Archive for the ‘Ornaments Artists’ Category

Signature Ornaments by Gorky Gonzalez

Monday, February 1st, 2010

The ceramic ornaments are handcrafted in the studio of Gorky Gonzalez

 in Guanajuato, Mexico.

The colorful handcrafted and handpainted ceramic ornaments can be purchased online at La Casa Mexicana for $18 each.  The ornament supply is limited, so hurry if you want to add several Christmas ornaments or spring ornaments to your ornament collection.  The Gonzalez studio produces ornaments for many occasions and the red and green or red and blue heart ornaments are just perfect for a Valentines Day gift.

As the son of sculptor Rodolfo Gonzalez,  ornament artist Gorky Gonzalez  studied sculpture and casting objects in bronze and lost wax with his father. Later he worked in the village San Miguel de Allende at the School of Arts and the Allende Institute, where he built an artistic foundry attended by both student and professional sculptors.

Gonzalez also founded a small workshop of terra cotta manufacturing in the village of Marfil where he reproduced Jean Byron’s designs. His main interest, however, has always been rescuing the traditional majolica. Majolica refers to a type of pottery that is glazed with tin oxide to produce a soft white color.  Intricate designs are painted on the background with other metallic oxides.  These handpainted designs often change colors when the pottery is fired, making each ornament unique.   The name Majolica actually comes from the Spanish island of Majorca, where this style of pottery was exported to Italy beginning in the 15th century.

Currently, Gorky Gonzalez works with his son in his studio in Mexico where they continue to produce unique majolica ceramic ornaments.  You will want to see more of his ornaments as well as many of his other designs and creations at La Casa Mexicana.  You can also learn more about majolica and other Mexican handcrafted art on Wikepedia.

Article and images used with permission from LaCasaMexicana.com

30 Handpainted Victorian Christmas Ornaments

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Romantic pink rose ornaments for your sweetheart!

The handpainted Victorian style ornaments designed and crafted by Debi Coules are irresistible!  They are so feminine and pretty that I want them all.  They are the perfect addition to a guest bathroom and of course they look fabulous on a traditional Christmas tree.  There are so many ideas for a subtle Victorian touch, and you are probably thinking of even more.  Debi’s ornaments would add a nice softness to an evergreen tree and even a pastel colored artificial Christmas tree with pink and white lights sounds very appealing with a few of her handpainted ornaments creatively placed. 

  Designing and creating is Debi Coules’ passion and she studied art at Syracuse University to enhance her natural talents and graduated with a BFA from the School of Visual Arts.  In case you haven’t guessed it by looking at these pretty pink ornaments, Debi is a true romantic at heart.  She says that she tries to evoke a feeling of romance in everything that she creates and she often uses nature as an inspiration.  Give in to your true romantic spirit and gift your sweetheart or yourself with a divine pink Christmas ornament.

Article and images used with permission from DebiCoules.com

 

Custom Ornaments – Art Collectible Ornaments

Friday, November 13th, 2009

Mention Ornaments.com to get Free Shipping on Art Collectible Ornaments!

All of the Art Collectible Ornaments found at OrnamentsMV.com are designed, sculpted and painted by artist Mark Venaglia in his Burbank, CA studio. Mark says that he is his own slave labor, often utilizing paintbrushes with two hairs and hand applying glitter imported from the far corners of the globe. No molds exist for any ornament or tree topper. Every Holiday Art Collectible is unique, and is created as an original work of art, then signed and dated. The more traditional ornaments are hand painted on mercury glass harvested from Discovery Thrift Stores. Vengalia utilizes casein fresco paint, local business Nova Color’s acrylic mica paint, and Trompe L’oeil techniques to alter the sphere in any way that he can.

As depicted on the website, OrnamentsMV.com, each ornament comes with an individual Certificate of Authenticity. The sculpted pieces combine Florentine plaster (it more effectively holds the carved details) and domestic stucco with several types of papier machie. Reclaimed phone books and cotton T shirts are shredded to make the papier mache.

Though Americans certainly value artists, original works of art only find their way into about 2% of our total population’s homes. For the majority, Christmas trees provide the only experience for owning original works for art. Mark says that the love and care that people demonstrate with his Art Collectibles Ornaments often surpasses how some collectors treat the paintings that they’ve acquired from him.

