ARTIST OF THE MONTH - SHELLEY KOSCIELNIAK

Handmade embodies the soul - creating and sharing is the quintessential experience for an artist.

Shelley Koscielniak (MK Wind)

My name is Shelley, I live in Los Angeles, California.  The journey of MK Wind began with my passion for body adornment. The concept of my work is minimalism … artistry in subtle form … less is more.  My designs are bold and graphic thriving on the juxtaposition of harmonious and incongruous materials. Embracing my many art influences, my colour palettes and interpretation of form are inspired by the spontaneity and mysticism of abstract expressionism. Meticulously crafted sculptures reflect the aesthetic of minimalism, modern architecture and Asian calligraphy. My creative process is heavily influenced by metal which my favorite medium.  From the initial sketches to the finished piece, the inherit structure of the metal leads me to create designs exhibiting rigidity and flexibility with a Zen influence.  Drawing on the colours of the metals, woods and resins, each piece exhibits a melding of the qualities of materials adding their own unique character to the work. I am intrigued by the aesthetic of how a culture implements ornamentation, using embellishments to change a look, an appearance, a perception. My ever-changing designs are timeless in structure and form, each piece is created to appeal to the eye as well as the soul. From the precious metals to the individually selected reclaimed resin and exotic wood, the essence of my jewelry captivates the mind and spirit. With expressive subtle colours and clean sharp lines, these designs harness energy and artistry.  I graduated with honors from Columbia College Chicago with a BFA in Fine Arts and furthered my studies at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  My years as a fine art curator have also played a large role in the evolution of my work. ... choose your body embellishment as you would a companion, find comfort and harmony in wearing these pieces ...

To me Shelley's artwork is simply fascinating.
I love the forms, the materials and the textures - and the precision with which each of  the pieces is put together and finished. 
And - having my background in architecture - I always enjoy minimalist architectural and industrial styles. After all, it was an architect who first said that 'less is more'.



Each of Shelley's pieces is hand fabricated in her Los Angeles studio.
You can see more of her jewelry on her website, you can also buy it in her Etsy shop.

WHAT HANDMADE IS ALL ABOUT?

Today I am not going to show much - I am going to ask you a question instead:

What do you understand by handmade and what does it mean to you?

I am going to provoke you a bit.

Pretty much everything can be considered handmade, it all depends on the point of view.
Sometimes the point of view can be such that it puts artists and crafters into a very small niche of ridiculous people who can't really be taken seriously, leaving all the rest of the 'handmade selling space' to manufacturers and resellers who claim their products have been made by hand. Who's hand? It does not seem to matter...

Now, to me it certainly does matter who's hand has been involved into making a piece I believe is handmade.

Like this one:

Do you like these hair sticks?
I like them very much myself.
Now, let me present you the hand that has made them:

It's the artist's or the crafter's hand that makes the difference between the handmade and the rest of the world.

Or, at least, it should be...

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Wooden hair forks by The Ancient Muse

The photo of  The Muse's hand is borrowed from her blog.

ARTIST OF THE MONTH - SANDRA MARIA ROSA

HOME DECOR

It's not only jewelry that Sandra makes, her home decor pieces are astonishing as well.

I adore the simple shapes and the beautiful vibrant glazes.

If you would like to read Sandra's story, you will find it here .

Here you will find few of her necklaces, and here are her beautiful rings.

You can also see (and buy) Sandra's artwork in several design shops in Portugal, on the internet you can a find her on Etsy and Luulla.

This is the last post in this column this month, but I am sure there will be other occasions to see Sandra's works on my blog.

Next Tuesday you are welcome to pass by and meet the Artist Of The Month for May.

LOLITA BRONZINI

Permanent green

Serenity

Temptation

This is my kind of stuff.

I love these paintings.

I'm not going to discuss them, I am going to enjoy looking at them instead.

I suggest you do exactly the same.

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Oil paintings by Lolita Bronzini of Color Mind

PATTERN LANGUAGE - PEACOCK FEATHERS

Everybody knows what a peacock is all about, yes? 

A huge fan of feathers in iridescent blue-green colors, a fancy crest atop the head and a shrieking scream are the most important things that make up a peacock.

It seems that peacock feathers are being fashionable this year, so here are few of my favorite picks featuring the peacock feather pattern.

I haven't heard anything about peacock scream becoming fashionable, but just in case,  here is a sample.

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1. Throw pillow from Artistic Textiles

2. Hand painted silk wrap from Silk Siren

3. Stemless wine glasses from Mary Elizabeth Arts

4. Bracelet from Studio Tambria

5. Cake topper from Scattered Stardust

6. Clutch from Mermaids Dream

7. Neckties from Cyberoptix

8. Pocket mirror from Colors by Liza