While size alone should never matter when collecting works of art, large and monumental pieces have a presence that’s hard to ignore. Smaller artworks, on the other hand, can go unnoticed, yet, they are just as engaging, bold and are more affordable than their larger counterparts. Many galleries, like Settlers West in Tucson, Arizona, host shows that offer small and miniature beauties that convey “big ideas in a small shape,” says artist Rachel Brownlee.
Rachel Brownlee, As Wind Drives Fire, charcoal, 9 x 12 in.
Encouraged to create “masterpieces in miniature,” 170 artists feature more than 260 Western-inspired artworks, in a variety of subject matter and mediums, for the annual showcase known as American Miniatures. This popular show is celebrating its 43rd year at Settlers West, “challenging artists to create full, complete paintings in a smaller format—around 10 by 12 inches—and they never fail to impress,” says Mike Salkowski, gallery manager.
Brownlee will feature her 9-by-12-inch piece As Wind Drives Fire,representing the artist’s life lived among the landscape of the American West. “I have lived my entire life on a working cattle ranch—around four generations of my family before me,” she elaborates. “All my work is deeply personal.”
Gary Lynn Roberts, It’s Your Lucky Day, oil, 9 x 12 in.
The artist continues to explain: “As Wind Drives Fire is a brand-new, highly realistic piece for the Settlers West show. It is one of my charcoal panel pieces, so it has been varnished, giving it such an intimate feel with its deep values. I have been working on this piece for a year and a half, working with the composition and the horses’ expressions. Wind drives fire faster and faster, consuming what is underneath, and that is the idea I am pursuing in this piece; the horses are driving forward, consuming the ground underneath them.”
W. Steve Seltzer, Prairie Powers, oil, 10 x 12 in.
Brownlee also notes that she once dislikeed creating miniatures, but now loves them. “I can use compositions that might not be as effective in bigger pieces. I think they are punchy little gems…”
Another show artist, John Fawcett, known for his portrayals of the Native American and Western lifestyle, presents his 12-by-9-inch piece, Slow and Steady.“Mountain Men and trappers often gained knowledge and experience from Native American guides in the lakes and rivers of the upper Midwest,” explains Fawcett. “These partnerships were invaluable for successful hunts, as well as safety from unfriendly tribes. The keen senses of the Natives in the north woods proved to be indispensable.”
John Fawcett, Slow and Steady, oil, 12 x 9 in.
Fawcett is also drawn to water and the reflections the subjects produce, depending on the current, stillness and atmosphere encountered. “The warm colors of the figures and canoe here are contrasted by the greys of the still water and surrounding landscape,” he says. “My models for this new oil were paddling in a small Midwestern river, and perfect for the landscape.”
Cody Oldham, Headstrong, oil, 12 x 10 in.
Additional artists to watch for are Cody Oldham and his epic 12-by-10-inch buffalo painting Headstrong; Gary Lynn Roberts’ 9-by-12-inch hunting scene It’s Your Lucky Day; W. Steve Seltzer’s 10-by-12-inch Prairie Prowlers, showing Native American hunters on horseback; and Daniel K. Tennant’s 10-by-12-inch farm piece First Snow.
Daniel K. Tennant, The First Snow, gouache, 10 x 12 in.
American Miniatures at Settlers West opens with a preview on Saturday, February 8, at 10 a.m., and continues with an opening reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by a fixed-price purchase draw at 7 p.m. Works will remain on display through March 1. —
Settlers West Galleries 6420 N. Campbell Avenue » Tucson, AZ 85718 » (505) 299-2607 » www.settlerswest.com
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