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.

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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.

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."

New in the Gallery--Sassy Ladies

It seems that our space is being invaded by bunches of sassy gals.  Some are recent arrivals but others have been here all along.  Take a look.
Artist Rose Vollmer has taken a circuitous route to her current passion of doll-making.  In her previous life she owned an interior design company with customers across the U.S.  Fifteen years later, she and her husband started Pizazz, a corporate a nd event gift business.  This gave her a creative outlet until she discovered . . . art dolls.  This has led to being published in several publications including Soft Dolls and Animals and Doll Crafters and Costuming.

You will find her new line called Fabulous Floozies--Outrageously Sexy Art Dolls with Sassy Sayings here.  Rose claims that these girls "are talking and dressing like my mother told me I shouldn't but how I always secretly wanted to!"
The girl above has a card that reads "Good girls are made of sugar and spice--bad girls are made of vodka and ice."

The doll to the right has a tag that says, "Best friends know how crazy you are, and still choose to be with you in public."

One customer commented that you might see these girls on Van Buren Street.  His girlfriend confronted him, "How would you know?"  Oops.

Not really recent, but yet sassy are the ornaments and greeting cards designed and hand-painted by local artist, Deb Lasch.  Her art takes advantage of hilarious sayings such as "If I die while shopping at Wal Mart, drag my body to Neiman Marcus" or "Red wine is my favorite anti-oxidant."  The ornament shown above says "Girls just wanna have funds."  Makes me want to dance, too.

Finally, California artist, Susan Hargrove, shows her sassy girls on a 22" x 9" pillow.  We also carry pillows that feature hearts, black birds and crazy cats.

1st Annual Gilbert High School Art Walk

 Gilbert Historical Society quilting demonstration--Pottery wheel demonstration in background

                                                                         Alumni art

Large triptych--student art

                                                    The Kidmans -- one of three musical groups

I spent many of my past Mondays helping one of our local high schools coordinate an art walk.  We also held a silent auction inside of the gallery.  Besides student art, there was also alumni and faculty art.  Three different venues featured three distinct musical groups.  When all was said and done, we claimed it a huge success!  But we're hoping that next year it will be bigger and better.

Check out the video which appeared on our local news.

Our First Week--Were you Here?

Thanks to everyone who made it to our pre-opening reception, and, likewise, to those of you who have made it in to the gallery this first week. I have really enjoyed visiting with old Ink It! friends.  It's like time hasn't really moved.  Everyone still looks the same (except I think I've aged 10 years with our upgrade to the building!)

I've restocked some of the more popular items that sold heavily since our opening including the hanging garden sculptures from Tom Hatton and the cute business card/vase stand from Glass Fire Jewelry.  These two pieces of art are shown above.  Actually, I'm showing just a double vase since all of the combo designs have been sold.

So many items here are perfect for holiday gift-giving.   I hope you keep Gallery 225 in mind for the special people on your list.

If you didn't make it in, here's a peek at the interior.  I'm a bit biased but I think it looks lovely.  Seeing a picture is just not the same as coming in and seeing the space and the artwork up close and personal.  So when you have some time, come on in and visit and enjoy!

Meet Artist:: Rachel Rose

One of the artists represented in the gallery is Rachel Rose, a California girl with a real flair for detail on a very small scale.  Her use of precious and semi-precious gems are usually clustered or set off by gold-filled wirework.  We currently have a smaller version of the botanical necklace shown above.

Rachel recently sent me a photo of Reba McIntyre sporting some of her jewelry on the cover of People magazine.  How exciting!

 

As we get closer to opening, we also got some local press.  Check it out here.   

 

If you get a chance, drop by our pre-opening reception on Friday, November 6 from 4 to 8 pm.

I Need a Few More Hours in the Day!

Wow--it's been almost 24-7 for the last few days.  My primary goal was to have everything priced in the gallery.  That's rather important, don't you think?

Well, there are a few other details that I had to attend to.  Details that somehow didn't show up in my critical path (jargon from my corporate days) .  Critical path being the things that must occur before I open the doors.  Those activities included a postcard campaign (hmm, where did my address list go?), an email blast (Constant Contact is too much fun--dropping in photos and links), sending photos to my webmaster so that my homepage doesn't scare you, and, of course, updating this blog.

I also decided to use one of the many half-used cans of paint to spruce up the patio slab behind the gallery.  I won't tell you exactly what I did, but it does look somewhat cool.  Maybe the word isn't "cool" but "different".  I'll let you decide.

The evening is young.  It's only 9 pm.  I guess it's back to pricing although in the back of my mind I'm wondering about the missed opportunities if I don't start to tweet and have a Gallery 225 Facebook presence. Soon.

One Door Closes, Another One Opens

Some of you may have known us in our prior incarnation as Ink It! We existed for 9 years as a "go-to" paper arts store. For us, as owners, the ride was exhilarating. From the many emails and cards that we received when we announced our closing, I feel the ride was also meaningful for the many friends who walked into our doors.

We didn't do it alone--no one ever does.

We had a wonderful roster of teachers during the nine years in the paper arts. Stamping, journaling, altered art, paper making, bookbinding, embossed metal, PMC, soldering--the list of classes was extensive. I partook in them, and my life was truly enriched.

I will remain involved in the arts. Instead of giving artists a venue to teach their creative processes, I will offer of venue where finished artwork is sold.

In the next few days, I will post on Gallery 225. It's my new life. It's thrilling. I hope to welcome you as you walk through our doors.