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  • Jan 22, 2018

BadAss Artist Open Call

BadAss Miniatures:

Ready to Cause a Little Trouble

May 5 - July 22, 2018

The Gallery of Small Art

at D. Thomas Miniatures

YoHo Artists Yonkers, New York

"BadAss Miniatures: Emerging Perspectives in the Miniature Arts" is an exhibition of original works in miniature form contributed by artists from across the United States and abroad. Featured works represent a novel movement that challenges the status quo in the miniature art form through the presentation of unconventional ideas and concepts and the quirky, outlandish, surprising use of miniatures. “BadAss” aims to push the envelope on the traditional (rethink the dollhouse!) with an edgy and bold attitude showcasing jaw-dropping, surprising—maybe even shocking—miniature badassery to hit the 21st century.

Exhibition Sponsors & Location:

The exhibition will be presented by Darren T. Scala of D. Thomas Fine Miniatures, and will be co-curated by Kate Ünver of dailymini. The exhibition will be hosted by Mr. Scala at The Gallery of Small Arts at D. Thomas Miniatures located in YoHo Artist Studios in Yonkers, NY.

The exhibit opening will coincide with the 2018 Yonkers Arts Weekend, the annual celebration of the thriving and diverse arts community residing in the City of Yonkers, New York State’s fourth-largest city, and is part of the YoHo Artists Open Studio event.

YoHo Artist Open Studio Event

Each year, YoHo Artists offers a rare opportunity to tour the creative studios of over 50 professional artists, crafters, musicians, creative new media specialists, and other creative manufacturers within Yonkers' Alexander Carpet Mills Arts District.

YoHo Artist Studios Yonkers New York

Submission Process:

Artists working in any miniature form, as well as artists looking to step out of their genre to explore the use of miniatures, are encouraged to submit a one-page proposal for their original work in any miniature category or medium (not limited to: furniture, textiles, plants/floral, pottery/porcelain/ceramics, textiles, food, room boxes/diorama/vignettes, etc.).

All works must be created in under 1:10 scale (or smaller!) to be considered for inclusion in the exhibition. Each proposal must include the artist’s statement of purpose, title, full description of the submission, summary of the artistic process, and how the piece represents the theme of changing the status quo in the miniature arts.

Exhibition Timeline & Important Dates:

Artists’ intent to submit by 2/10/2018

(send us a simple email expressing interest in participation)

Submissions due to D. Thomas by 2/17/2018

(see "Submission Process" above and email us the info)

Final selection of works and artists contacted by 2/28/2018

Works due to D. Thomas by 4/20/2018

Exhibition opening 5/5/2018 in Yonkers, NY

Participating artists agree to allow The Gallery of Small Arts at D. Thomas Miniatures to sell his/her work featured in the exhibition for a period of one year, commencing Saturday, May 5, 2018 (commission agreement to follow pending acceptance of piece). D. Thomas agrees to provide marketing and promotional support for one year via social media, Web-based resources, and other available mass media opportunities as they arise.

Selected pieces will be presented by Scala during the International Guild of Miniature Artisans (IGMA) Guild Show in mid-September 2018 in Hartford, CT.

Contact Information:

Darren T. Scala, Curator

D. Thomas Miniatures

darrentscala@gmail.com

(914) 231-9871

Kate Ünver, Co-Curator

dailymini

dailymini@thedailymini.com

(551) 427-9518

ABOUT D. THOMAS MINIATURES

D. Thomas Miniatures is a retail and gallery destination featuring top quality collectibles including 1/12th scale structure, furniture and accessories. The concept, designed to appeal to collectors, crafters and enthusiasts was created, in part, to raise awareness of miniatures as a decorative art form and to introduce the discipline not only to a new generation but to those who may just be discovering it! The gallery space showcases work in miniature by well-known artists from all over the world.

ABOUT KATE ÜNVER/DAILYMINI

Start small, dream big. The Daily Miniature. The Daily Mini. dailymini® for short, is a curated digital space that started small on Instagram. It’s now a showcase for unique and extraordinary miniatures from around the globe. Founder Kate Ünver is based in Brooklyn and has a love for the teeny and the tiny has grown exponentially over the years. When she's not collecting miniatures, you can find her doing big things on the tennis court or on a motorcycle.

