Have you visited the gallery lately?

 Just thought I would put in a recent photo of the gallery interior.  It's really chock-a-block with art.  We are quickly becoming the place to go for gifts for special occasions and the holidays.  You're coming to see us soon, right?
     In November, we will be hosting the Gilbert Visual Arts League art show.  So in addition to our current inventory, we will also have many juried pieces from this community organization.  I'll have more information as the date approaches.

New Work in Sept

 Merritt M. Menefee-Johnson is a new artist to the gallery.  In addition to the wonderful pieces that I've highlighted in my Sept email blast are the pieces below. Her pieces are impeccable.  Some feature dragonflies in flight while the others have white linear accents.  The red orbs are called "Arizona Sunset".  A pair of them would be spectacular, but all four would really make a statement.  Since they're only 6" in diameter, finding them a home is easy.  Hmmm, I've got just the spot in my home!

Gilbert Art Walk

George Lenz, a local photographer, will be the person behind the new Gilbert Art Walk. It will be held at the Water Tower Plaza on the 4th Friday of each month from 6 to 10 in the evening.  Please come and support your local artists. 

New color trends

One of the more interesting annual news items that I look forward to each year is the color trend as predicted by the Pantone experts.  Since they've been doing this for many, many years all industries actually depend on them for their yearly offerings.  So if you've ever wondered why interior decorators, fashion designers, graphic artists, even scrapbookers all end up favoring certain colors, we can thank Pantone.

So what are the colors for 2012?  According to the experts, we should be seeing yellow and fuchsia as shown below.  Read the entire Pantone newsletter here.

Meet My Dad-Ricardo

Meet my dad, Ricardo.  He passed away a few years ago after a very long bout with Alzheimer's.  When we had a memorial service for him, lots of people came forward to share something about him.  What we learned was that everyone who spoke thought that they were the most special person in his life.  That included his children and grandchildren.  That's the kind of person he was.  When he was with you, nothing else mattered to him.





 There are many, many special things about my dad that I remember.  Here's a few:

• When we were quite young (7-8 years old), he would sit us down on the bed before lights out.  He would teach us three new vocabulary words each night such as "ilk", "naive" and "idiosyncrasy".  After telling us the meaning, he urged us to use each word three times.  Then it would be ours, he would say.

• He was very particular about his clothes.  He would notice the smallest wrinkle in his starched white shirts.  He would take out the ironing board and fix it  (my mother was pretty good though and wrinkles were few).  He always admonished us to pay attention to details.

• He had a great sense of humor.  Once he was digging a hole in the back yard for our septic tank.  We all knew that it would be a long and arduous task.  After about half an hour, he told us to go get Mom.  While she was walking out from the house, he knelt down in the hole giving the impression that he had dug a hole about three feet deep in a short amount of time. Sure enough, when she saw him, she was incredulous at his rapid progress.  We all laughed so hard both that day and to this day--55 years later!

• When we moved to our present home in 1995, he came out to help my husband and me landscape the back yard.  We worked every day on a flagstone courtyard with adobe walls. I can say unequivocally-- he kicked our butts!!  At the end of the day, when we wanted to shower and rest, he wanted to know which restaurant served the best Margaritas. 

I know he's up there watching over us--"his beautiful people"--that's what he called his family and friends.  I know he's proud of all of us.  That's just the way he was.

Mother's Day 2011

A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.  ~Irish Proverb

My mother, Virginia, died at an early age, 58, from breast cancer. I was 31.  My biggest regret was she would never get to see her grandchildren grow up and have children of their own.  She would have really spoiled them.  I know because she spoiled her own kids, then proceeded to do the same with mine with the limited time she had with them.  She always said that the young should have all the nice things in the world.  I think she used this thinking as a way of denying herself so as to pamper us.  So much of this was actually accomplished by cooking our favorite meals rather than shopping.  There's so much about her that I miss.

This is Easter Sunday, 1955.  The picture was taken in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Don't you love the 'snapshot quality'.  We used to get little red photo books from the drugstore where the film was developed.

I'm on the left.  I was about 6 1/2 years old.  My sister, Margaret, on the right is about 8 years old.  We were brought up like "quasi-twins".  To this day, we're still twin-like.  My parents were quite the dressers, don't you agree? 

 This is my mother in her late teens.  What a cutie.

New in the Gallery-April 2011-Donna Nordin

Tucson artist, Donna Nordin, can boast being both a jeweler hand-crafting one-of-a-kind pieces with beads from all over the world AND a chef who has been nominated "Best Chef in the Southwest" by the James Beard Foundation.  She has also been inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame and received the "Award of Excellence" from the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

We feel very lucky to now have her work in the gallery.  Here are some photos of her jewelry.

