Dunedin Fine Art Center balances small and big exhibits this winter

The Miniature Art Society of Florida will be invading Dunedin soon.

According to Ken Hannon, vice president and chief operating officer at Dunedin Fine Art Center, it always seems like an invasion when the society annual competition opens for exhibit at the facility.

This year’s annual exhibition will open Sunday, Jan. 14, and will continue through Sunday, Feb. 4, at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin.

“Though the works are tiny, the crowds are huge,” said George Ann Bissett, president of DFAC. “There’s obviously something magical about these small works.”

Approximately 700 works of art will be shown, including the society’s permanent collection of more than 100 miniatures. Entries from around the world and across the country provide a wonderful diversity of subject matter and framing techniques.

In addition to the works on display, starting Monday, Jan. 15 through the end of the show, artists from England, Canada and many U.S. states including Florida will be on hand to demonstrate and discuss their techniques.

The Miniature Art Society of Florida was founded in 1974 in Clearwater. The organization encourages artists to become involved in the exciting world of miniaturism. It seeks to broaden the awareness of the public and collectors to the delicate beauty and refinement of this venerable art form. MASF scholarship efforts assist talented young artists of the future. MASF is a 501(c)3 organization. Donations made to the society are tax deductible.

For information about MASF, visit www.miniature-art.com.

DFAC hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.

Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and older and veterans, and $5 for students with valid identification. DFAC and MASF members along with students 12 and younger will be admitted for free.

While much of the gallery will be focused on small works, with the recent expansion and the addition of two additional gallery spaces DFAC is able to “go big” at the same time. Catherine Bergmann, DFAC’s curatorial director, likes to pair visiting exhibits with local offering in the same theme. This is often a delightful coupling and this year’s “Big Eyes” is no exception.

In this all-media juried exhibit, artists use Margaret Keane’s big-eyed waif paintings of children and animals from the 1960s as a point of departure for their own present-day variation on the theme.

The exhibit also opens Jan. 14 and continues through Feb. 18. Admission is free with admission to the 43rd annual International Miniature Art Exhibition opening the same day at DFAC.

DFAC to host Coffee & Conversation with Maureen McDole

The Sterling Society of DFAC will host its next Coffee & Conversation session on Thursday, Jan. 11, noon, at DFAC, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin.

Admission is $5. DFAC members are admitted for free.

Maureen McDole will be talking about being a poet and the growth of her organization of Keep St. Pete Lit and St. Pete’s art scene. She will read selections of her poems and also have a question and answer session with the audience.

McDole was born in St. Petersburg. She is a direct descendant of carnies, carpenters and fishermen. This do-it-yourself ethos in her DNA infuses every area of her life. As far back as she can remember she loved to write. Her first book of poems, “Exploring My Options,” came out in 2006.

In December 2008, McDole graduated from USF-St. Petersburg with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. Her second poetry book, “Longing for the Deep End,” was released in December 2011. McDole is currently working on her third collection of poems. Her poetry has been set in a variety of different ways including: film, dance, spoken word, art installations, Sprechstimme, and traditional vocal works.

McDole is the recipient of St. Petersburg Art Alliance’s 2016 MUSE Award for Literary Arts. She is also the VP of Friends of the Mirror Lake Library. Maureen has been leading workshops and speaking about creativity for over 15 years. She founded Keep St. Pete Lit because she believes wholeheartedly in the power of literature to change the world.

For information, call 727-298-3322 or visit www.dfac.org.