Portside Miniature show

It's time for the February Miniature shows again!

This year I've only entered the Portside Gallery show in Port Stanley, 195 Main St. (the street that goes to 'little beach').

The opening is 1-4 p.m. Sunday Feb 7th.

Come by, see the art, and meet the artist's.

The show runs Feb 1-28, 11-5 p.m. daily.

The concept of mini's is a very old one. Before photography wealthy families would have mini's painted of marriageable daughters to send to prospective husbands. Men would have mini's of their mistress painted, and one would hope of their wives and family. Artist's would paint mini's to give to prospective customers to look at, rather like artists today have a photo portfolio of their work to show.

ACEO's or artist trading cards are a modern take on the latter, early on they, as the name implied, were for artists to trade among themselves. Trading cards evolved into ACEO's or art cards-editions and originals which are for sale by artists. Most of the participants in the painting-a-day phenomenon are painting ACEO's.

Miniatures don't necessarily comply to the 3x4 inch size that is the ACEO's standard, and unlike ACEO's are framed.

Whether ACEO, or Mini, this small art is very collectible, both the size and the price making them easy to live with.