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest or contact us here!


WEEkly Mini RoundUp 1.13.18

Welcome to our latest WEEkly RoundUp of news and reports from in and around the MiniWorld capturing mainstream and social media bits and local stories you may have missed.

Overlook Hotel Maze in Miniature

Adam Savage

Special effects designer Adam Savage scratch built this miniature maze featured in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film The Shining. The piece is currently on view at the GL STRAND in Copenhagen. Click here for an incredible video on how it was made.

The Miniaturist: A Preview

We're OBSESSED with the film adaptation of Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist. Watch this clip above for a preview which includes miniatures used in a scene! Stay tuned for info on when it will broadcast here in the U.S.

Our Miniatures Obsession

Our favorite miniaturist Kate Ünver, founder of The Daily Miniature (@dailymini), filed this report for ETSY about our obsession with tiny things. She also gives us her top pick miniaturists we should be following right now! Awesome plate of pasta with grated cheese and bitty basil garnish pictured above by Fatal Potato.

Vintage Dollhouse Exhibition

http://qctimes.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/elaborate-dollhouse-at-davenport-german-center-sports-bavarian-flair/article_75098142-8979-5aaf-b4df-e2481fa76c9a.html

15 Room Bavarian-themed dollhouse has gone on display at the German American Heritage Center and Museum in Davenport, Iowa. More great shots of the house from a Quad City Times report here.

Latest SquintBox™ Treasure!

SquintBox Subscription Box Service

Small spuds by Sharon Harbison were featured in the recent assortment of tiny delights from the SquintBox monthly subscription box service. Subscribers have until January 15 to get in on the next box scheduled to ship during the week of January 22.

Estate Sale

Estate Sale

We're excited to let you know that many of the pieces from our latest estate find have been posted in our Facebook Shop including books, toys, tribal and southwest pieces. No Facebook? No worries...we'll be happy to take orders the old fashioned way...by phone!

We hope you enjoyed this WEEkly update. Be sure to share this post with other miniacs and have them subscribe here so they never miss an update!

ABOUT D. THOMAS MINIATURES

D. Thomas Miniatures is a retail and gallery destination featuring top quality collectibles including 1/12th scale structure, furniture and accessories. The concept, designed to appeal to collectors, crafters and enthusiasts was created, in part, to raise awareness of miniatures as a decorative art form and to introduce the discipline not only to a new generation but to those who may just be discovering it! The gallery space showcases work in miniature by well-known artists from all over the world.

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest or contact us here!


Everything Guide to Mini Mania New York Magazine

It's been an exciting year for miniatures! We've seen an absolute explosion of tiny-ness throughout social media, in commercial film, in advertising and exhibitions.

Nix + Gerber Clamp Art

Nix + Gerber: "Empire"

We're seeing a rise in interest from the younger generation thanks to social media growth and interest from the contemporary art world. More and more enthusiasts are being introduced to miniatures and discovering the delight and excitement that miniatures offer.

Amanda Kelly Panda Miniatures

Amanda Kelly's Tattoo Parlor

Here are some of the top trends and news about miniatures during 2017:

Exhibitions and Shows

Unpackacked Refugee Baggage Mohamad Hafez

Unpacked: Refugee Baggage

The past year saw a number of important exhibitions of work in the small arts. Architect and artist Mohamad Hafez created incredible dioramas depicting the immigrant struggle to flee from destruction in war torn countries in "Unpacked: Refugee Baggage" on view at the UNICEF House in New York.

We also saw new work by Team Nix+Gerber in "Empire" at ClampArt in New York City. The noteworthy exhibition at the Renwick Gallery at The Smithsonian brought out forensic crime scenes by Frances Glessner Lee.

Miniatures in Film and Advertising

Downsizing Film Matt Damon Kristin Wiig

Downsizing 2017

Miniatures themes were seen in commercial film and advertising in 2017. Some examples include Downsizing, starring Matt Damon and Kristin Wiig, and the film adaptation of Jessie Burton's popular novel The Miniaturist.

