Some mini art pieces were being bought during the show, each priced at $100, marked with small red stickers.
Victoria Haneline |Marlin Chronicle
Art, or at least owning art, is a hobby for the rich. Paintings, sculptures and many forms of traditional art require an immense amount of skill and time, and are priced appropriately. Unfortunately, this puts owning many pieces of art out of reach for the general public—or at least, that is the common conception.
The Garage, a small art-focused business, is attempting to change that. On Nov. 23, they held an event called “Mighty Minis.” 67 artists, including students at VWU, presented three artworks each, priced at $100 each. The canvas looked to be about six inches across and was square. This was the second such event, following a smaller one held earlier.
“It was the biggest event—people freaked out,” Jessa DuQuette, the owner of The Garage, said.
Sarah Richards, a junior double major in Psychology and Art, had pieces at the event. She is also an illustrator for the Marlin Chronicle.
A wall of the mini art displays at the Mighty Minis art show with Sarah Richards’ pieces lined vertically on the right.
Isabella Grosswiler |Marlin Chronicle
“I tried to think about what would be meaningful to me, but also what would look good on display,” Richards said. The pieces were made specifically for the exhibit, and this is Richard’s second exhibit. She presented alongside artists like Mia Guile and other established artists in the area.
Walking around the exhibit at 7:00 p.m., just half an hour after the exhibit opened, a significant portion of the artworks were sold, maybe about half.
The Garage was perhaps a bit cramped for such a big event. DuQuette said that she had originally planned for 25 artists but wanted to take all 67. The interior of the space was rather above capacity.
However, there was a spillover area outside with fires that was quite pleasant, although cold, and the overall atmosphere was friendly. The artworks themselves were quite impressive, especially for the relatively low price point.
“Everything she has done here is just magical,” Cathy Hyland, a volunteer at the event who is friends with DuQuette, said about The Garage. She estimated that she knew over half of the attendees at the event at the time of our speaking.
“You never know who you’re going to meet,” Hyland said. She praised this event and The Garage as great places to meet fellow creatives.
DuQuette said she founded The Garage as “an inclusive space” where anyone could show their art. Especially, she said, women who were starting an art career.
“I turned 40 and got my first mural and changed my life,” DuQuette said about her start as an artist and her inspiration for founding The Garage. She didn’t receive support for her desire for art: “Nobody said I could do it.” The Garage is a place where people say that you can do it.
The art displayed was generally rather competent, with some especially stand-out pieces, almost all of which sold in the first hour of the exhibit being open. There were a lot of people there to support specific artists, like friends and family, but there were also quite a few aficionados looking to buy art at a reasonable price. The two groups seemed to have significant overlap.
The exhibit stayed up past opening for several days, which is something one could keep in mind if they wanted to see the art pieces without the crushing crowd and weren’t necessarily looking to buy anything for future events.
However, opening day has a certain appeal to those who either want to buy their choice of artwork or to meet other artists and aren’t afraid of crowds.
Many of the artists were in the crowd outside, warming themselves by the fire and more than willing to talk about the pieces they’d created for this exhibit. The event was impressive from a networking perspective, the “art district” in the area, as Hyland named it, coming out.
The Garage as an initiative is admirable, supporting people who need it in pursuing art, and it is a welcoming space. The people were friendly—DuQuette chatted with passing artists and patrons by name during our chat—and authentic. Open fires helped combat the cold, and aside from the crowds the event was quite enjoyable.
The Garage is located at 1703 Mediterranean Ave. and posts on Instagram at @thegaragevb, for those looking to find them.
By Victoria Haneline
