Flights of Fancy

In honor of all things vegan and cruelty-free, and the glorious fun that is Vegan MoFo (Vegan Month of Food), I'll be featuring some fun and fabulous vegan artists throughout October! 

Who: Ruth Norbury
What: Textile Art, Hand Embroidery, Handmade Cards and Amigurumi
Where: Swansea, Wales, UK
Web: http://www.ruthnorbury.com/
Why: Vivid threads perfectly placed conjure up all sorts of birds and beasts from curious sparrows to perky finches to serenely swimming seahorses. Ruth uses a variety of fibers, colors and techniques to create these gorgeous velvety wonders. And her crocheted critters are awfully cute too!

Who: Aimee Baldwin of Vegan Taxidermy
What: Crepe Paper Sculpture
Where: Berkeley, CA
Web: http://www.vegantaxidermy.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/VeganTaxidermy
Why: It's paper, people! Paper! Aimee's work just tumbles me over with its meticulously remarkable craftsmanship. I love these feisty feathered friends!  :)

Happy Halloween and A Blessed Samhain!

Kid Stuff

Who: Scott Nelles
What: Cast Bronze and Aluminum Sculptures, Banks and Toys
Where: Elk Rapids, MI
Web: http://www.nellesstudios.com/index.html
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Nelles
Why: Scott's wonderfully fun and clever banks first caught my eye...Bob the Robot and King Kong will guard your fortunes with their very lives, while the Titanic will carry your treasures secretly down to the depths of the sea! His retro racers and ray guns, and especially his robots, bring out the feisty kid in anyone. Gotta love an artist who refuses to grow up!

Two on Tuesdays...Beadliscious Beauties!

Who: Dana Evans of Stone Addict Jewelry
What: Handcrafted Jewelry and Gem Cutting
Where: Lorton, VA
Web: http://www.etsy.com/shop/stoneaddict
Why: Fun and fancy color-driven, pattern-dappled designs derived from Opals, Turquoise, and multitudes of beads!

Who: Molly Murphy-Adams of Native Couture
What: Contemporary Sculptural Beadwork Designs
Where: Tulsa, OK
Web: http://www.etsy.com/shop/NativeCouture
http://www.lovettsgallery.com/artists/artist.asp?ArtistID=113
Why: Beaded detail taken to new dimensions by a dedicated, sensitive and delightful artist! Check out her interview videos on the gallery site. She's articulate about her art and kind of a hoot too...the girl's got a blooper reel!  :)

Working Hand In Hand

Who: Mary and Spencer Watson of Silver Stone Handcrafted
What: Art Jewelry, Sandblasted Stones and Commemorative Art
Where: Prospect Heights, IL
Web: http://www.maryandspencerwatson.com/
Why: Mary and Spencer's talents mesh perfectly in their collection of jewelry and sculptural pieces. Spencer creates lively characters from sandblasted beach stones as well as display bases for the pin/pendants. Mary designs and crafts her jewelry with fascinating Jaspers and Agates, Drusy Quartz, Opals, Moonstones and other phenomenal stones. Together they also craft vessels, celebratory sculptures and commemorative jewelry and urns for people and pets. They have a keen eye for details and patterns, and a sensitive, expressive quality to their work that is truly unique.

Castles and Cages

Who: Youngjoo Yoo of jyjewelry
What: Floral and Architectural Image Jewelry
Where: Iowa City, IA
Web: http://youngjooyoo.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/jyjewelry
Why: I can't decide which I adore more...Youngyoo's light, lacy hollow-formed jewels or her witty and whimsical sculptures and tableware. Her cage-like combos in sterling or bi-metal are wonderfully gothically elegant. Tiny trees sprout on handles, castles float in the clouds, ships sail across your dinner table...all so creative and imaginative! Hollow constructions can be head-bangingly difficult, so my hat's off to her. It's no surprise she's won so many awards...this girl's a shining talent!

Gardens of Delight

Who: Robert C. Anderson
What: Garden Kaleidoscopes and Metal Sculptures
Where: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Web: http://www.rcandersondoorcounty.com/index.html
Why: In addition to origami-inspired inflated steel sculptures, Robert fabricates fascinatingly cool interactive garden teleidoscopes. Teleidoscopes are those kaleidoscopes that create images from exterior objects rather than interior objects. Robert's pieces use the vibrant natural colors of lush little gardens to create breath-stopping, ever-changing images. Brilliant!

