Treasure For My Studio - What Price Art?

Warning! This post contains lots of pictures (and lots of writing!). Cup of tea and a biscuit is recommended!

This morning I'm stuck at home, because of more snow (well, there's a surprise!).  The up-side of this is that I can have some time in my studio/workroom, sorting things out.  I decided that, as the light was the best we've had in a few days, I would update the photos for some of my Etsy Shop items. 

While I had the light-tent out, I took some snaps of my Art Collection, that I have bought and been given, for my new studio.  Doesn't it sound ostentatious "Art Collection" - but that is what it is, even if it's on a simple scale, as I'm not wealthy enough to buy big or expensive art.

It made me think though, about the value we place on art.  I am delighted with my modest purchases and presents. I think that, once they are mounted and framed up, they will look fabulous on the back wall, above the soon-to-be-brought-upstairs-sofa-bed!  For me, these pieces represent many things, not least because I chose all of them myself and paid for many with money I have earned by selling my own work. 

A number of these artists produce original art on a larger scale, which they exhibit in other locations. Several of them sell items for far more than I paid for my pieces.  Yet, they are happy to offer simpler, inexpensive items - and I am delighted to buy them!

What price Art?

So, here are my pieces of art-work, which I am storing carefully, waiting for the chance to get them all framed and put on that wall: -

Firstly, three lovely items from our wonderful Blog-Friend, Rinda

During December, Rinda was following the Tim Holz prompts to make "Twelve Tags of Christmas".  She was experimenting with various ideas and made some additional tags, two of which she offered as a Giveaway on her blog.  I was lucky enough to win these and they arrived at the weekend.  I am so pleased with them (and wish my photos could be better to do them justice).  The item in the centre is a lovely hand-made card that Rinda sent to accompany the tags, with a friendly greeting inside:-

 

I think this is a piece of art in itself. The work that went into it is obvious and it's just lovely.

Look at the detail, where it's been stamped and embossed with crackle ink or powders. And the inked edge, to give it definition, and the sweet little stamped girl. Add that to the misted or dabbed background, with its lovely textural look, all placed on a very soft eau-de-nil card... it's just a great little item!

Here are the tags, a bit more in-close-up.  Again, there's all that work on the background, the edges, the stamping, splashed-on snow, embellishments, layered papers.  They may be simple little tags, but they are definitely pieces of art, that I will treasure, especially as they were a little gift from a relative stranger, who took the time and trouble to be friendly!

You know, since I started joining groups, forums, Twitter, Etsy, my blog etc on the internet, I have "met" so many lovely people.  The Crafting Community is, in general, comprised of so many generous, friendly people, who don't mind sharing their knowledge, experience, time and even their work, with others who share their interests.  There's such a support network out there for an aspiring artist or crafter! We are so lucky. Why can't the rest of the world get on as well as we crafty lot do? 

I think we need a new slogan - "Make Art, Not War!"

So, that's Rinda!

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Second, is this wonderful lady, Keri-Anne Pink, alias GingerLillyTea :-

This is a photo of a photographic print, so it's not very good - see it at her Etsy shop for a better idea!

 

This set is extra-special, because I was at the fairground when the pictures were taken! We were at the local kite festival, to celebrate my birthday and we had a lovely day!

Again, my photo does not do these justice - see them here!

Keri-Anne has been learning photography for about six or seven years.  She has progressed to the point where she has had work published in a number of online magazines, she has made sales in her Etsy shop, published a book of her work and has recently done a couple of shoots for clients. Our family are all very proud of her achievements and she continues to get better and better!

The reason I like her work though, is not because Keri-Anne is my niece.  Her work is popular because of the story-like, fairytale treatment she gives her subjects and the dreamy, soft, muted colours and old-fashioned quality of the images she produces.  Take a look at her shop and follow the links there to her Flikr site. You'll see what I mean!

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Next is this great little item, which is already hanging up above my desk, helping me to count the days...

This calendar is by the fabulous Australian watercolour artist, known as Tummy Mountain. I follow his blog and it's my favourite - I love to read of the goings-on at the other side of the world, where the Little Ones have such great adventures!

I've been looking at his Etsy shop for ages, wondering if I could/should buy a piece of his work.  Another big problem was choosing which one! Now I have twelve (in fact thirteen, as there was a bonus piece of art on the page before January - see the pics in his shop!).  I can have a different piece of art in front of my desk every month this year. Then I can put my very favourites on the wall. And I may even have enough saved up to buy my own special, original piece of Tummy Mountain for myself!

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And now for Melanie Ann Green, known by various types of alias, but in this incarnation, she is InkMeUp Designs!

Melanie does lovely bird illustrations, which she prints in beautiful ways.  Her shop offers prints of a bird, placed on a page from an old, vintage book about birds.  She prints her birds onto pieces from an old map. Or you can buy a notebook with a bird or mouse printed on its cover, or the same mouse print on a piece of sheet-music, a blue-tit on handmade paper... her ideas are great and the presentation is lovely.  Go and see her shop, for some real inspiration.

My four little pictures are printed with her gocco, onto stiff paper, cut to postcard size.  There are a few different sets of these available in Melanie's shop and they are not at all expensive!
As well as her lovely bird and animal illustrations, Melanie produces fabulous birds and monsters, from felted wool, in bright colours.  They are lovely and would make wonderful presents too!

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Next is Lori Dean Dyment, a Canadian artist, who shares a studio in British Columbia with her husband, painter Jean-Francois Dyment.

Lori produces a range of prints, using different printing methods, including linocut, collograph (a printing plate is made by sticking a variety of items to a base, producing a raised, textured surface), monotype (where ink is laid down on a metal plate, then an image is produced by marking the ink base with a variety of tools, fingers etc. Paper is placed over the plate, which is then put through a press, producing a one-off image - hence "monotype"), hand-tinted monotype and other prints, also original paintings and reproduction prints of her original pieces.  She also offers a range of fun pendants, using her images reproduced on art-glass mini-tiles. 

This set of three prints were produced as a limited edition linocut.  I have been admiring them for some time and finally decided to treat myself, after a few good sales prior to Christmas!

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Also,  I have this print, by the artist Nina Moscrip, an artist based in Hampshire, England.

This is a print of a drawing, called "Dandelions".  It was given to me by Keri-Anne, as a present.

Again, this is not a good photo! See Nina's Etsy shop for a better image, also a better idea of her range and versatility!

Nina's work includes delicate pen and wash drawing, but also more robust pieces of ink and watercolour, including many wonderful studies of buildings and street scenes and her interpretive illustrations of stories, such as Little Red Riding Hood. She offers prints and original pieces, which means her work is very affordable. She even offers a custom service, producing an illustration of someone's home, using their photographs.

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Finally, I wanted to show you this:

This is obviously not going to be hung on the wall of my studio! It's a pendant by my friend, painter and sculptor, Sue.  She lives in the Rocky Mountains, Northwest USA and has a shop on 1000Markets.  She is a wonderful artist and a truly interesting person, who I have got to know over the last year or so.  I just love her work, which is full of colour, texture and detail. 

This pendant was part of a range of  "wearable art sculpture" that she made from polymer clay.  I really wanted to buy it but, as 1000Markets doesn't accept payment from UK cards, or paypal, I thought I couldn't.  Sue was happy to come to an arrangement over payment, took the pendant out of her shop and sent it to me, along with another pendant, just because... It is one of my favourite pieces of jewellery and I wear it often. 

Do go and see the variety of Sue's work in her shop, or here at her blog.

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Well, that is my little gallery of artwork! I am excited to have all of it and can't wait to put it all up in my room!