Our Mini Museum may be small in size, but it’s currently packed with personality, plumage, and a healthy dose of Victorian drama. We’re thrilled to welcome a new collection by painter Cassandra Kim, featuring nine exquisite little portraits of birds dressed in dapper 19th-century attire.
Each painting in this charming series is created on reclaimed banister end caps, breathing new life into these architectural relics by transforming them into ornate, oval stages for her feathered characters. Kim’s sharp eye for period detail and playful sense of humor shine through in each piece — think tiny top hats, lace collars, and gilded buttons perched atop bright eyes and beaks.
The result is a delightful collision of natural history and old-world portraiture. These aren’t just birds in clothes; they’re characters you’ll want to invent backstories for. Was that finch a cunning merchant? Is the stern crow a retired sea captain? The intimate scale of the work invites viewers to lean in close, as if peeking into a private parlour from centuries past.
For those unfamiliar, the Mini Museum, which we call The Mini, is a small recessed nook within our gallery designed to spotlight small-scale work from our favorite painters. It’s a space where curiosity is rewarded and every square inch tells a story — and Cassandra Kim’s Victorian aviary fits right in.
The show is now open and will be on view through the month. Stop by, meet these impeccably dressed birds, and maybe imagine which one you’d invite to tea.
