Microcosms

Collector's Focus: Small Works & Miniatures

Introduction by Chelsea Koressel

As we move through the world in our modern era, the bigger or “splashier” something is, the more we’re impacted and drawn in. So much so that we forget to slow down and notice the microcosms that are also significant to ourselves and our world. We often neglect seeing the beauty in the small and unassuming, greatly diminishing our chances of finding a deeper appreciation.

Principle Gallery, The Artist’s Delusion, oil on panel, 10 x 8 in., by Michael T. Davis.

This is also the case when it comes to working “small” in the artworld. “A small painting is a great opportunity to create a large world,” Principle Gallery artist Michael T. Davis so eloquently states. “[When working small], the artist is inviting the viewer to come in closer, to put on blinders and block out the chaos of the day. They become engrossed in the intimacy and grandeur of the world that was created. It’s like having a private conversation between the artist and viewer where maybe a few secrets will be shared.”

Davis continues, “A large painting can capture and keep your attention just by the mere size of it. A smaller painting keeps your attention by slowly revealing itself to you. It’s an intimate experience for both the artist and viewer. I think we have a natural tendency to like small things. Model airplanes, toy trains and dollhouses fascinate us. They open your imagination and create a new reality. Miniature paintings do the same thing. They offer a new and exciting place to exist for a bit. They are catalysts for your own imagination.”

33 Contemporary, The Secret, oil on wood panel, 12 x 12 in., by Emma Foster.

Portraiture, like Davis’ painting The Artist’s Delusion (measuring only 10 by 8 inches), is great genre for an artist to practice working smaller, much like the Old Masters. The title plays with a phrase Davis heard a lot in school: “The Artist’s Dilemma.” What do you paint? What do you say? Who wants to hear it?

“This piece started with a simple thought that flashed before my eyes while working on another painting,” Davis shares. “Birds and planes locked in an aerial dogfight swirling around my head. Individually, birds and planes consistently appear in my work—sometimes symbolically and sometimes aesthetically. Here they are both. Visually, I liked the swirling composition and movement they created. Symbolically, I liked the idea of the artist blissfully flying into the sunset through a battle of their imagination waiting for inspiration to land. I tend to like working small. When you work either smaller or larger than life, you are establishing that this world is subject to your rules and the viewer’s interpretation.”

33 Contemporary artist, Emma Foster, also demonstrates her skills in a small two-figure portrait titled The Secret,measuring 12 by 12 inches. While Foster works in different sizes, many of her oil paintings are smaller in scale and depict her favorite subject matter—the female figure, intertwined with flora and fauna.

Top: Altamira Fine Art, Cloud Form #1, oil on panel, 12 x 12 in., by Jivan Lee; Altamira Fine Art, Flight on Textured Sky, oil on linen panel, 8 x 12 in., by David Grossman. Bottom: Altamira Fine Art, Afternoon Barn with Holsteins, oil on canvas, 9 x 12 in., by Mary Roberson; Dylan Martinez, Bubble Fish Trio, glass, 12 x 6 x 4 in. (approx. each piece).

“This portrait was created after working on a commissioned piece of these two beautiful girls,” the artist notes. “Whilst the commissioned work was staged and arranged, and photos were taken to depict a planned vision, this snapshot was taken of the two girls in their own little childhood world of laughter and hushes. It was such a sweet moment, depicting everything I can remember about being this age.”

Continue reading for more insights from galleries and artists creating small works of art.

“Small works invite intimacy, encouraging us to pause and notice the subtleties within,” echoes Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art owner, Deborah Fritz. In this section, three of the gallery's artists demonstrate how powerful this genre can be. Rebecca Haines draws inspiration from the animal world, seeing creatures as messengers and mirrors that guide us toward deeper self-awareness. Her small works reveal quiet revelations, reminding us of our interconnectedness with nature. Mary Alayne Thomas is inspired by fleeting natural wonders—flowers in bloom, the sweetness of fruit or a passing bird. Through layered watercolor and encaustic, she creates dreamlike images where fragility and resilience coexist. Justin Wheatley finds inspiration in the clarity of early morning. His work preserves those fleeting moments of calm, offering balance and reflection before the day begins. Together, these artists show that scale does not define significance.

