CASTINE – The International Guild of Miniature Artisans (IGMA) will be hosting the 39th annual Guild School at Maine Maritime Academy from July 25-29, 2021.

Free exhibitions for the public will be held Sunday through Wednesday, July 25-28, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Thursday, July 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Harold Alfond Student Center Harborview Room on the campus in Castine.

The Guild School will feature 31 classes for over six full days for 160 miniature artisans of all skill levels to practice their craft and learn new techniques in a variety of media. Classes cover everything from silver sculpture and fiber arts to furniture-making and room construction. Miniaturists from around the U.S. and the globe attend the school.

Registration for the Guild School is currently closed, however, anyone interested in miniatures are encouraged to attend the free public exhibitions to view the work of students and talk with other artisans.

Miniatures are scaled-down replicas of normal-sized items which are made from a variety of media such as wood, leather, pewter, and other fine metals. The creation of miniatures as a hobby took off in the United States around the 1970’s. However, the art form dates as far back as the middle ages.

For more information on the Guild School, IGMA, and the history of miniatures, please visit the IGMA website at www.igma.org.