Sharing Pretty Things III

Today is my final post of pretty things I saw at the American Craft Council show this past Sunday. These are artists who have incredible talent and the vision to produce works of art, both large and small, that caught my eye. It's my joy to share them with you before I run out to the pool to begin a VERY busy day.

I wish this was a bit larger, but her website photos
were all tiny. This is the work of Ashka Dymel, who
combines oxidized sterling silver with small,
faceted semi-precious and precious stones on wire.
It could be made in a similar fashion with lesser
metals and beads, but the stones she chooses
are perfect for size and color effect. 

Mark Laub is a consummate wood artist, not just
a wood worker. The link goes to a video that shows
how this particular cabinet opens and the compartments
within it. He's local, but also has a studio in San Francisco.
I look forward to seeing his art every year - outstanding! 

Belle Brooke uses geometry in miniature to appeal to the
eye and rest the mind. She sprinkles her multi-sized interior
circles with diamonds for a hint of sparkle. I'll be working
on a piece with multiple circles similar to this when I'm in
Milwaukee in a few months. I can hardly wait!
(I had problems getting images of her jewelry to load on
her website, but passed along the link anyway. Maybe
it was just my browser and you'll have better luck.) 

Loy Allen is a glass maker from Hot Springs, South Dakota. Her
blue columbines caught my eye, but she does all types of
flowers and birds in works of glass for walls and tables.
Some of her work is decorative, other pieces are actually
vessels. It's well worth taking a look at her talent. 

Sarah C Chapman combines different metals in an
industrial look and then adds the unexpected - a sprinkle of
pearls, a hidden stone, a splash of gold. The bits of color or
hints of a hidden secret made her jewelry something
intriguing. 

So there you have it - three days of exploration into some exciting top-quality craftspeople selling at the American Craft Council show over this past weekend.

My own life isn't quite so artistic as the wallpaper installation continues today. Mike got all of the old paper stripped yesterday, and will begin the process of putting the new paper up today. It's a lot of area that he'll be covering, and yes - it will darken the room and the hallway a bit. But I think it won't be as bad as DH fears, and hell - he chose the papers. Next time I'll put my foot down and I'll make the choices of color, texture and brightness.

Have a fantastic Wednesday and I'll be back tomorrow with whatever has hit my weary head. "yawn"