“Miniatures & More” is, by definition and by content, something special.
It is, for one, the only sale exhibit the Albuquerque Museum hosts.
For another, it’s an “exhibition-fundraiser” organized by the Albuquerque Museum Foundation.
“The exhibition is the largest fundraiser that the foundation organizes to benefit the museum,” said Rita Butler, exhibit organizer and the foundation’s program manager.
“Because it is a fundraiser,” Butler said, “we’ve tried to appeal to many tastes. We want there to be something for everyone. And as an art display we want the public to see how creative people can be with their art.”
And it is a juried invitational exhibit.
This year’s exhibit, which is up through Dec. 8, offers 323 works of art by 114 artists. Many of the artists are New Mexicans but some are from around the country.
Variety is a hallmark of the exhibit.
“There are traditional oil paintings and pastels, mixed-media, photography, sculpture, drawings, works in molded clay and carved bultos and retablos,” Butler said.
As the exhibit’s name implies, there are a number of small pieces, like Rémy Rotenier’s “Priorities,” a gouache on panel. It shows a Noah’s ark scene with the animals waiting to board while men are walking up to the ark carrying bags of treasure.
Rotenier is an Albuquerque artist as is Emi Ozawa, whose small sculpture titled “A Short Swim” is acrylic on maple. What you see of it changes depending on where you are standing.
A small bronze of a cheetah titled “In the Long Run” was made by Michael Tatum of Santa Fe.
The “More” in the exhibit name “Miniatures & More” refers to the fact that there works of larger scale.
The black-and-white photograph “Equus” by Nashville, Tenn., artist Jerry Atnip is of moderate size. It is an archival pigment print.
Tony Abeyta’s untitled oil on canvas is a large landscape at the center of which is a rainstorm. Abeyta resides in Santa Fe.
As of this writing, the aforementioned artworks have not been sold.
Butler also sees the exhibit as a pathway for people to start or expand their art collections.
She feels “Miniatures” opens up a dialogue between potential supporters of art, the museum and future art lovers in general.
Anyone interested in buying a work that is in the exhibition-fundraiser should follow these steps, Butler said.
Write the label number for that work and take it to the Gallery Store in the museum lobby. Tell the clerk what you want to buy. The work, though purchased, will remain on display through the exhibit’s conclusion.
Buyers can pick up their purchases beginning on Dec. 9.
For more information contact Rita Butler at 338-8732 or email rbutler@albuquerquemuseum.org.
