Karon Cunningham 2012

Having just returned from a wonderful show in Milan, and with the exciting prospect of the international show season ahead of me it is so hard to think of anything else! Time is a thief and there is never enough of it to go around when you are trying so hard to be the best that you can be in the world of high quality miniatures (it doesn’t help being a slightly obsessive personality!)

Recent experience has however, led me to a significant change in my approach to what I do and how I propose to do it in the future. I do so enjoy the International side of my business and my web site www.karoncunningham.com has been very successful despite the limited time I have to give to it. I intend to spend all of my time concentrating on the International shows and investing in my web site, I have so much stock and nowhere near enough time to photograph it all to show the World. I guess that’s what you get for five years of intensive collecting! So, goodbye little shop on Pulteney Bridge in beautiful Bath, hullo the World wide web and not sleeping very well on long haul flights!

This is truly a major upheaval in my life, you don’t choose these things, they choose you! So, onward and upward! I intend to move my showroom to my

Cottage in Mile Elm, a little village just outside the town of Calne in Wiltshire. Very English and picturesque where I would be delighted to invite any collectors to come at any time to view my collection, (tea and cake always available)

My web site will expand to show the full range of stock that I carry as will my credit card balance as I book more International shows! In the future I intend to visit at least one of the Japanese fairs, perhaps two more American

Venues and anywhere else in the World where I can show the best British made Miniatures and find the finest locally made pieces to offer on my web site.

You know, if I had never got the bug for the International fairs, I would never have found Victoria Guerbos, Spanish maker of the finest Alabaster winged cherubs and other European Renaissance pieces, all of them exquisite! Or Joseph Adottaa, whom I met in Chicago with his serene reproduction Bronzes! So beautiful. Or even my latest trip to Milan where I first spotted Francesca Vernuccio who is lucky enough to be married to a professional taxidermist. She makes Trophy heads of Stags, wild boar and many other animals. Hubby checks everything she does to ensure the most authentic outcome, they have to be seen to be believed! 

So, who knows what else is out there just waiting for me to stumble across! If any of what I do is of interest to you where ever you are in the World, simply follow my blog link on my website, or sign up for my newsletter, which will in the future be available on a monthly basis.International fairs, I would never have found Victoria Guerbos, Spanish maker of the finest Alabaster winged cherubs and other European Renaissance pieces, all of them exquisite! Or Joseph Adottaa, whom I met in Chicago with his serene reproduction Bronzes! So beautiful. Or even my latest trip to Milan where I first spotted Francesca Vernuccio who is lucky enough to be married to a professional taxidermist. She makes Trophy heads of Stags, wild boar and many other animals. Hubby checks everything she does to ensure the most authentic outcome, they have to be seen to be believed!

New Contact details:
Karon Cunningham Miniatures
Milestone Cottage
Mile ELm
Calne
Wiltshire
SN11 0NE

Land line: 01249 815482
Moblie: 07867 522 162

minis@karoncunningham.com
www.karoncunningham.com

Recent shows attended

The show season’s started well with the Milan Miniaturitalia in February despite the snow!!
The weather chose that particular weekend to cover the southern half of Italy with 6 foot of snow, spectacular to see on the Italian news but not for those wanting to travel up to Milan for a weekend of miniatures.
However, there was still a good turnout of visitors, I guess nothing is going to stop the die-hard collector from their hobby, even 6 feet of snow!!

I spent a large part of the weekend chatting with my fellow exhibitors. On one side was Mika Matsuda form Japan with her exquisite porcelain and glass, and on the other were Este van Niekerk and her sister of Tiny Treasures from South Africa who made typical African items such as masks and soapstone animals.

I met Francesca Vernuccio from Florence who made animal trophy heads and antlers mounts. She told me that her husband is a taxidermist and advises her on the realism of the posses and colouring, a bit like quality control! I bought a number of them back and they are on my website now.
The Arnhem show in Holland was a great chance to see some of the most interesting miniatures produced by Dutch artists as well as artists from many other countries. Including Jeanet Dekker and her friend Han Goergen.
Jeanne makes vintage looking bears and she has a fine eye for making them look well loved and slight dog earred round the edges. I mean that in the nicest possible way, these are my firm favourite at the moment. 

The following weekend I took part in the 2nd Potuguese show in Lisbon. The venue was the Escola Nautica situated on the waterfront with a great view of the Tagus River. Fatima Cruz, the organiser had the event publisized on the local television station twice over the 3 days and again the show was inundated with people curious to see what this hobby was all about. The buzz of excited visitors carried on all weekend until late Sunday evening.

