Heartful Handmade Blog

contemporary crafts market (and shell shades) in san francisco

The Contemporary Crafts Market will be in San Francisco at the Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason, this weekend, March 9th and 10th.  If this venue is within your commute range, this show is definitely worth the effort.  It's one of the premier juried shows for one-of-a-kind craftwork, and brings together under one roof some of the best craftspeople in the United States.  You'll get to meet an eclectic mix of creative talent with a diverse array of offerings.  You'll find jewelry, glassware, ceramics, hand painted textiles, custom furniture, mixed media creations, and more.  Everything in the show was jury selected for exceptional quality and everything is for sale.  Just click over to the Contemporary Crafts Market website for all the information.   They're even giving away some free passes you can download.
Shell Shades	Crafts Market Info
And be sure to visit Desiree Gillingham-Produit in Booth #209.   She'll be showing her beautiful Tiffany inspired lampshades that she meticulously makes by hand from sea shells.  And the gorgeous sculpture shown above will be there too.  I told you about Desiree a while back in this post.  And I'm telling you again now that her lampshades and sculptures are like nothing you've ever seen.

ceramic sculpture by cathy broski

I featured a ceramic sculpture by Cathy Broski just last month in a post on valentine heart art.  And here I am featuring her work again, because I find it so engaging and expressive.  Using symbolism and working primarily through figures, Broski builds layers of meaning into each piece.  And each piece is crafted individually as an original and unique work of art.  Cathy Broski's work is perfect for gifts because she has something for everyone.  Dog lovers?  Broski pays ceramic tribute to them with several works that will bring a smile to your face.

Blue Dog $300

This Blue Dog, nose-to-beak with a little white bird, is my favorite Broski dog sculpture.  It's 7 inches high and 14 inches long, making it perfect for a coffee table display. Wedding gift?  Birthday gift?  Anniversary gift?  House warming gift?  Gift for yourself?  Broski's work wordlessly captures and conveys a wealth of human (and sometimes animal) feeling.   And that's another reason I find her sculpture perfect for giving as gifts.  Because, while a beautiful gift of art is always nice, one that embodies a shared value or belief is a treasure.

One World Same Boat, $450

This sculpture, One World Same Boat, says so much so beautifully.   It's 15 inches high by 10 inches wide, and the figures are all individually crafted and removable. So click on over and check more wonderful ceramic artworks by Cathy Broski.

paintings direct from artists' studios on sale

The Artful Home Winter Studio Sale is now underway.  It will run through February 7, offering a wide selection of artist-made products.  I've been on an artwork kick recently and so I've selected paintings for my first blog post on this sale.  These are one-of-a-kind original artworks shipped directly from the artist's studio.  So, if you want one of them, jump on it because when it's gone, it's gone.

July Mountains by Janice Hunt is a highly textured acrylic landscape on canvas that has an almost sculptural quality.  It's 8 inches square and 1-1/4 inches deep and arrives ready to hang.  It's on sale for $75 (regular price $125).

Carnical by Nancy Eckels is an acrylic abstract painting with interesting and surprising surface elements.  It's 21 inches square on heavy watercolor paper.  It's on sale for $680 (regular price $850).

Whispers by Jonathan Harris is an acrylic landscape painting of Colorado aspens on 16 inch square stretched canvas.   It's on sale for $760 (regular price $850).

* * * Visit the Sales Mash-up Page to see all my handpicked products currently on sale.

paintings that show your valentine your love

Novica is offering two days of free shipping on Valentine's gifts and, while browsing for suggestions, I got stuck in the paint on the artists pages and never made it to another department.  Of the paintings that caught my eye, only the three below are guaranteed to ship in time for delivery by Valentine's Day.  But you'll have to order by midnight 1/23 PST to get the free shipping offer.

Flowers (2011), by Brazilian artist Marisia Salomao, is a beautiful permanent arrangement of peonies.  It's a 31-1/2 inch square acrylic painting on unstretched/unframed canvas.  Purchase includes an artist's story card.  This painting is guaranteed for delivery by 2/14 if ordered regular shipping by 1/30.  $954.95

Divine Love, by Indian artist Neelam Gupta conveys the inspirational and playful love between Radha and Lord Krishna.  It's a 22-3/4 by 27 inch oil painting on unstretched/unframed canvas.  Purchase includes an artist's story card and free gift wrap.  This painting is guaranteed for delivery by 2/14 if ordered regular shipping by 2/2.  $369.95

Forever Yours (2009), by West African artist Ben Agbee, depicts a couple in love.  It's a 36 inch square acrylic painting on canvas that will arrive unstretched/unframed.  Purchase includes an artist's story card and free gift wrap.  This painting is guaranteed for delivery by 2/14 if ordered regular shipping by 1/28.  $464.95

heart art sculpture for your valentine

Nice artwork makes great gifts.  If you choose the right piece, your gift will be on display in a home or office for years as a continual reminder of your love and affection.  And the great thing about art is that it comes in many sizes and there  is someting for every budget.  So I've picked a few nice heart sculptures that would be great Valentine's Day gifts.

