A FASCINATING exhibition of miniature art work created by a famous Tavistock artist is now on show at the town's museum. Marie Pearce, who lived in Tavistock from 1883 to 1933, was given commissions from Queen Victoria and her children — the prince and princess — to undertake miniatures of themselves. Marie gained prestigious awards but the importance of her life and her work had gone unnoticed until this year when Tavistock Museum was allowed to borrow the miniatures from Plymouth Museum. The town's museum has been visited and contacted by many of Marie's grandchildren, who live in various parts of the country, with information and copies of her paintings and miniatures. The information received has enable the museum to compile a comprehensive photographic collection of Marie's outstanding contribution to the art of miniature painting never before assembled in Tavistock. At the end of October when the museum closes for the winter the original miniatures will be returned to Plymouth Museum, where they have been lodged since the early 1900s. Linda Elliott, a steward at the town's museum, said that Marie was well thought of in her day. 'We applied to the Plymouth Museum to borrow her work and put them in pride of place in the Tavistock Museum. This is the first time ever that they have been on show and is the only collection, anywhere, of her work, that we can find. 'If anyone in the area has any examples of her work I would be very pleased to come along and photograph these. This would make our collection of photographs the only one of its kind in the country and a truly valuable asset for the town.' To contact Linda, call 01822 615211 or email [email protected]">[email protected]