Featured Artist From The Country Living Fair 2011, Kathleen Taylor!

Today I would like to introduce you to Kathleen Taylor!  You may already know her work, but if not, Kathleen is an amazing artist and a lovely person and I felt so blessed to be able to speak with her at The Country Living Fair this year!

I had admired her work before on the website, www.matildascottage.com and I was so excited to "round the corner" and see her booth for the first time. Upon introducing myself,  It became apparent what a warm and open person she is as well as what a great sense of humor she possesses!  It is clear when you view her paintings that she has a fun and irreverent approach to life.  Even better, she happens to be successful at sharing that perspective in some pretty amazing works of art.   She has many subjects in her paintings including animals, flowers, funny ladies and more!  As you can see in her pieces below, her use of color is masterful and heavenly.  I hope you enjoy viewing her artwork as much as I do!

The Country Living Fair-Atlanta 2011

Please take a moment to visit her facebook page, simply search Kathleen Taylor on facebook, she has a page! You can also find some current paintings at :

• www.matildascottage.com
• www.greenleafgallery.com

Kathleen mentioned that she is working on a new site where she will be selling her artwork as well, so as soon as I find out that has been completed, I will do an update on the post and feature her site in the artist column in the right sidebar!

Thank you Kathleen for sharing your talent! I enjoyed meeting you and I look forward to seeing your new website! best wishes and keep painting!

Got Fabric? Today's Featured Artist Does! And We Are All Grateful, Thank You Ann Wood

In the past, I have shared the exhilaration and wonderment that I feel when I discover a new artist! (when I say new artist, obviously I mean new to me..) There have been moments when I turned the corner at a gallery and literally gasped at the impact of a painting.  There have been pieces that I couldn't get out of my head for months, and times when I have researched online for hours "googling" partial names from a few letter combinations I could make out at the bottom of a painting!

We all have those moments when we "hear angels singing and see bright golden lights."   Okay, so I am exaggerating, but I think you can get the picture.  Art and artists are my thing, maybe yours is shoes...or wooden surfboards...or poetry.

Today, I am featuring an artist whose works I DID gasp over when I turned the page of a magazine to see them.  Her name is Ann Wood.

Ann Lives in Brooklyn, New York and works with found and salvaged materials, mostly from vintage and antique garments to create ships, owls, birds, bats and more.

I am amazed at her talent and creativity.  It inspires me to see what beauty can be created from fabric scraps.  With Ann's touch, old gowns and garments can become special again...treasured by a new owner and enjoyed by new admirers in a completely different form-and yet the history within the fabric endures.

Please check out her website at www.annwoodhandmade.com.  I first discovered Ann Wood from "Cloth Paper Scissors" magazine in September 2010, where they featured her works with some amazing photographs.  If you would would like to see more of her pieces and learn more about her, visit www.clothpaperscissors.com.

I Have Always Chosen Cornbread over Biscuits....Cornbread Anderson that is!

Today's Post is an Artist Feature...one of my favorites, Cornbread Anderson!

Okay, so the truth is, I would be remiss in recognizing the origin of my obsession with  Folk Art and Outsider Art if I did not dedicate a post to Cornbread Anderson!  I discovered Cornbread's art over 5 years ago in the Asheville and Hendersonville, NC areas.  This marked the beginning of the end for me, and I soon realized I would not get a good night's sleep until I owned at least one painting.

www.amerifolk.com

Over these last 5 years, Cornbread's artwork has continued to gain interest and recognition throughout the country and his paintings command higher prices every year.  If you are not familiar with John "Cornbread" Anderson, you might want to take a moment to google his name and you will quickly discover his talent and his popularity.  Cornbread was raised on a farm in rural Lumpkin County, Georgia and began painting in 1995. His paintings are easily recognizable and feature guinea hens, foxes, birds and fish, among other woodland animals. His paintings have bright colors, a graphic quality and even display an interesting sense of humor.  And I warn you, his works can become quite addictive.

www.jtfolkart.com

Even after viewing hundreds of his paintings, my favorite subjects are the guinea hens for which he is so well known. Now don't get me wrong, I have my other favorites...like the raccoons and cardinals, but once you have seen a painting with his guinea hens, you will want one!

www.amerifolk.com

Oh and by the way, I did get a painting by Cornbread several years ago, as a gift from my parents and my sister and her family!  And so yes, I do sleep a little better at night....Thank you Mr. Cornbread...

Meet This Week's Featured Artist, Carolee Clark!

It is a new week and time for a new Artist Feature!  I sure hope that you have at least checked out some original artwork by now, and if you haven't, well...you are missing out!

Today I want to introduce you to another artist, whose work I adore!  I own four of her small paintings and I intend to expand my collection over time!  I would really like to fill a wall in one of my rooms with her work.  And I have some good news....she has very affordable original art!

Carolee Clark lives in Oregon and in my humble opinion, her pieces not only feature a fresh viewpoint on landscapes, small town life and people, but exhibit a masterful use of color.  Although her painting career began using watercolors, she now uses mostly acrylics.