Fire  Opal on a Sterling Chain

Multiple Gemstones, Fresh Water Pearls, Raspberry Keishi Pearls

Long, long sterling chain with multi gens and pearls

Choker with Matte Rock Quartz and Glass Beads

Three Strands-GF and Multi-Colored Gems

Peach Oval Pearls with Tiny Gemstones
 Wired with Sterling Silver

Sterling Links with Kaleidoscope Pendant

Special Gallery Visitors

A few weeks ago, on a day when gallery visitors were scarce, I was pleasantly surprised when a group of high school students dropped in.  Accompanied by two teachers, I knew that these were a special group of kids.  They were impressed by every piece of art.  The girls ooh'd and ah'd over the jewelry while the boys seemed to be taken by photography, water colors, and wooden objects.  Since they didn't seem to be in any hurry, I decided to infuse a bit of fun into their day.

I distributed raffle tickets to them after having selected some inexpensive, yet beautiful, gallery items (scented handcrafted candles, pendants with bird images and small ceramic crosses.  I called out numbers, and one by one, they came forward to select their prize.  Winners all, they left with their small art treasures.

I was left with my own treasure--amazement at the dedication of our public school teachers and the care and love of these kids for one another.  I was especially impressed by the tenderness shown to the young man in a wheelchair.  Everyone made sure that he was included and those pushing him around shifted the task seamlessly.

So imagine my surprise when they all showed up again this week.  One by one, they handed me their hand-crafted thank you cards.  I took the time to read a part of each card as they handed them to me.  I knew that each was an act of sincere appreciation.  I smiled as I tried to make sure that my tears didn't betray the admiration I had for each of these special young persons.

Here are photos of some of the cards they brought to me.

Sarah A. Brodie -- Artist Statement

     As a shy child in a large family, I grew up craving  a sense of personal space and privacy that existed only in my imagination.  I spent many hours nurturing lives and landscapes that only I could see.

     Today, surrounded by family, friends, pets and art, I still feel desperate to control the chaos around me.  I think that my obsession with boxes mirrors my struggle to organize my public life and my private interiors.  It is the outside of my boxes where these words combine.  My boxes are seldom square; corners crumple, lids tilt and handles twist.  Color, texture and line disappear and return in odd places.

As wild as my exteriors may be, the interior is just as important to me.  I want to provide that quiet restful and secret place that I longed for as a child. It is a safe enclosed space that you can decide what treasures - a jewel, a shell, a stray whisper - will rest there.

We're a Runner-Up in the East Valley Tribune Best of 2011--Art Galleries

Thanks to East Valley Tribune readers who voted for us.  In spite of being open for only 16 months, we are a runner-up to Mesa Arts Center (a multi-million city-owned venue).  We are so proud.

Here's a link to the online information.

Clap, clap, clap, clap,clap, clap, clap,clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap,clap, clap, clap,clap, clap, clap,clap, clap, clap,clap, clap, clap,clap, clap, clap,clap, clap, clap, clap.

New in the Gallery

Are you into clean, contemporary lines?  We just received these 10" x 10" shadow boxes with clay tiles.  Arizona artists, Tim and Kari Hull makes these delightful pieces of art.

2011 Color Trend-Honeysuckle

Pantone is the worldwide authority on color trends. Each year, innumerable products and services are sold by Pantone and its hundreds of licensees in over 100 countries in the graphic arts, fashion, home, interior, plastics, architectural, paint, industrial design and consumer markets.

Last year, the color was turquoise; selected to transport us away from the worries in our environment to a tropical vacation spot.

This year the color is Honeysuckle, a Color for All Seasons.

Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.  Read more here.

New in the gallery is jewelry by Scottsdale artist, Arlee Kasselman.  This set show beautiful Honeysuckle Pink Topaz with Champagne Topaz.  The sterling silver has been oxidized for a modern and contrasting effect.

Funny "Sign of the Times"

Here's a funny sign I saw in another retail shop lately.  Funny, but I guess that I can relate.

New in the Gallery-October 2010

This summer, I met an Tucson artist at "Niche, the Show" in Las Vegas.  Niche Magazine organized a wholesale show for the western United States.  And what a nice show it was.

Though this artist and I had talked about meeting at my gallery, we somehow miscommunicated, and only last week did we finally get together.  (I said I was taking two weeks off this summer; he thought I said two months.  Funny Guy!) I'm so glad that we finally connected!

Below is a sampling of Erik Stewart's jewelry.  It's no surprise that the clean lines and contemporary designs have succeeded in landing him the coveted Niche award.  I've indicated in the captions the designs that I have in the gallery.

Nautilus Smooth--In sterling, with black

Tahitian pearl

 ($340)

Maze--In stainless steel ($195)

Reveal--Available as custom work from the artist

Call for Artists--1st Annual Gilbert Fine Art Festival

Call for Artists
Announcing First Annual Gilbert Fine Art Festival
Saturday, November 13, 2010 from 8 am - 3 pm
Gilbert Water Tower Plaza in downtown

Deadline:  October 15, 2010

Artists are invited to participate in this first ever event, celebrating Gilbert's 90th Birthday, as well as supporting the future for Arts in Gilbert, to be held Saturday, November 13th from 8 am - 3 pm in Gilbert's charming downtown historic district at the Water Tower Plaza.

