National Museum of Toys and Miniatures unveils new exhibit featuring dozens of regional mixed-media masterminds

One of sculptor Cesar Lopez’s submissions to the Local Artists Go Miniature exhibition. // Provided by Cesar Lopez.

This Friday, local artists will display their latest small-scale projects for the newest exhibition at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures [5235 Oak St]. 

The Local Artists Go Miniature exhibit will feature a variety of 2D and 3D artworks of any media from 29 contributors within a 60-mile radius. Tomorrow’s opening reception has sold out, but don’t worry, the exhibition will be available to the public until June 9, 2025. 

“It’s really interesting to walk into a miniature or a small-scale exhibition and then see the world through the eyes of these artists,” says Carlos Ortiz-Gallo, Curatorial Fellow for the exhibition. “It’s a special night for the artist, for the people involved and the people coming. It’ll be great.”

After receiving 127 submissions, Ortiz-Gallo and his team of jurors—Chris Toledo, Cristina Albu, Jill Downen, and Wolfe Brack—selected an array of creatives within a 60-mile radius. From a small-scale Art Deco bathroom to a tray of chips, salsa, and guacamole, porcelain thank you bags and more—artists were given free range but limited to no larger than 12 x 12 x 12.”

“We really wanted to look at the craftsmanship, the technicalities of the build, or the materials that they were using,” says Ortiz-Gallo. “We have a good range of very young artists who have just graduated and are mid-career artists. We even had a 90-year-old artist, which is fantastic.”

A segment of sculptor Cesar Lopez’s addition to the Local Artists Go Miniature exhibition. // Provided by Cesar Lopez.

One of the chosen artists, César Lopez, submitted three pieces that involve anodized aluminum, which has been treated to become more durable and vibrant. His work is often influenced by his early immigration to the United States and reflects the complexities of identity and belonging.

While this is Lopez’s first time having his work displayed at the Museum of Toys and Miniatures, his work has been exhibited across Kansas City, Chicago, Mexico City, New Orleans, and more. 

“That’s why I’m interested in the anodizing process. It permeates the material, rather than just sitting on the surface,” says Lopez. “It acts very much like the color of my skin, or even a lot of the political conditions as an immigrant in America. They’re more than a talking point. It’s really affecting the entirety of my life, and I think that is absolutely rooted in emotion and frustration.”

Other creatives, such as Aimee Garcia, crafted a 3D miniature version of Bert and Ernie’s apartment, two best friends, and live together on the beloved children’s show Sesame Street. 

Ortiz-Gallo says Garcia’s piece included specific details from the set and involved a mixture of 3D printing and using found objects to display the project successfully. 

“She’s a big Jim Henson fan and replicated Burt and Ernie’s apartment with a variety of techniques,” says Ortiz-Gallo. “She built some of the things with 3D printing and gathered found objects. It’s a wonderful, nostalgic piece looking back at Burt and Ernie sharing the moment.”

On Oct. 14, interdisciplinary artist Hùng Lê was interviewed about this piece, “Stitched Memories,” for a video that was published on the museum’s Youtube Channel. In the interview, Lê shares the process behind going from large-scale to small-scale projects.

“These works are very intimate for me. They’re kind of stitched on photographs of my family’s loved ones,” says Lê in the video. “It’s a meditative process and that’s another thing where the size became more intimate, where I was able to hold it and really capture it.”

Tomorrow’s event will include wine, beer, appetizers, and entertainment alongside a chance to view each individual’s artwork. Attendees will be able to look at the world through a smaller lens thanks to each of the 29 artists’ contributions to the exhibit.

More information about the event can be found here. The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. six days a week, and is closed on Tuesdays. Those interested in viewing the exhibit are encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time.

Selected Artists: 

Aimee Garcia

Alivia Haltom

Alyssa Sipe

April Pugh

Arlyn Johnson

Cary Esser

Celina Curry

César Lopez

Chandra Beadleston

Chandra Debuse

Dean Kube

Emily Blair Quinn

Eric Conrad

Hoseok Youn

Hùng Lê

Janet Hanna

John Eck

Kate Schroeder

Kelly Conner

Kendall Bolden

Kim Lindaberry

Kristina Panos

Mackenzie Fulmer

Melissa Guadalupe Wolf

Oscar Gutiérrez

Shawn Sanem

Sydney Pener

Thomas Mueller

Traci Furan