By KATE SNYDER

Community Arts Center

Something new is coming to the Community Arts Center. The Tiny Art Show is an all-new fundraising event that the Arts Center describes as a “one-day arts explosion.” The event will feature hundreds of small artworks in a variety of mediums including photography, oil painting, watercolors, fiber, glass, and ceramics. Each piece will be available for purchase for $20, but the show is being hung anonymously. Art-buyers will not know the identity of the artist until after they make their selection.

There is no charge to attend the event, and 100 percent of the proceeds from the sales will support the Arts Center’s mission of connecting people to art, culture and creativity. The event will feature live music by Travis Lee Kern, tiny snacks and craft beer and wine for sale. Guests can also bring dollar bills in any denomination and try their hand at origami art, transforming their currency into tiny three-dimensional sculptures.

“There’s just something about small artworks that is so appealing,” says Executive Director Niki Kinkade. “You don’t have to worry about whether they match your décor or if a piece will fit on a particular wall. You can purchase a bunch of them just because you love them, with no hesitation.”

Many of Danville’s well-known and well-loved local artists have embraced the project with enthusiasm. The Plein Air Artists of Central Kentucky hosted a working session in January during which members brainstormed ideas and started projects. Arts Center artist-in-residence David Farmer jumped on the tiny art bandwagon, producing half a dozen new paintings for the event.

“The small size of these pieces allows me to be spontaneous and creative,” says Farmer. “At the end of a day of painting, I would use the leftover paint on my palette to produce something small for the show. It was relaxing.”

The show has also caught the attention of regional artists, including Andee Rudloff of Bowling Green. Rudloff is the creative force behind the community mural on Third street, commissioned by the Heart of Danville.

Rudloff says her submission is “a nod to Martha and John Caywood, their kindness and the bold leadership of Heart of Danville in the push for public art.”

But it isn’t just professional artists who are creating artwork for the show.

“We wanted to make this event accessible to anyone who loves art and loves the Arts Center,” says Kinkade. This includes students in Arts Center classes, board members, and community leaders including City Commissioners Rick Serres and Kevin Caudill, Magistrate Jamey Gay, and Danville Fire Chief Ken Pflug. Commissioner Caudill says the event “sounded like a fun way to get out of my comfort zone a little or a lot. Plus I like to support the CAC and related arts activities when I can.”

Kinkade says community response to the event has been huge. “Once momentum starting building, the event just took off on its own. Now we’re receiving submissions of fantastic canvases from people who have never participated in Arts Center programming before, which is just fantastic.”

LuAnne Littlefield, principal of the Boyle County Alternative School, says her students have approached the project with gusto.

“Our kids often resist art,” she explains. “It requires kids to expose their weaknesses…that’s tough for kids who struggle in general. Tiny art is less intimidating and our kids are excited to participate.” 

IF YOU GO

The Tiny Art Show will be 6:30-8:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Community Arts center. Purchasing starts promptly at 7:30pm. A gallery of submitted artwork is viewable online at communityartscenter.net/tinyartgallery with new pieces being added daily through Feb. 22.