It was a long time coming, but finally the Rugby Miniaturists were able to exhibit their annual project at the Autumn Miniatura Show. Like everyone they were disappointed when the two previous shows had to be postponed but delighted when this year’s show went ahead.
Every year they come up with a joint project to display at the Autumn Show. The group of miniature model makers had been working on a street of French apartments, with every balcony telling a story. Their Parisian scene comprised of four shops, each with two apartments above it, along with narrower buildings in between, housing a lift or stairwell that joined the apartments together.
Tony Ovenden, husband of Liz, was given the job of constructing the four shops, eight apartments and two entrance ways. They then spent a few months on designing and making the windows and patio doors. Unfortunately, the start of Covid and lockdown put an end to their regular meet ups. But determined that wouldn’t stop them, the continued meeting online with zoom meetings and have managed to continue on zoom right through lockdown.
Yvonne Rollins, Chair of the group designed a kit for them to create a French kiosk and turn it into any kind of kiosk they wanted. They came up with kiosks selling bags and scarves, newspapers and take-away foods. All the members then could really go to town on designing their own particular balcony, shop, kiosk or area of the street. Each coming up with a theme and characters which showed a snapshot of their characters’ lives.
The group enjoyed the challenge of creating their scenes. Amongst them was a woman surrounded by bird cages and budgerigars; also an artist at work, two elaborately dressed ladies, a group of people having a dinner party; also a cat lady surrounded by potted plants and flowers. Her balcony also had an unwelcome visitor – a cat burglar, escaping with one of her cats. Luckily, there was a French gendarme waiting to arrest him.
The shops included a café that was based on a real café in Paris; a Ballet Dance school, with its pupils just warming up; a second-hand furniture shop with some rather nice antiques in the window; and a boulangerie/patisserie.
The street was bustling with activity. A pavement café, people out with their dogs, a little park and children’s play area, even a gent using the public convenience. Not surprisingly, once this was all set up at Miniatura, the display attracted and entertained the crowds immensely.
Great to be back at Miniatura!
Chair, Yvonne said: “It was great to see everyone back at Miniatura and there was such a buzz as we set up. It was so much easier than the NEC with no waiting and car parking right next to the venue at Stoneleigh. Our display of French apartments with every balcony telling a story and the busy surrounding streets and park kept everyone looking and asking questions!
“We were all keen to see what was new on the stalls and to replenish our dwindling stock as lockdown had us all struggling to keep going. We were fortunate in Rugby as we continued to zoom our meetings, which gradually stopped being making sessions, to becoming a chat, show and tell session.
“We did manage to produce French kiosks, litter bins and flower beds on zoom which in itself was quite an achievement! We were so pleased to get back to proper meetings and of course planning what our next project would be. For the March Miniatura, we are planning a display entitled, ‘A Decade with Miniatura’ with items from every year we have displayed for the last ten years. Our next project is still under wraps until September, but I can give you a hint that one of my favourite programmes is ‘Escape to the Chateau’. See you then.
Photos by Rob Tysall – Pro Photography.