Cape Fear Studios Miniature Sculpture and Art Challenge exhibit will be on display through Aug. 22 in the Main Gallery, located at 148 Maxwell Street in Fayetteville.
The exhibit is an interesting and unique collection of mini artworks from local artists.
The exhibit was judged by local professional artist Leslie Pearson, who selected the two Best of Show Awards — one for 3D sculpture and one for 2D art.

Amber Tyler-Elliott was awarded Best of Show 2D for her Intaglio (print making) “Air Potato Leaf Beetle.” Austin Sheppard was awarded Best of Show 3D for his cast bronze, found object piece “Self-Contained Man.”

“I really appreciated the opportunity to jury this miniature exhibition,” Pearson said.

“As someone who prefers to work on a larger scale, it’s inspiring to see the quiet restraint that can be achieved in miniature,” she said. “Each painting and sculpture require the viewer to get up close and personal with the work.”

Sheppard’s piece was the winner of the 3-D category.

“I was drawn to the small figure of a man weighted by chains. A powerful visual that will no doubt resonate with many people.”

“Amber Tyler-Elliott, the 2-D winner’s postage-stamp sized print of an Air Potato Leaf Beetle, an invasive species, is the perfect example of how an artist can speak volumes within the confines of a small space — this beetle alters plant communities by displacing native species, and changing community structure,” Pearson said.w

“Perhaps this is a commentary on our current grappling with AI or other perceived threats. Overall, the exhibition is a treat for Fayetteville to enjoy.”

Pearson is a multimedia artist who pursues art as a studio artist, community arts advocate and educator. In 1998, Pearson earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Southeast Missouri State University.

She was the Assistant Director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and co-curator of Gallery 100 and the Lorimier Gallery in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In 2000, she earned a master’s degree in Museum Studies at Newcastle University in England and completed an internship at the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art in Sunderland, United Kingdom.

In 2011, she earned an Master of Fine Arts in Textile Design at East Carolina University’s School of Art and Design in Greenville, North Carolina.
Pearson has taught at various colleges and universities and served on the Board of Trustees at the Arts Council of Fayetteville Cumberland County, and on the Board of Directors for the Surface Design Association.
Pearson exhibits her work nationally and internationally.

For more information on the Miniature Sculpture and Art Challenge exhibit, visit www.capefearstudios.com or call 910-433-2986.