"Strut Your Stuff" at www.Caroleeclark.com

"No Lock Needed" at www.Caroleeclark.com

Beyond being enormously talented, Carolee has been a pleasure to work with when I have purchased from her.  She is extremely professional and prompt with her transactions.  I have always received my painting in perfect condition with a note attached to thank me, and usually there is a notecard of the painting included as well.

Her works can be found at her website, www.caroleeclark.com as well as www.dailypainters.com.  Carolee is always adding new artwork to the sites so you should check them out frequently.

Okay, here is more inspiration and another opportunity to find beautiful original pieces that are extremely affordable!  One piece at a time, you can transform your home into a personalized and inspired space!  Go ahead and get started... 

"Welcome Home" at www.caroleeclark.com

If You Are Going To Invest In Original Art, It Might As Well Be Art With A Sense Of Humor!

One of my favorite subjects to discuss either live or on blog posts would be interesting art and artists!  As you  may know, I periodically feature an artist and his/her works on the blog and today I am thrilled to share one of my favorites, Chris Roberts-Antieau.

"Good Night"- Chris Roberts-Antieau

I first discovered her work years ago at New Morning Gallery in Asheville, North Carolina.  It was love at first site and I have followed her works ever since.  Chris is a self-taught artist from Manchester, Michigan who creates her masterpieces from sewing together quilting fabric scraps.

"Hooray For Cupcakes"- Chris Roberts-Antieau


Other than the intricate sewing of a ridiculous number of fabrics into each piece, the subject matter of her artwork is appealing  as well. She has an irreverent sense of humor and it is difficult to view a grouping of her pieces without laughing and commenting on it as well as relating to it in some way.

"Feeling Sorry For Pluto"- Chris Roberts-Antieau

Chris is a nationally recognized artist who has many admirers and collectors so purchasing a piece of her art is an investment, but she does create some smaller pieces in the $400 to $650 range.  If you get an opportunity to look at her website, you will get a good idea of her talent and since she is nationally known, she is featured in galleries all over the country. You should definitely check to see if any local galleries carry her work!  If you are in Western North Carolina, New Morning Gallery still carries her pieces as well.

www.chrisroberts-antieau.com

Have You Invested in Some Original Artwork Yet? Meet Magaly Ohika.

It's The Weekend Edition!

Have a Safe and Restful Weekend...and be sure to check out this artist!

Bye, Got to Run and Paint,  Magaly Ohika

Several weeks ago, I wrote my first "artist introduction" post on an artist that I had discovered named, Bob Hoke. Bob Hoke is an innovative "outsider artist" with a great eye for color and composition.  He also has a refreshing sense of humor.

 Today, I will be introducing you to another talented artist that I discovered on Etsy.  The artist's name is Magaly Ohika and her shop is ItsyBitsySpill.  Magaly has a B.A. in illustration and toy design and she currently resides in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Magaly's illustrations always intrigue me. I love the expressions and interesting facial construction of her characters. They are a perfect combination of whimsy and reality.  Some works are very ethereal and others playful.

Need to Take A Vacation,  Magaly Ohika

One of my favorite things about Magaly's work, is that almost anyone can afford an original painting or illustration, so she makes it very accessible for people.  She also has handmade pouches with her illustrations featured on them and they are glorious.

Are You Ready to take Flight?  Magaly Ohika

Bohemian Life of Art and Music,  Magaly Ohika

If you are interested in adding some original works to your home, please take a look at her work.  She is always adding new pieces to her site. I have created a small collection of her illustrations (grouped together)
in my studio and it is not only fun and inspirational but an interesting conversation "starter."

And remember...you purchase art that you love, that evokes an emotional response or that provides inspiration on some level...don't worry about matching your sofa!  Life is too short for sofa art.  Bring something interesting and innovative into your home and share it with your friends and family!

All of the works featured are original, except for the clutch which is a print.

Magaly's shop is at: www.etsy.com/shop/itsybitsyspill?ref=pr_shop

Outsider Art

This is the first post in a series that will feature artists whom I admire and their original artwork.  Whether you like sculpture, paintings, prints or photography, you have access to the most talented artists and their works from all over the world....at your fingertips.

Some of you may not even be sure what you prefer yet, or even if you prefer. Your living room  may be sporting a faded hand-me-down print of a mauve house with a garden full of neon orange flowers.  You may love it....or maybe you just never thought that much about it.(by the way, you should take a moment to think about it)   There are so many sites that offer artwork at a range of prices from $1.50 and up.  You can search by subject matter, medium, size, and price. Who could ask for more?

Today I am featuring an artist recently discovered from an article regarding outsider folk art. His name is Bob Hoke and I love the energy, colors and composition of his pieces.  I am a collector of all that is "outsider art" and I was so excited to recently receive three of his pieces.  He lives a very simple life in Hannibal, Missouri and sells his paintings in galleries all over the country and on ebay.

His art has a sense of humor and  is extremely affordable....for now.  His work can be found on ebay and he also shows up on google searches easily when queried as "Bob Hoke outsider art."

Outsider art not your cup of tea?  No problem....it just leaves more for me! Then try 20x200.com, dailypainters.com, and etsy.com to get started!