2 new exhibitors were there from Spain, Syretta Edwards and her friend Anabela Menocal.

Syretta’s beautifully presented stand of bathroom and bedroom accessories in delicate shades of pink, blue

and lemon is always a delight on the eye.

Anabela’s variety of mannequins and handmade hats and clothing were wonderful.

As we were in a school room it wasn’t surprising when someone drew on the blackboard!

Can you tell who the culprits were?

I meet Alicia of Aligra dolls again, she had made a group of children and this young girl sat in bed reading too my eye!

Despite how badly their economy is doing at the moment, the show was successful.

During my visit I also had the chance to try one of their famous desserts, Anabela Castelåo kindly took me to Pasteis de Belem.

The coffee house is in the factorybuilding dating back to 1837, decorated with traditional blue & white wall tiles.

The Pasteis de Belem is a kind of light custard tart, very tasty!

I am now packing for the next show in a couple of weeks. The big one in the whole calendar – Chicago International on Friday 20th – 22nd April’12. I don’t know what I’m more excited about, being there as an exhibitor for the first time or having another chance to purchase some more amazing miniatures!!!!

I will report back when I return, so please check back here later.
Bye for now.
Karon

Miniatures featured on the Daily Mail website

Miniatures featured on the Daily Mail website , for those of you who Didn’t see it here is the web link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2062269/Marvellous-miniatures-display-dolls-house.html

It all started a couple of weeks ago when I was contacted by a photographer working for the press association who wasked if he could visit my shop and take some photographs of my miniatures. They would be used in conjunction with an article written by one of the national newspapers.

The photographer arrived one afternoon, on his arrival he commented that he wouldn’t be very long and just needed a few shots. But he stayed several hours and took a wide range of photos, he said he was so impressed with the quality and high standard of accuracy,. He said he thought it was going to be the sort of miniatures you buy for children as a toy and was definately convinced otherwise.

Not what he expected to see at all. At one point during the afternoon he disappeared into Bath and returned with a box of Quality Street and a chocolate cupcake.

He said the miniatures were so realistic that without something of full size to use as a comparison no one would believe they were tiny.

At the end of his visit he left behind the chocolates and cupcake, well who can resist a sugar fix?

A few days later I was contacted by a reporter asking for more information and said it would be appearing on the Daily Mail website that evening.

It’s great to see the world of miniatures getting such great publicity and to read the comments left by readers.

I hope you enjoy the article too.

Karon

Discount on all Hand Made Miniatures

To celebrate another year on Pulteney Bridge, I am offering a 10% discount on all hand made miniatures available on the website and in the shop. But hurry, this won’t be on for long!!

Take a look at www.karoncunningham.com

Portugal 2011

Fatima Cruz and her husband Fernando worked extremely hard to stage
Portugal’s first international miniatures’ fair in Alges near Lisbon.

It was a 3 day affair and the first visitor’s through the door on Friday were a TV crew from their first national station, you can’t get better publicity that that!!

It certainly worked; I’ve never seen so many people visit a fair before. On Sunday afternoon there were so many that it brought the hall to a standstill as people queued to view the selling stands and the exhibition.

Fatima set up a separate room to display numerous houses from her own collection and that of fellow collector Fernando Cunha. People could look and ask questions, a really good way of highlighting the hobby.

There were exhibitors from Spain, France and England alongside Portugal. I meet up with many friends from Spain who go to the Madrid fairs and one online customer, Maria Luisa. It was great to meet face to face instead of through the written word.

A fellow Brit, Angie Scarr was there demonstrating how to use her canes. She also brought along some of her new designs for the first time.

I’m so please the fair was a success especially when so much effort was clearly put into its organisation. Fatima is planning on holding her 2nd fair next year. Watch out for the dates on my show listing!

Miniatures Show season – Great fun

It’s been a while, time is a thief! over the past couple of months it seems I have barely been in one place for more than two days!

 Miniatura

I went to the Spring Miniatura show in March as a visitor, what a change to be on the other side of the ‘counter’.  I had all day to browse through the stands and catch up with lots of friends and collegues and I made some new valuable contacts.

One being Nicola Croad from Oak Tree Dolls House Miniatures based in Bridgewater, Somerset; who produces the most impressive range of foodstuffs, cheese, vegetables and fruit.  I was really pleased to find such a high quality maker.

One of the unexpected benefits of going to Miniature shows and exhibitions is the things you learn.  For example, I met Carol Cook, who introduced me to Costrels from the Tudor period.  I had never heard of a Costrel but now I know.  A Costrel is in fact a leather flask for carrying mild ale to your place of work.  As there was no water purification system in place at this time, drinking water was dangerous so ale, beer and wine were drunk instead. Interesting isn’t it! 

