring an assortment of fruits and vegetables, as well as a magnificent red umbrella. “This is a scene from my recent trip to Oaxaca, Mexico. It is market day in a small town called Tlacolula, southeast of Oaxaca. I saw this couple sharing some food while they waited for potential customers. It was this quiet moment between a husband and wife that inspired me to capture this scene,” Powers says. “Miniatures have been important to me for a long time now. I gained a deeper appreciation for them when I was traveling through Spain and studying the paintings of my favorite artist from the late 1800s, Mariano Fortuny y Marsal. Fortuny created many smaller pieces over his short lifetime. His small paintings felt like large, finished pieces with a jewel-like quality. This taught me a lot about what can be conveyed in a small painting.”
Charles Fritz will be showing a snow scene with a trapper and a bear, When Mischief Meets Metis. “The Metis were a product of the
New World. Over time, as French fur traders from the Northwest Trading Company expanded West they intermarried with the indigenous tribes from the St. Lawrence to the plains of Saskatchewan and Alberta. These ‘mixedbloods’ came to be known as ‘Metis.’ They were trappers, traders and hunters, often providing meat for the forts across Canada,” Fritz says. “Their clothing was tailored and beautifully ornamented, usually in the floral patterns of the Eastern tribes and those around the Great Lakes. In winter they wore wool capotes made from trade blankets with bright sashes. Charlie Russell borrowed from the Metis when he adopted, as his own, ‘the sash of the mixed-bloods,’ which he is often seen wearing in photographs of the time…’situation’ paintings, as this one is, are always fun to do because they start a story, but don’t finish it. The viewer is brought into the situation but there are always many ways for it to end and that becomes one of the enjoyable parts of living with these paintings.”
David Yorke will be showing Best Friends, a portrait of a little girl clutching a doll. “This miniature was challenging, yet so much fun to execute! I generally have less issue working with male model’s faces, due to the fact that I’m usually going for a rugged interpretation of their character, and their features are perhaps more forgiving,” Yorke says. “But when painting children, it’s just a more involved process for me to translate one of my photos as effectively, without losing that purity or innocence of expression, when rendering. Yet, this piece went quite fast, and I enjoyed working this color palette. This was one of those shots that just grabbed me emotionally. The little pioneer girl, Ada, was a joy to work with and I didn’t need to over direct her…she was just being herself and I think her expression came across as natural and genuine, not artificially ‘posed.’ That was my challenge, not to lose those delicate qualities when I painted her, while not overworking the piece.”
Don Weller will be presenting his watercolor work Buckskin Brothers. “I found these two in a herd of wild horses in Utah’s west desert. They were never far from each other, teasing, and trying to stir up a reaction. They would pretend to fight, then scratch and nuzzle each other. Two or 3 year olds, probably half brothers,” he says. “As to miniatures, my main concerns are the same as larger pieces: value, composition and color, but I need to keep the composition simple. In all my work, I am concerned with the surface, brushstrokes and the application of paint. This is especially true in small paintings where the viewer’s attention is more narrowly focused.”
Other artists with works in the show include R.S. Riddick, William Acheff, Morgan Weistling, Robert Griffing, Christopher Blossom and hundreds more.