This festival is being held in conjunction with Gilbert Visual Artist's League Annual Art show and the town's weeklong Gilbert Days Celebration. In 2009, the parade attendance was estimated at 30,000 - 40,000 people lining Gilbert Road. So this obviously offers a great opportunity for artists to increase their exposure and take advantage of a great number of people who will be enjoying the festivities.

Prospective participants in this event need to submit jpeg images of three examples of their work to Diane Fales: dfales1@cox.net.  Artist's work may include any medium but must be original artwork or original reproductions.  Please supply contact information including name, address, phone, email address and website if applicable.
To sell work, artists must have a Gilbert sales license, and 15% of gross sales must be submitted to town.

If you are a member of Gilbert Visual Artist League, there is no cost.  Non-members are required to pay a nominal fee of $25.  Included in that fee, you will receive a year's membership to Gilbert Visual Art League.  Our monthly meetings include artists' demos and speakers to educate and inspire our members. 

Deadline: October 15th, 2010.

Questions/Info, please contact Diane Fales @ 480-242-4922
Or Jean Smith @ 480-497-0677

New in the Gallery-September 2010

Mara was an accomplished ceramicist, sculptor and painter. Studying with world's greatest modern artists, she developed and mastered the difficult technique of precise line drawing in ceramics. Mara's remarkable skill and imagination lives on today, exhibited in the shapes and colors of her trademark  collection.

The stoneware is hand-made in Mexico.  The mugs sell for $20-21.

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Jackie Straw and Teri Smithers are a mother-daughter team who bill their company as The Family Jewels.  They dazzled me with their creativity when they came to show me their jewelry, having only recently taken classes to learn the art of glass flameworking at the Mesa Arts Center.

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Local artist and native Arizonan, Terri Meider, has these wonderful cat and hummingbird illustrations in the gallery.  She's used graphite and watercolor on cradled board.

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Mikutowski Woodworking is synonymous with high quality craftsmanship and unmatched attention to detail. All of their unique and beautiful jewelry boxes, valet boxes, and keepsake boxes are functional works of art, carefully handcrafted in the USA.  You'll be pleasantly surprised with the beauty of these boxes at a very reasonable price.

Mikutowski Keepsake Boxes ($33) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What started as a hobby has grown into a wonderful business adventure. Ohio designer Jacqueline Adamany of Blue Orchid Handbags would like to see all women afford beautiful handbags.

Blue Orchid handbags ($55-65)

Everything local artist, Bett York does reflects her unique style.
This detail of an owl in a tree (The Guardian-$400) may be whimsical in subject matter, but it is meticulous in its execution.  It is one of two currently in the gallery-- the other is a pelican.  They are sold individually.

New in the Gallery-August

These hand-painted tiles mounted on blocks of exotic wood are the work of local artist, Sandy Browne.  In her artist statement, Sandy says, "I have collected 'words' for years.  Words that I like the sound of, that are fun to say.  I love the human body and thus decided to paint my 'words' in women.  Of course, I have only chosen the words that have pleasant meanings."

"Lavation" (5.75 x 2 x 8.5 walnut)  $135

"Malaise" (6 x 3 x 7 mahogany)  $135

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Gilead, an artist who's been showing his art in our gallery during the summer months has added Snake Lady to his offerings.  This piece of art was inspired by an online competition to use a model as inspiration. He considers this painting his best work yet.

"Snake Lady" (20' x 48')  $600

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Our selection of rings has been expanded.  We've added sterling silver ones with fun details such as rotating rings encased in bands.  We also have a new selection of Native American rings with a wide array of semi precious and precious stones (sugilite, turquoise, spiny oyster, onyx, opal, jasper, etc). 

Sterling silver rings with turquoise and garnet ($68-125)
 

Native American bands ($75-125)

Summer Savings

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All soap is buy one, get one free.  Choose from Beautiful Soap, Heron Shores and Soap Werks.

The scents are scintillating: Woodland Pear, White Tea/Ginger, Lilac, Lavender, Sea Moss, Oatmeal/Milk/Honey, Lemon Verbena, Cucumber Melon, and my favorite, Better Than a Kiss.

Offer expires on August 30, 2010

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New in the Gallery-July

 These whimsical clocks are the work of a talented local artist, Alice Hall.  They have fantastic "attitude" and are set off by their embellished copper pendulums.  I'm really enjoying the addition of these girls in the gallery.

Deborah Zwetsch is an award-winning working Florida artist who has a BA in Art Therapy, and a four-year certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Deborah began painting on silk six years ago because of the luminous quality color takes upon the silk surface. Her work on silk reflects the innate color sense that she draws from nature. She has won numerous awards at crafts exhibits for her hand-painted one-of-a-kind scarves and clothing.  

We are so pleased to have a nice selection of Deborah's scarves.  Read local Arizona Republic article by Jaimee Rose on scarves on a 115 degree summer day in Arizona.  It sheds new light on purchasing this fashion accessory.

 Local artist Viola Burke creates these life-affirming shadow box collages.  Based on past scriptural studies, she borrows words from the scriptures, then adds many more of her own to complete the main text of each work, "I am . . . .".  Not discernible in these photos is the dimensionality of each collage and the beadwork, which she calls the "icing on the cake."