This beautiful sculpture is called Heart in Hand.  It's a one-of-a-kind artwork that was carved from stoneware clay by ceramic artist Cathy Broski.  $100

Chubby Heart is a patchwork sculpture hand fabricated by metal artist Anthony Hansen from recycled automotive sheet metal.  $800

This whimsical work, Raven on Heart, is a hand carved and handpainted wood sculpture by artist Mark Orr.  $195.

new home and garden shopping page

I just realized I never did a post here about the new Lookup^quick shopping page at Heartful Village.  It makes it very easy to find handmade home products because you shop from an array of cool shops and artisans all together.  Art, decorative boxes, garden decor, Buddha statues, vases and lots more handmade products for around the home are easily shopped by price, by store, or by artisan.  So click on over and check the new Home & Garden shopping page now.

these wood tiles make any space an art wall

These beautiful wooden tiles are a great way to add an artful touch to any area of your home or office.  They will display beautifully singly, or in groupings of whatever number rocks your boat.  You can create something totally unique through your choice of tiles and arrangement:  Three tiles arranged in a single vertical row, or four tiles in two rows of two or one row of four, or something totally abstract.  Whatever works for you and the space you have available is the right way to display these tiles.  They're made by Amber and Darleen, a very creative mother/daughter team, working in their Red Tile Studio in Dallas.  The images are all of original artworks by this artistic duo.  To create the tiles, an image print is affixed to a wood block and then sealed with glossy varnish and the wood is either stained or painted.  The tiles shown here are stained in walnut.  Red Tile Studio has an impressive collection for you to choose from, in a variety of colors and sizes.  You can purchase them individually or in specially priced sets.  And, besides these lovely tiles, you'll find gorgeous magnets (turn your refrigerator into a gallery), iPhone covers, wall pockets, and lots of other cool products.  Click on over to Red Tile Studio and check them out for yourself.  This set of four 5x5" tiles is $108.

recycled fun art for your walls

This artwork, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, is one of many smile producing sculptures at Frivolous Tendencies.  This Ashland, Oregon, shop gives recycled corrugated barn roofs a whole new life as art.  These whimsical works are the result of some very hard work.  But all that is hidden. What comes through in the finished product is lightness of spirit and a direct link to the very essence of joy.  There are musicians, dancers (my personal favorites), mermaids, and other exotic figures.  This shop also has wall sconces and a variety of garden sculptures.  Sizes and prices vary, and there's something for every space and pocketbook.  Girls Just Want to Have Fun is 19 inches high by 25 inches wide.  It's $395.  Click on over and check out all the fun sculpture at Frivolous Tendencies. 

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Frivoulous Tendencies is also in Handmade Lookup.

intriguing masks and colorful hearts for your wall

I was drawn into Mudgoddess by the intriguing clay masks created by shop owner Katherine Mathisen.  They're cast from molds she creates from live models.  She then paints the masks with colorful designs inspired by tribal art.  Whimsical hearts designed as wall art are also a feature of this shop.  Some are inscribed with words of love or affirmation, and you can even order customized hearts with a specific name or other wording.  This is a wonderful shop.  You need to click on over to Mudgoddess to check all out for yourself.  The mask shown here is $75. 

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Mudgoddess is also in Handmade Lookup. 

folk art pumpkin doll named pembrook

This is Pembrook, the sweetest looking pumpkin doll I've ever seen.  She's a sculpture comprised of drawing, painting and otherwise skillfully impressing her image onto fabric before attaching her parts to a wooden stand.  Her clothes are hand sewn, and the whole assemblage comes together into a very nice piece of artwork standing 8-1/2 inches tall.  She was created by Dylan and Jo, the husband and wife team at Cart Before the Horse, where you'll find lots of other nice folk art dolls for holiday or everyday decor.  Pembrookis $110.00.

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Cart Before the Horse is also in Handmde Lookup.