Mark Venaglia tells us that it is Christopher Radko who elevated ornaments to a collectible level. Expanding beyond Radko’s tradition, Mark designs and creates complete trees, which dramatically represent the life of the person or family commissioning the ornaments. Even the most exclusive tree designers cover their clients’ trees with ornaments available to everyone else. No molds exist for any ornament or tree topper that Mark Venaglia creates. Typically, eight weeks are required for this exclusive artist service.

As an Art Historian, Venaglia also enjoys including additional depths of meaning in each ornament. Working at The Getty, and hosting art tours in every major museum in LA, art history comes alive on each Art Collectible. The matilaja poppy ornaments he creates are also very popular. Along with the orange California poppy, both of these native botanicals appear on ornaments as painted garlands or sculpted flowers with petals unfurling.

The custom ornaments typically start at $185 per work of art. Tree toppers are acquired for $500-$2,000. Amazingly, hundreds of these Art Collectibles have been shipped all over the world, and not one breakage has ever occurred.

Be prepared for a breathtaking experience when you visit Mark Venaglia’s Art Collectible Ornaments! Don’t forget to mention Ornaments.com when you order, because Mark has very generously offered free shipping on your commissioned ornament when you tell him you read this article.

Please email Mark Venaglia to receive free shipping on your custom ornaments.

Article & images used with permission from Mark Venaglia.

20% Coupon – Handmade Christmas Ornaments

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Each unique basswood Christmas ornament can be personalized.

A licensed artist with Great American Collectibles, sculptor Robert Francis is a self-taught artist who has turned his love of wood and sculpture into a thriving online business at RFStudio.com. We were astonished to learn that he creates all of the ornament designs without ever touching a pencil to paper. The graphic design is already in his mind before he begins each ornament, and in that artist mode, creativity flows, and another matchless wooden ornament is formed. Then, the handcrafted basswood ornament is hand painted with bright and cheerful hues. That beautiful hand painting is the “icing on the cake.”

From his home studio in Syracuse, New York, Robert Francis spends the day around his snowmen ornaments, angel, santa and folk ornaments. His shelves also include wonderful figurines for Christmas, as well as other holidays. But he doesn’t get to keep the ornaments and figurines around long, because once he displays them on RFStudio.com, the ornaments usually sell out very quickly as does his other artwork. As you can see from the close up image of the snowman ornament, it is attention to detail that sets the hand carved wooden ornaments apart from the ordinary, and each of the ornaments are designed to be unique and one-of-a-kind with a personality of its own. No two ornaments can ever be identical!

The artist will accept commissions to create special heirloom orders. If you have an ornament design in mind, you can take advantage of Robert’s years of experience and his natural talents to bring that design to life. Contact him through the studio today for an appointment to discuss your keepsake ornament. Mention Ornaments.com or enter the word “ornaments” in the coupon manager at the time of the order and receive 20% off of any purchase!

Article and images used with permission from rfstudio.com.

Grandmother Sells Ornaments Online

Friday, October 9th, 2009

There is nothing ordinary about this grandmother!

Susan Cherry says that she is thrilled to be a grandmother, and it only takes a few seconds on the Cherry Designs Inc. website to know that she is pretty delighted with life in general. Her enthusiasm is reflected in the prolific collection of ornaments that she and David Cherry have put together to celebrate every occasion and milestone .

The sense of humor that comes through in the ornaments is contagious, and scrolling through the pages of blown glass ornaments may just make you laugh out loud. I get the feeling that she had one of her grandchildren in mind for every design and that every ornament is “grandchild inspired.” Being able to see life from a child’s point of view is definitely an asset for creating fun “one of a kind” ornaments.

Susan and David Cherry are both artists, and have recently added a gallery of Susan’s ornaments and David’s newest inspirational art to their website. It is important to them that you are pleased with your ornaments, and so each of their handblown ornaments comes with a lifetime guarantee and free personalization.

Susan Cherry started Cherry Designs, Inc. in 2000, and with her skills as an artist, seamstress and writer, she has developed a prosperous business, and her blown glass ornaments have been shipped worldwide. She basks in her role as Nana, and she loves all celebrations, especially Christmas. Susan is very pleased, because through her charming ornaments, she gets to share the Christmas fun that has been a part of her family tradition for years.

