Miniature artist Ann Cooper to debut Christmas lanterns Dec. 2
Local miniature artist Ann Cooper will debut a collection of one-of-a-kind Christmas lanterns with holiday scenes featuring Ellen Rice paintings and local details in miniature from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Ellen Rice Gallery in Ocean View. The public is invited to the exhibit and to peruse Rice's work and all the American handmade works of the local, regional and nationally collected artisans represented by the gallery. Hot apple cider, and holiday cakes and cookies will be served.
"Ann's debut non-seasonal lanterns with miniature scenes featuring my paintings in September was nearly a sellout," said Ellen Rice. "She wound up taking still more orders for them after the show. People will need to come early to see all of her Christmas creations. They're quintessential Ann Cooper – intricately detailed, warm, beautiful little worlds, like contained dollhouses that make you want to shrink down and go inside and sit by the flickering fireplace or beautifully decorated and lit Christmas tree. I think they'll sell out quickly."
Cooper said, "These lanterns are designed to celebrate the beauty of Ellen's art, but also the beauty and traditions of my favorite season." Each includes a special lighted feature such as flickering candles on the mantel or a flickering fire in the fireplace, a lighted tree with framed miniature Ellen Rice paintings all around or lighted chandeliers and lamps to bring extra warmth. There are also fully stocked cabinets and tables decorated with tiny local details, and even puppies and kittens by the fireside or rocking chair.
"You have to spend time looking closely at these to spot all the extra touches, like handmade books and magazines, photos and found objects on tables and in bookcases, many with poignant references on them," said Rice. "You can't see it all at a glance."
Cooper is a retired teacher who has a lifelong fascination with dollhouses and miniatures. She creates displays in a 1:12 scale that evoke the happy and peaceful moments of life. She tells the story of each lantern with the details, from hand painting and antiquing the furniture to adding things like books and record albums, miniature bottles of sand from favorite beaches, bowls of shells and vases with flowers found by the sea.
Rice, an internationally collected coastal Delaware artist, has been painting the coastal region where she lives, as well as portraits and inspirational paintings since 1962. For more information, go to ellenrice.gallery or call 302-539-3405.
The Ellen Rice gallery is a female artist-owned gallery entering its 19th year in the greater Bethany area. It is at 111 Atlantic Ave., Route 26, Ocean View, 2.2 miles west of Bethany Beach on the north side of the road. It is in Coastal Plaza diagonally across the street from Lord Baltimore Elementary School (look for the red shutters and verdigris butterfly benches out front).