Dylan Martinez, Chasing Ghosts, glass, 6 x 6 in. round (approx. each piece). Dylan Martinez, Water Balloons, glass, 4½ x 3½ x 3½ in. (approx. each piece).

“One of the most commonly given pieces of advice for new collectors is to start small,” says Altamira Fine Art director, Kimberly Duncan. “Investing in smaller versions of your favorite artists’ work is not only budget-friendly but provides an access point to appreciating original art, is flexible in installation, and may be a unique gift idea for a loved one. For artists, these smaller works provide an opportunity to be spontaneous, test out a new idea or refine a technique to prepare them for other works. The selection of small works from Altamira Fine Art are beautiful examples of such pieces, studies of elements our collectors can see in their larger works.”

Small works to look for at Altamira include Jivan Lee’s Cloud Form #1, David Grossman’s Flight on Textured Sky and Mary Roberson’s Afternoon Barn with Holsteins.

In 2003, Aleta Pippin’s passion for painting became realized. “I continued to fine-tune my technique and found my voice as an abstract artist,” the artist says. “Color has been my driving force, along with my childhood impressions and passion for the Coachella Valley desert where I grew up. Those memories expressed themselves into my paintings, showing up as color, freedom and energetic movement.”

Top: Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art, With Each Revelation, oil on panel, 24 x 18 in., by Rebecca Haines; Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art, Spring with a Strawberry in its Mouth, watercolor finished with encaustic, 18 x 14 in., by Mary Alayne Thomas; Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art, Early Bird, acrylic on panel, 24 x 12 in., by Justin Wheatley. Bottom: Aleta Pippin, Sentinel, the Protector, available as an edition on canvas or acrylic designer series, 12 x 12 in. ; Christopher Phillips, Red Massey, oil on board, 14 x 18 in.

When collecting small works, like Pippin’s Sentinel, The Protector and Intertwined, she says, “My advice is to pick something that really speaks to you. Don’t think of it as just filling a little spot on the wall or staying within a budget. A small piece can carry a big presence and often gives you a real feel for the artist’s voice. If it resonates with you, it’ll bring joy every time you see it—and that’s what makes it worth having in your collection.”

Storytelling is central to Christopher Phillips’ artistic practice. He believes that beyond visual appeal, a meaningful concept—whether boldly expressed or subtly embedded—is what gives artwork its emotional depth and lasting impact. “In my paintings, I seek to reflect the beauty and creativity of God as Creator, drawing inspiration from the marvels of His creation,” Phillips says. “My landscapes weave together natural elements, spiritual themes and symbolic imagery to invite contemplation and personal connection. While the idea of visual cues is enamoring, the intention is for each piece is to remain open to interpretation, allowing viewers to discover their own narrative and connection within the work.” Ultimately, each painting, even Phillips’ small works: Red Massey, Old Friends and Sleepy Porches, is an “exploration of faith, story and the unseen layers that shape our world.”

When purchasing small artwork, Phillips says, “Seek pieces that resonate with you on a personal level—those that evoke emotion and invite reflection. Art that transcends visual appeal and offers meaning tends to hold deeper significance over time. When art connects to you, it becomes more than decoration—it becomes part of your story.”

Aleta Pippin, Intertwined, available as an edition on canvas or acrylic designer series, 12 x 12 in.; Christopher Phillips, Old Friends, oil on board, 16 x 12 in. ; Christopher Phillips, Sleepy Porches, oil on aluminum, 12 x 16 in.

Dylan Martinez’s practice with glass begins with the simplest of objects. In a glass medium, these everyday forms become uncanny: both real and unreal, playful and fragile, ephemeral yet enduring. “The Bubble Fish Water Bags and Glass Water Balloons speak to impermanence—a breath of childhood suspended in solid form,” Martinez says. “The Pac-Man Gang in Chasing Ghosts reanimates nostalgia, transforming flat pixels into luminous phantoms that shimmer with memory and light.”

The scale of Martinez's pieces is deliberate. “Smallness asks for intimacy,” he says. “It slows the encounter. When a sculpture fits in the palm of the hand or occupies only a modest corner of vision, the act of seeing becomes charged. Light refracts, distortions flicker, and the line between truth and illusion thins. In these small works, the monumental resides not in size but in perception—a reminder that wonder often begins in the quietest of spaces.”