 | Sunday, February 13, 2022 | |  | Sunday, February 13, 2022 | | Hi, art lovers! | | | I’m thinking small this week, and it’s all because of a new reality show on CBC Gem. Best in Miniature premiered Friday, and like every creative competition series since the dawn of Project Runway, this one follows the standard format. Expect episodic challenges, dazzling creations cranked out at dizzying speed, and voice-overs that boast 3.2 dad jokes per minute.
The twist is right there in the title. This one’s about miniatures and the artists who make them. Their challenge: furnish every room in a custom dollhouse (which they’ve also built themselves, no big deal). The competitors hail from the U.K. and North America, and a few of the Canadians — of which there are many — may be familiar to you. Way back in 2018, CBC Arts met Calgary’s Tom Brown and made this video about the treats coming out of his tiny kitchen. More recently, CBC Nova Scotia profiled Truro-based artist Susan Mattinson. Or maybe — like more than 73,000 other horror fans — you’ve been following @monstresss (Susete Saraiva) forever.
If you need a few little teasers before starting the binge, here’s where you can watch the trailer. The show’s collected a batch of must-see moments from the show as well. Here’s more info on the series. | | | And because we promised you eye candy ... | | |  | @honey.thistle/Instagram | After watching the first episode of Best in Miniature, I got started on this story about mini makers and why they do the things they do. Toronto artist Wei Xu is included in the mix. She’s a big fan of animated films like Coraline, and looking at her minis it’s no wonder. They’re just a shade more whimsical than most of the ultrarealistic replicas you’ll find on Instagram. | | | | |  | @okay.minis/Instagram | | Aubrey Srnec is another Toronto-based miniaturist who features in the story. For a while, Aubrey was replicating everything in her tiny (full-size) apartment, right down to framed prints by other Toronto artists. (I see you, Secret Planet poster!) | | | | |  | @urthlings/Instagram | | Everyone in the article was interior-obsessed, but there are heaps of miniature artists who are big on exteriors instead. Tracy Ealdama is all about Canadian nostalgia, and I love how she pays homage to some of Toronto’s humbler disappearing landmarks. | | | | |  | Small Scale LA | | In the States, Kieran Wright is doing something similar with his project Small Scale LA. | | | | |  | @tinkysonntag/Instagram | | And then there are the miniaturists who install their stuff into actual storefronts — or whatever outdoor space they can hack. This teensy tongue-in-cheek installation is by Melbourne street artist Tinky. | | | | |  | @aleia/Instagram | | Finally, here is a miniature scene from the internet’s foremost snail enthusiast Aleia Murawski. Slime feeling those Valentine vibes. | | | | |  | @honey.thistle/Instagram | | | | | Want to make life more manageable? These miniature artists have found the answer. | | | | |  | levelFilm | | | | | Aline is a wild new biopic that is not about Céline Dion (but actually totally is). | | | | |  | Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images | | | | | | | How many have you heard of? | | |  | @suitecitywoman/Instagram | | I can’t wrap the newsletter without sharing this absolute gem of a mini-rug! See more from Roxanne on Best in Miniature. | | | | | Share this newsletter | | or subscribe if this was
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I’m Leah Collins, senior writer at CBC Arts. Until next time! | | | | | |
