Time is running out to find all 10 pieces of miniature artwork that artist William Hessian hid in St. Louis Park.
Hessian, a St. Louis Park native who now lives in Portland, Maine, has put on numerous miniature-art hunts in 10 states over the past eight years. This is the seventh consecutive year he has organized a miniature-art hunt in conjunction with Parktacular, St. Louis Park's annual four-day summer community celebration.
The hunt started on May 30. As of West Extra press time, five of the 10 1-x-1.5-inch paintings had been found. Hessian releases a new photo clue every day at his website, www.WilliamHessian.com.
There will be a ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Saturday to honor the families that found the paintings at the Wolfe Park Amphitheater.
"I love Easter egg hunts, and I've always loved things like 'Where's Waldo' ... so I was trying to think of a way I could connect my love of art with that idea," Hessian said.
He first mapped out a plan for a miniature-art hunt years ago, and decided to pursue the idea after rediscovering it in an old sketchbook in 2005.
Hessian said many of the families that find the paintings are repeat winners.
"Some of these families are so good they'll find [paintings] on the first day, using only hard clues," he said.