Article and images used with permission from Cherry Designs Inc.

Old Chinese Art – New Incredible Ornaments

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

The ancient technique to create the ornaments is called reverse hand painting.

Ne’Qwa Art is the world’s largest producer of the centuries-old tradition of painting on the inside of glass. The same meticulous techniques that captivated emperors and art connoisseurs ages ago are used to create each of their lovely designs, including their most popular lines of decorative ornaments and petite ornaments. Although some scholars have dated the Chinese art form of painting on the inside of glass to over 1000 years ago, it was not until the mid-17th century that it became a prized and collected art form within the imperial court.

The artists at Ne’Qwa Art must paint through a small opening in the ornament on the inside of the glass. To paint in this art form, the artist has to paint in reverse order with the foreground completed first and then finish with the background. Certain ornaments used are opaque mouth-blown glass. These ornaments don’t allow the artist to see the tip of the brush and all painting must be done by “feel”. Through a small opening in each ornament, the artist uses delicate brush strokes to hand-paint on the inside of mouth-blown glass. From outlining to shading to color application, all work is painstakingly done in freehand. Although this reverse-painting art form flourished during the 17th century, today there are only a few artist groups, living in remote villages throughout China, who possess the skill to create these Ne’Qwa ornaments. The carefully chosen artists at Ne’Qwa Art offer stunning diversity of subject matter, ranging from whimsical characters to sensuously rich details.

Their distinguished artists have built a following of fans worldwide who recognize their distinctive styles. Collected by celebrities across the globe, these amazing ornaments are enjoyed as perfect gifts for any occasion. You will recognize several names & faces on the celebrity gift list who appreciate these outstanding hand painted glass ornaments. Each piece comes packaged in a luxurious, satin-lined, velour presentation case, ideal for gift giving. In addition, each ornament is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity describing the unique art history and reverse painting process.

Take a look at Ne’Qwa Art’s online video to see the artist at work and watch how the incredible images are magically created on the inside of glass. After all… true beauty comes from within.

Article and images used with permission from NeQwa.com

Ornaments Artist Unleashes Potential of Wood

Friday, August 7th, 2009

Christine Coffman has turned her artwork into a thriving business.

At age 12 Christine Coffman asked her father to teach her to carve. That was 46 years ago in Garden City Michigan. Over time her own style developed and people began to see her Polish and German heritage in her work. Listening to advice from fellow carvers, she learned to be more detail oriented. She also learned that she was not so much a woodcarver, but an artist who worked in wood.

Coffman draws her own ornament and figurine patterns and then forces the figure from the wood. She uses both Butternut wood and Linden wood, also known as Bass wood. Linden wood is used due to the perfect pairing of its properties to her needs. Linden wood is light and strong. The grain is straight and allows fine knife strokes to create a smooth surface. Butternut wood is used for its interesting grain patterns. Both woods are native to the eastern United States.

Ornaments were a natural extension of her artwork. Each ornament is still a tiny, original sculpture that looks natural hanging by a string. Granted, sometimes the cats or elephants ornaments are hanging by their tails, but who is to say that is not perfectly natural?

By drawing her own ornament patterns, Christine is able to change them on a whim. She will use a basic outline to start the carving but by giving each ornament carving different details, she creates very different looks. That premise carries over to every ornament figure she carves. The little children ornaments may be described simply as being dressed in pajamas or nightgowns and holding onto the string with one hand, but once carved, each child has his or her own distinct look. The wooden ornaments at Christmas-Carvings are not limited in design. You will find nativity sets, wooden santas, cat figurines and much more. With Christine Coffman’s talents and skills, a piece of wood is pure potential.

Article and images used with permission from Christmas-Carvings.com

Angelo Tiozzo – Glass Ornaments Master

Monday, July 6th, 2009

Angelo Tiozzo has refined his glass making skills since he was 11 years old.

Angelo Tiozzo is the glass master who heads Gala Glass. His pedigree as a glass artisan is beyond reproach. He was born in Murano, Italy – a small island close to Venice – which is the world’s premiere centre for glass artistry. Murano has produced families of master glassmakers for more than a millenium. Angelo Tiozzo was born into such a family, and starting at the tender age of 11, he began polishing his craft under the watchful eye of Murano’s great glassmakers.

