The Mitchell Gallery’s latest exhibit showcases small art pieces made with bounds of big creativity.

Through December, the gallery — located at 425 Snug Alley in Old Town Eureka — is featuring diminutive art by local women artists, including Regina Case, Micki Flatmo, Susanna Gallisdorfer, Joan Gold, Georgia Long, Emma Miller, Dana Mitchell, Linda Mitchell, Natalie Mitchell, Theresa Oats, Kathy O’Leary, Nancy Rickard, Iris Schencke and Rachel Schlueter.“I’ve been wanting to feature small works in the gallery for a while, because it’s a small space and I want to exhibit as much work as possible,” said Linda Mitchell, gallery owner.

“December seemed like a good time,” she said, “because visitors may be looking for unique gifts during the holidays, and small work is generally more affordable than larger work. It’s also easier for collectors to find a space in their homes for smaller pieces.”

Most of the petite pieces in the Mitchell Gallery exhibit run between 5-by-7 inches and 12-by-16 inches. The show features paintings in a variety of mediums, as well as a few drawings, multimedia monoprints and ceramic pieces.

Small scale

Working in a smaller format can create a variety of challenges and opportunities for artists, Mitchell said.

“Because materials are more affordable and small pieces generally take less time to complete, an artist may feel more free to experiment, to try new things,” she said.

“Working large involves your whole body, and there’s a freedom to that, whereas working on a small canvas requires a tighter focus,” Mitchell said. “For me, personally, the challenge is to keep the work from feeling too confined and tight when I’m working small.”

Painter Kathy O’Leary, whose preferred mediums are acrylics and an oil paint/cold wax blend, says, “Working on small canvases lets me play. Larger pieces can be a little daunting because you’re using more paint and investing more time, so you’re more concerned with getting it right. I just try to have fun when I’m working small, and try to be more adventurous.”

She added, “Right now, I am doing more experimenting, trying out new ideas, with color, composition, mediums. … Working smaller gives me the opportunity to explore these ideas, learn what works, what I like, more quickly, so I can keep moving with my ideas. A failure on a small piece is easier to take and learn from than failure on a large piece that I have spent hours, perhaps days on.”

For plein air painter Nancy Rickard, creating on a compact scale fits right in when she is using pastels to paint on location at scenic outdoor spots.

“I am accustomed to working 8-by-10 or 5-by-7, which is comfortable to work with on the Humboldt landscape with its ever-changing light and weather,” Rickard said.

Painter Joan Gold says working in miniature is a great diversion.

“They keep me happily occupied during lulls between projects and exhibitions,” she said. “They are a delight to make, and also enable some virtuous recycling in my studio. Small scraps from bigger projects are a treasure chest of materials to play with. The world of care and responsibility and the news of the day fall away as I occupy myself with what is happening on the tiny format in front of me.”

Regina Case, who works in acrylics, says she also enjoys creating smaller pieces “because of its intimacy.”

She said, “When you work on a small piece, you are very close to it and sort of pulled into that small world. It’s also nice to produce pieces that are affordable to a wider range of people. The disadvantage is that I often spend nearly as much time trying to resolve a small work as I would on a larger painting.”

Rachel Schlueter, who has worked in oils for 25 years, says she decided to participate in the gallery’s small works exhibition because “making small-scale art means it’s more affordable and encourages shoppers to consider buying locally produced art for holiday gift giving.”

More work

Also on display at Mitchell Gallery this month are ceramic works by potters Dana Mitchell and Natalie Mitchell, the gallery owner’s daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

“Dana has been doing ceramics for several years, so her work is really accomplished, and Natalie is a beginner doing some fun, experimental work,” said Linda Mitchell.

The Mitchell Gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, call 707-497-9086 or email lindamitchellgallery@gmail.com.