The Miniaturist Jessie Burton BBC

In addition, a viral video using a tiny Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant received thousands of views. And, who could forget this se up in Astor Place in New York City to celebrate the new Top Restaurant Guide by Zagat (click to view below).

Zagat Tiny Cafe Astor Place NY

Online and Mainstream Media Coverage

New York Magazine Everything Guide to Mini Mania

Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine/The Cut

In addition to extensive coverage by online blogs and posts (DesignBoom, The Culture Trip and Culture Box), mainstream media picked up on the growing interest in miniatures with important articles in New York Magazine/The Cut (The Everything Guide to Mini Mania),

CBS Sunday Morning Creating Food for Tiny Kitchen

CBS Sunday Morning

Harper's Magazine: "Little Things: The Outsized Pleasures of The Very Small"), BBC News: "Inside the Wonderful World of Miniatures" and CBS Sunday Morning ("Tiny Kitchen") that took on the food miniatures trend (click photo above to see the segment with Jane Pauley!).

Themes and Evolving Genre

Kevin D'Alenti Seedy Motel in Miniature

Kevin D'Alenti "Motel Room" 2017

In addition to the absolute explosion of interest in Food Miniatures (Tastemade, TinyFood.ig, AiClay) and expanded interest in Graffiti and Urban Art Miniatures and Micro Miniatures (especially in photography) some artists are moving miniatures to a darker place.

Kevin D'Alenti's "Motel Room" (above) diorama depicting well-worn accommodations in twelfth scale sleeze.

Abigail Goldman

"Perfect Tan" by Abigail Goldman

Abigail Goldman's (Station16 Gallery, Montreal Canada) scenes feature disturbing themes of murderous mayhem (fun times!).

We also saw Dollhouse Art at the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach, Florida (Miss Lucy's 3 Day Dollhouse Party) and the Small Stories exhibition at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. continued through the early part of the year.

Over the Top Miniatures

Althea Crome

Over the Top Miniatures took center stage last year as artists soared to new heights and stretched their limits on what can be achieved in small scale. Althea Crome took 3rd prize at the Miniature Masterworks at the National Museum of Toys/Miniatures in Kansas City with her nativity scene knitted into a sweater featuring over 50,000 stitches.

Gulliver Gate New York City

New York City's Times Square welcomed the opening of Gulliver's Gate, the newest attraction featuring the world in 1/87th scale. Visitors are "transported to the world's most intriguing places and most captivating time periods."

D. Thomas Miniatures was on the Move!

D. Thomas Miniatures at The Shoppes in Cold Spring

Cold Spring, New York

We were on the move in a number of ways this past year: We relocated to a new space in Cold Spring, New York (The Shoppes on Main Street) and curated a number of exciting exhibitions of miniature works (Those Were the Days/Jill Orlov, Wee#Resist and The Little Street/Gerard Klein Hofmeijer).

Mackenzie McAlpin #WeeResist

Mackenzie McAlpin's "Tee Shirt Rack" from Wee#Resist

We celebrated year 2 of our SquintBox subscription box service, introduced a new mini concept to commemorate a bride's big day (My TrueSo) and expanded our partnership with the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, New York.

SquintBox Subscription Service

Salad Bar Takeaway by Sharon Harbison for SquintBox

We hit the road talking with groups with our presentation on the History of Miniatures, and grew our social media following on Facebook and Instagram, bringing new enthusiasts into the discipline. Finally, we brought exciting miniatures and works by new miniature artisans into our lineup for purchase!

Hand hammered copper pots by J. Getzan

We're excited for 2018 and look forward to all its miniature marvels!

We hope you enjoyed The Year in Miniatures. Be sure to share this post with other miniacs and have them subscribe here so they never miss an update!

Thank you for your continued support and interest

in this little thing we love so much!

ABOUT D. THOMAS MINIATURES

D. Thomas Miniatures is a retail and gallery destination featuring top quality collectibles including 1/12th scale structure, furniture and accessories. The concept, designed to appeal to collectors, crafters and enthusiasts was created, in part, to raise awareness of miniatures as a decorative art form and to introduce the discipline not only to a new generation but to those who may just be discovering it! The gallery space showcases work in miniature by well-known artists from all over the world.

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest or contact us here!

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