The Iona College Council on the Arts is currently hosting an exhibit of the microsculpture work of world-renowned artist, Dalton Ghetti. Ghetti is known for creating miniature sculptures out of the tips of pencils.

This is the second time that Ghetti’s work has been exhibited at Iona College. His first exhibit in 2010 drew some of the largest crowds the Art Gallery had ever seen, with some local schools arranging field trips to the gallery for their students.

Viewers tend to have an immediate and visceral response to his creations, and it is obvious why: Ghetti’s work is unlike anything that has ever been seen before, and it is impossible to replicate.

According to his website, Ghetti first started carving pencils in 1986, after moving to America from his native Brazil. He turned to microsculpture for an artistic challenge, forgoing larger pieces and carving into pencils he found on the street.

Ghetti uses nothing but small razor blades, sewing needles and sandpaper for his creations and he works without the aid of a magnifying glass. These sculptures can take anywhere from a week to several years to complete.

While Ghetti’s work can be viewed with the naked eye, the gallery provides magnifying glasses for closer inspection.

The glasses reveal amazing detail that one has to see to believe. One of the first pencils in the exhibit, “Pumpkin,” features a carving of a pumpkin that is almost too small to make out. However, closer inspection reveals small ridges on its side and a bent stem, so intricately detailed and realistic it is almost unbelievable.

Ghetti’s hanging pieces are also impressive; it is difficult to imagine how he could accomplish such pieces even while looking at them. “Hanging Heart” features a tiny heart carved out of the lead of the inside of the pencil, rather than the tip. It hangs on a chain carved out of the same stick of lead, seeming to defy both gravity and logic.

Perhaps one of Ghetti’s most memorable creations is “Alphabet,” a collection of 26 pencils in a line, spelling out the letters of the alphabet. The pencils used vary in color and size, adding an extra level of whimsicality to the piece. That is perhaps the aspect of the exhibit that resonates most with audiences: it is pure fun.

Of course, there is plenty to analyze about Ghetti’s choice of artistic material. Reinventing the pencil, a medium used for creation, into a creation itself is an entirely original and nuanced idea, and Ghetti’s work serves to bring out what is unexpected and beautiful in everyday life.

Even so, there is absolutely nothing pretentious about Ghetti’s art. Age and background do not matter; there is no one who would not be delighted by a magnificent sculpture created out of something as mundane as a pencil.

Madalyn Barbero Jordan, Gallery Director for the Iona College’s Council on the Arts, hopes that Iona students find inspiration in this beautiful and quirky exhibit.

“Experiencing world-class art firsthand can be transformative for students. This is why the Council on the Arts exists,” Jordan said. “I’d love all students to know that this gallery can be their home. Stop by, bring your lunch. Listen to soothing music and take your time really experiencing the artwork.”

Maybe even bring a pencil to jot down some new ideas; they tend to hide in the most unlikely of places.

“Small is Beautiful” will be featured in the Art Gallery until Dec. 1. The Gallery is open Monday – Thursday from noon to 5 p.m., Thursday evening from 6:30 to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m.