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A curious structure about two metres tall is sitting in Kiana Simmons’s Ottawa apartment, blocking the front entrance. It’s filled with miniature ceramics, paintings, paper works and even a tiny wreath of dried flowers.
The artist runs the Ottawa Miniature Gallery (OMG) — a diminutive three-storey building used to display small-scale art in public spaces around the city — and they’re preparing for an exhibit opening Friday in the gift shop of the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG).
Dozens of artists responded to the call for submissions and have been dropping off their mini art for the show, and Simmons has been sorting and tagging the pieces.
“It’s really special for these people to trust you with their beautiful little artworks,” they say.
Tiny veggies
Simmons began making miniatures themself — small food and other detailed pieces formed out of polymer clay — as a hobby. They had been looking for a creative outlet after moving to Ottawa from Waterloo, Ont., in 2020 to work a desk job in urban planning and climate change mitigation.
Kiana Simmons sits with one of their miniature creations. (Courtesy Kiana Simmons)
“It was work that didn’t feel fulfilling to me,” they say. “I’m someone with a lot of energy. I like having all these little projects.”
Simmons soon started holding workshops and launched a platform called Miniature Veg, where people can sign up for the classes and buy the artist’s products. Last February, Simmons quit their nine-to-five job.
“It’s scary, but it’s joyful,” they say. “I have work that really taps into my creative side.”
After moving back to Waterloo and taking time off to travel, Simmons returned to Ottawa, wondering what their next chapter would hold. And that’s when Jennifer Anne Kelly — who founded the OMG in 2022 — asked if they’d like to take over the project. Simmons says it was serendipity.
Carrying the mini torch
The December exhibition is the miniature gallery’s first show since June, which coincidentally is when Simmons first met the manager of the OAG Shop, Kelly Dixon, at a seasonal mini market.
“I got to see how much our guests delighted in these tiny creations,” Dixon says.
And when Simmons reached out about a collaboration, Dixon knew it would be a good fit: the store aims to showcase local creators, and miniatures make ideal holiday gifts.
Miniature glow-in-the-dark vases by artist Selen Kaplan. (Courtesy Selen Kaplan)‘I forget everything in the world’
Among the artists showing work is Ottawa ceramicist Selen Kaplan, who moved to Canada from Turkey in 2020 and first shared her miniatures with the OMG three years ago.
She had studied ceramic art in Turkey and always loved creating works with clay, but lacked the space for a studio.
“One day, I discovered tiny pottery on social media,” she says. “It inspired me.”
Artist Selen Kaplan holds one of her miniature vases. (Courtesy Selen Kaplan)
Kaplan bought a wheel and began making mini pots at home. “People love them,” she says. “I felt happy creating again. That’s how my miniature journey began.”
And the work offers a sense of peace for her. “I love the details — small, delicate forms,” she says. “I like the challenge of creating something so small but meaningful. I forget everything in the world.”
For the show, Kaplan made glow-in-the-dark vases, inspired by an article she read about glowing succulent plants.
Her takeaway is simple: “When they see my miniatures, they are smiling. I love seeing that.”
Simmons hopes visitors will also leave the show with a sense of wonder.
“It can inspire people to be creative in different ways,” they say. “You don’t always have to make something huge for it to be a masterpiece.”
The Ottawa Miniature Gallery will be on display in the OAG Shop at 50 Mackenzie King Bridge in Ottawa until Jan. 30.