Flapping Wings and Spinning Rings

  

Who: Alan Ardiff
What: Handcrafted Jewelry, Wall Pieces and Sculpture
Where: Dublin, Ireland
Web: http://www.alanardiff.com/index.php
Why: Alan's jewelry is wonderfully whimsical and full of surprises...birds that tweet their love, butterflies that wave their tiny wings, hula hoopy spinny rings and all sorts of kinetic things!

Alan's artwork is equally enchanting...primitive and childlike and full of earthy texture and color and the sort of magic that only a happy free spirit like Alan can have!

Punnable Pooches and Mooses and More

Who: Steve Wirtz
What: Papier-mâché Sculpture
Where: Milwaukee, WI
Web: http://www.cartuna.net/default.asp
Why: Wordplay + Papier-mâché = Heady delight!

Two on Tuesdays...Tribal Energies

Who: Owen Mapp and Hanne Eriksen Mapp
What: Handcrafted Jewellery, Carvings and Knives
Where: Paraparaumu, New Zealand
Web: http://www.art-jewelery.com/index.html
Why: Working in separate studios, collaborating on special projects, Hanne's striking jewelry work and Owen's renowned carvings reflect their world travels and appreciation of diverse tribal cultures. Earthy, lush and primitive yet elegantly well done.

Exploring Extraordinary Realms

Who: Julie Rofman
What: Handcrafted Jewelry
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Web: http://www.julierofmanjewelry.com/
http://www.julierofman.com/Julie_Rofman.html
Why: Painter, Sculptor, Jeweler Extraordinaire! Exploring concepts of memory, transiency and fantasy through complex colors, patterns and forms. So fascinating and definitely one of my new favorite artists!

Moody, Merry and Magical

Who: Leslie Blackford of Moody Woods
What: Polymer Clay Jewelry and Sculptures
Where: Munfordville, KY
Web: http://themoodywoods.com/
http://moodywoods.deviantart.com/
Why: Devilishly charming little rogues, rapscallions, acrobats and amulets! Leslie is brilliant with polymer clay, both as an artist and teacher...she gets rave reviews from students, critics and collectors. It's my favorite kind of art...makes you look at a concept in a turn-you-upside-down-on-your-head, supercreative way. And it's merry and magical too!

Here Be Dragons...

Who: Liz Russell of R Honey Pots
What: Handmade Ceramics
Where: Forestville, CA
Web: http://www.rhoneypots.com/
Why: I love Liz's hand-scratched animal and fantastical designs! Sgraffito is one of my favorite ceramic techniques...covering the piece mid-process with slip, scratching a design into it, then completing the firing and glazing process. See how Liz does it here...a magical transformation in the heat of a kiln dragon's fires!

Who: Christi Friesen of CF Originals
What: Beads, Jewelry, Vessels and Sculptures
Where: Tehachapi, CA
Web: http://www.cforiginals.net/
Why: Christi is wickedly witty and talented, creating all sorts of functionals, wearables and ornamentals out of polymer clay, precious metals and gems, glass, found objects, etc. She teaches countless classes and writes towers of books on how to do it so you can learn too. I think she's probably a blast as a teacher and if I ever get anywhere near Tehachapi, look out Christi, here I come!

Who: Dana Schneider
What: Jewelry and Film Props
Where: Ohio and Los Angeles
Web: http://www.danaschneider.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/danaschneiderjewelry
Why: Edgy, mythical designs in sterling silver, 14K and 18K gold rock my medieval self. Dana is RISD-educated, Tiffany-trained and highly sought after not just for her ultracool jewels, but for movie props and treasures as well. She has worked on the Terminator, Transformer and Tron series, Wolverine, X-Men, Elektra...the list goes on, and so does her client list, which includes Cher, Pink, Rooney Mara and Burton C. Bell of Freak Factory. That dragon is calling my name, along with that knuckle-busting ring...bring 'em on. ;)

~ Happy Chinese New Year ~ The Year of the Dragon! ~