Live Miniature Painting with Kellie Sansone

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Kellie Sansone

Tiny little brushes. That's how Alexandria artist Kellie Sansone paints masterpieces on 2-inch square canvases — a fun piece of decor for any desk or mantle, and a truly unique Valentine's Day gift. 

Sansone will be painting new miniatures at the Made in ALX store in Old Town North on Sunday, Feb. 4 — and she is offering the opportunity for visitors to pre-order custom miniature paintings. Each original painting comes with a little easel. (Pre-order your mini here!)

Sansone has become known for her "minis" in the past few years, painting hundreds of them with items including food, pets, objects and landmarks. We asked her these five questions about her artistic endeavor.

When did you first start painting minis? 

I started in 2022. I was dealing with some painter's block and saw something about a 100-Day Project. I decided to paint 100 mini food paintings for the 100-Day Project. They were so fun to paint and people seem to love them, so I kept it up!

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Kellie Sansone

What's the smallest size you've done and what was it of? 

1 inch portraits! I've done both people and pets. 

What are the most popular miniature paintings? 

It's a tie between the food and pet portraits

What kind of brushes do you use? 

My favorite brushes are Princeton Mini Detailer Brushes

With art this small, what are your recommendations for placement so it's noticeable? 

They work best on some sort of display, such as a mini easel or a custom frame. I don't recommend hanging them on the wall, but they are perfect for a side table, bookshelf or mantle.