I bought so much that it took 3 people to carry it all back to my car.

Arnhem Poppenhuisstad

Arnhem, what a lovely venue.  The Church in the middle of this Dutch town is a perfect place to hold such an event. 

 I was lucky enough to be next to John & Pauline Kilner of No.1 Elite Designs.  I was so impressed by his handmade oak presentation boxes that I asked him to make me some to display in my shop window.

One of the benefits of being a British exhibitor was that we were invited to an evening buffet.  Ours was the noisy table (just enough wine!).  It was a pleasure to chat to Pat Kay, Jamie Carrington, Janet Kirkwood and Sarah Hubbard from the Dolls House & Miniature Scenes magazine and Helena of Solway Miniature.  It was a really enjoyable evening, we all finished the night of with a cup of coffee with Bob Willians and Jens Torp.

Chicago International Show

I just had time to unpack my bag on arriving home, then I was off th Tom Bishop’s world reknowned Chicago International show.  Last year I missed it because of the volcano, so I was determined to make it this year regardless of a threatening tornado which closed O’Hare airport on the sunday the day before I was due to travel home.

The show was such a pleasure and again I met some wonderful makers.  Joseph Addotta’s exquisite bronze statues,  Jane Graber’s beautifully glazed pottery, Isako’s Japanese and Chinese furniture are just the tip of the iceberg of different and unusual miniatures I brought back.  Many of them will be on my website as soon as I’ve taken photos.

Home on Tuesday, away to Angela Jones’ show in Spain on Friday. Exhausting!!  (But great fun)

Angela Jones’ Spanish show

Angela’s second show in Spain was moved from Valencia to Benidorm on the Costa Blanca.  Again it was a pleaure to meet old friends and practice my poor Spanish.  Benidorm is a much maligned resort, however, in mid April the sun shime was lovely and the sea front and beach very inviting.  All round a fun time.

I was home for Easter to enjoy an early spell of warm weather and now I’m packing for a flight to Denmark on Friday to attend the Farum show. 

Bye for now

Karon

Madrid International Miniatures Exposition

I’ve just returned and recovered from exhibiting at the Madrid show organised by Angela Jones.

I was very excited to take part as this was the first show I’ve been to after my 6 months break while I was unwell.

It was great to see some regular faces not only from fellow exhibitors but customers as well.  The atmosphere was bubbling with chatter as well groomed Spanish ladies bustled around the room greeting friends with lots of cheek kissing and waving of arms.

Angela’s show attracts a wide range of miniatures from stands selling diy materials and furniture kits to handmade work from artists such as Jose Gomez, Victoria Guerbos and Taller Targioni.

My Spanish is improving slowly and my pronunciation of numbers can be better understood.  I do find it easier when immersed amongst Spanish people to learn new words instead of in a classroom environment.  I had some great translation help from my fellow exhibitors; there was always someone willing to help you.

I took along a few different miniature pieces this time including the exquisite dog and cat designs by Sarah Hendry of  Pocket People, her new Chihuahua design was greatly admired, as were her Labrador and Persian Cats.

Spanish history doesn’t have definitive periods when it comes to furniture like we have in England with Tudor, Georgian, Victorian etc, so knowing what style of furniture to take is always a gamble.  June Wright’s aged Country Furniture was received well, her large dressers and sink units are striking pieces for any kitchen.

Mirrors by Alan Barnes and Lucy Askew speak for themselves in quality and desire. As does the beautifully hand painted pewter ware from Victoria Fasken.

I had a chance to look around the fair on Sunday and purchase a few pieces to bring home.

Victoria Guerbos had a wonderfully selection of babies and dolls of which I took too immediately. 

Also Montserrat Folch has created a range of miniatures celebrating personal correspondence, including bundles of letters tied with ribbon, an old biscuit tin holding sepia photographs, Scrolls, boxes of valentine cards and a dried rose held in yellowing letter.

I met up again with Pilar Alen, a talented lady who makes vintage style jugs painted and decorated with flower designs.  Unbelievably they are made from thin card but once decorated and

with a coat of varnish they could be mistaken for enamelware.  Her hat box sets are also remarkable, card based again but the attention to detail in the makeup and the scale of the patterns used produces a desirable product.

All these new pieces will be featuring on my website soon, please click on the link  www.karoncunningham.com

Now I’ve got the 1^st show of the year under my belt, I’m looking forward to the next one which will be The Arnhem show on 28^th March 2011.