Today, with over 50 years of experience in the glass arts, Angelo works in the family business along with his wife and two sons. To ensure a wide offering of artistic crystal glass creations, Angelo also selects the best from the work of other world-class craftsmen to enrich the Gala Glass legacy.

Angelo is such a stickler for quality that every creation is inspected at the workshop by a trained member of the Tiozzo family to ensure the high standards that Gala Glass demands are constantly met. You can rest assured that when they ship your order, it will contain a standout handmade creation that will be treasured for years.

Article and images used with permission from GalaGlass.com

Hand Painted Cookie Dough Ornaments

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

The whole family gets involved in Cookie Dough Creations.

Kathy Mathews of Cookie Dough Creations says that she has always loved craft festivals and that she knew that she wanted to be a craftsperson, even before she knew what it was that she wanted to make. She remembers visiting a friend at a local craft fair many years ago and thinking how she wanted to be a part of that excitement. “It looks like so much fun, but what could I do?”

So 12 years ago Cookie Dough Creations began, a labor of love, born out of Kathy’s desire to make something with her own two hands and out of her commitment to be a good mom. She happened to be shopping for a gift for her son’s teacher when she found some dough ornaments. It was love at first sight! After researching a basic recipe for dough ornaments and about a year of trial and error with some good and some horrible results, her cookie dough ornaments were created. She was well on her way to making her homespun treasures.

The business has been steadily growing ever since. She currently supplies a few local gift boutiques and sells year round to a major craft wholesale company in nearby Pennsylvania as well. She also participates in about a dozen craft shows a year. Kathy says that she is the primary craftsperson, but she does receive lots of hands on help from her entire family. Her husband pitches in with anything and everything needed. The only thing that he doesn’t do is to make the actual product, even though he has been known to help out with even that during the busy time of year. He has designed and created the website and everything else computer oriented – signs, flyers, business cards, etc. He also built the mobile booth that they cart around from one craft show to the next. The entire family helps out at the show, making Cookie Dough Ornaments a true family affair.

Each folk inspired ornament is entirely handmade starting in the Mathews kitchen. The dough is mixed and rolled out, one batch at a time, carefully hand-cut, and allowed to air dry. Then the ornament is hand painted and finished with a coat of polyurethane and a black wire hanger. Cookie Dough ornaments make great gifts for anyone and each ornament has either a seasonal or holiday theme and they make charming “anytime” ornaments to display throughout the year.

Article and images used with permission from cookie-dough-creations.com

Collectible Keepsake Quilted Ornaments

Friday, June 19th, 2009

Artistic Glass Décor & More is about a lot more than glass.

Marjorie Meier was a geriatric nurse for 22 years when she retired and went to night school to learn how to build her website. She wanted to share her ornaments online and was told that a website would cost her thousands of dollars. Being an independent and self activated woman, she decided to learn code and build her own web site which she calls Artistic Glass Décor & More. She says that she always knew that she had a creative side, but she had never had the chance to pursue it until she retired and could finally sit down and begin creating with her hands.

She started creating quilted ornaments and learned the process on her own by trial and error for over a year until the art of quilting ornaments finally started falling into place and her ornaments started looking attractive enough to try to sell to the public. Her ornaments are more than sellable. They are exquisite and many of the ornaments are one-of-a-kind designs, adding to their significance.

Marjorie started stepping out and trying new and different types of ornaments, going through the same trial and error process and now she has a wonderful array of various types of ornaments from which to choose. You will want take a look at her new Shabby Chic Ornaments, Vintage Ornaments and her Personalized Ornaments for sure. She spares no costs on the fabrics, ribbons, trims and accessories that she uses to design and create her ornaments so that each handcrafted ornament has that extra special elegant and beautiful touch. Marjorie is committed to her customers and wants them to enjoy her creative side as much as she does. By the way, don’t let the name Artistic Glass Décor & More make you think her website is all about glass. Marjorie is a well rounded ornament artist and she designs and creates from several different mediums.

Her ornaments are truly keepsakes to remember those special events and memories and all of her ornaments are moderately priced and only available at Artistic Glass Décor & More.

Article and images used with permission from ArtisticGlassDecorAndMore.com