The International World of Miniature Artists Come to Chicago July 7-9

Chicago, IL, July 03, 2017 --(PR.com)-- Artists, vendors, exhibitors, modelers and enthusiasts are coming from the U.K., Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Singapore, Korea, Russia and Sweden are coming to at the historic Chicago Hilton at 720 South Michigan Avenue, across from Grant Park. The hotel will be at the center of the painted miniature world which has hosted many notables, including Queen Elizabeth II, Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy, along with a host of others over time.

The Military Miniature Society of Illinois (MMSI) is proud to be the host of this international Expo with many of its members serving on the steering committee and as volunteers at the show (along with other clubs from around the US). This event was co-founded by the late Shep Paine, a Chicago resident and MMSI member whose work was in the collections of painter Andrew Wyeth, financier Malcolm Forbes and industrialist Ralph Koebbeman.

Artists and vendors will assemble on July 6th before the show opens to the public so they can set up their work for display and the vendors can prepare their wares for sale. That evening, interested attendees will tour the Art Institute of Chicago for a guided tour and meet afterwards to share a meal. The fun starts for the exhibitors, vendors and the public on Friday, July 7 at 9 a.m. when the show opens to the public, closing at 6 p.m. Admission for Friday and Saturday for the public is $10 for adults with those 12 and under along with active military providing current ID receiving complimentary admission to the event.

Seminars will be held in the third floor Astoria Room of the hotel on Friday and Saturday, (July 7 & 8) covering a wide variety of topics by internationally renowned miniature artists including historical painter Keith Rocco. On Sunday, July 9, 2017 the World Model Expo 2017 is closed to the public but open to those who registered for the event starting with an 8:30 a.m. panel discussion of Shep Paine’s Armor Modeler’s Guide, recently published by Kalmbach Publishing of Wisconsin. The vendor area opens at 9 a.m. for a final look by registrants and at 10 a.m. is a seminar by world-famous Swedish modeler Mike Blank. The awards ceremony will be held in the Grand Ballroom at 1 p.m. with the show closing at the conclusion of the ceremonies.

The hobby supports a monthly magazine (Fine Scale Modeler), and there are magazines in France (Figurines) and Italy (Soldatini) as well. Both of the latter are media sponsors of Expo, which is one the biggest international events, every three years for figure modelers. Shows sponsored by IPMS (the International Plastic Modelers Society) and AMPS (the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society) are held for their specialty along with fantasy modeling shows too.

For More Information, contact WME2017 Secretary Jim DeRogatis at jimdero@jimdero.com or Publicity Chairman Mark Matz at mmsipress@gmail.com and visit www.we2017chicago.com