{"id":16019,"date":"2025-06-26T10:20:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T10:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/16019\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T10:20:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T10:20:11","slug":"the-mini-art-show-opens-in-philadelphia-this-friday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/16019\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The Mini Art Show\u2019 opens in Philadelphia this Friday"},"content":{"rendered":"

Curiously small art is making its way to Philadelphia on Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Mini Art Show\u201d at the vintage shop At My House in Queen Village will display various pieces of artwork no larger than three inches. The media on display is wide ranging, including pocket-sized paintings, sculptures, mosaics, tiny textiles and more from 21 local artists. The show runs through late July.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reaction was immediate joy,\u201d said Kelly Braun, owner of At My House, recalling when she invited artists to participate. \u201cPeople freak out when you talk about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people said they hadn\u2019t worked this small before, and it was like a very fun challenge,\u201d Braun added. \u201cAnd a lot of them made the pieces very personal, which was really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cThe Mini Art Show\u201d opens this Friday on June 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. (Courtesy of Kelly Braun)<\/p>\n

At My House is part retail and part community space, selling homegoods, vintage clothes and artwork, as well as hosting pop-ups and workshops.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Braun is putting on the show with local artist Fabiola Lara, known for her art vending machines<\/a> around the city. Lara is the exhibition\u2019s curator. The two first connected a year ago when Lara led a workshop at Braun\u2019s store. A friendship sparked from there, and by chance, Lara ended up purchasing the house next door to Braun\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for them to discover a shared passion for miniatures.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it being so small makes it just so cute,\u201d Lara said. \u201cYou feel like it\u2019s so fragile, and you want to take care of it, you know? I feel like that\u2019s similar to babies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the wrong size, and that is somehow so magical to me,\u201d Braun added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Philly-inspired mini prints from Fabiola Lara\u2019s vending machine. (Courtesy of Fabiola Lara)<\/p>\n

Like a newborn, miniature works of art are more delicate and require extra attention while handling.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s handed me their piece with cupped hands,\u201d Braun explained. \u201cI also feel the need to put it away and wrap it in paper, such a precious thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plus, because the art is so tiny, it does not need a traditional gallery to display it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not like I have to rearrange my entire store to display them,\u201d Braun said. \u201cIt\u2019s just going to be a very fun, tiny experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The shop already has a bunch of miniatures, because of Braun\u2019s love for them, and Lara is also debuting a brand-new vending machine that will have a permanent spot at the store with a new collection of mini prints.<\/p>\n

Lara feels the vintage shop is the perfect vibe for the exhibition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"A miniature floral drawing from artist Nicole Saltzer (Courtesy of Kelly Braun)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe store itself has so much magical, cool, vintage stuff that I think the people who will like the art show will also get excited to look at everything else,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

When guests first walk through the doors, the artwork will be on display in a special area at the front. Each tiny work will have its own plaque to describe its meaning. There will also be magnifying glasses on the wall \u2014 making it easy for curious visitors to take a closer look if they need to.<\/p>\n

To create such miniature works, many of the artists have had to adapt their methods and get creative. For most of them, this is a new venture. And just because the artwork is small doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not packed with big meaning and detail.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Artist Mitch Weisen<\/a> is displaying a 2.5-by-1.5 inch painting that is so small, they needed to make a custom little brush to paint it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a house on fire. It\u2019s their first piece they did since their divorce, they told me,\u201d Braun said. \u201cThey found this sterling silver vintage wedding frame to put it in. It\u2019s a gorgeous piece \u2026 That was one of the first pieces that was dropped off to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of opening night, the store will also be serving specialty cocktails with Art in the Age Spirits<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"Kelly Braun runs At My House, a vintage shop and community space in Queen Village. (Courtesy of Kelly Braun)<\/p>\n

\"\"Fabiola Lara with one of her tiny vending machines. (Courtesy of Fabiola Lara)<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of them is going to be a free mini \u2018ginarita\u2019 drink, so like a margarita made with gin, because they\u2019re just debuting their new gin,\u201d Braun explained. \u201cThe other one\u2019s going to be a gin lavender lemonade.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cocktails will be available in both regular and (of course) mini sizes.<\/p>\n

All but two pieces at \u201cThe Mini Art Show\u201d will be for sale. Prices for the miniatures range from $100 to $400. However, if those are a bit out of your budget, there will also be prints of select artworks on sale for a more affordable price.<\/p>\n

Lara and Braun want visitors to walk away from the show with the same sense of wonder that they both feel when they look at the artwork.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hoping that people cannot believe their eyes,\u201d Lara said. \u201cEveryone put so much work into their pieces and into the show. But I really just can\u2019t wait. I just hope for amazement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t