Handcrafted Wearable Art by Studio Tessere

Memorial weekend came and gone.

We managed to attend a couple of Arts & Craft Fair in Massachusetts. The Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton had a nice mix of handcrafted collection in textile and jewelry. Studio Tessere stood out the most to me for wonderful and stylish wearable art.

Studio Tessere (Italian for weaving studio) is a one-woman operation by Linda Senechal based in Boston, Massachusetts.

What I love about Senechal’s design is the combination of abstract patterns and beautiful color palettes. Her hand painted (dyed) and weaving techniques created some unique products that are perfect fitting as fashion gifts…a dreamweaver.

From Fashion Art to Artsy Tee

Fashion in motion.

Inspired by the movements of a fashion model – A quick study of various poses. Same artwork is applied to screen printing for our ‘Fashion In Motion’ artsy tee shirt which can be purchased online at www.PinkLeafDesigns.com.

Pair with the boyfriend chino, color skinny-jean or your favorite denim cutoff short…casual and artsy.

Express Your Personal Fashion Style

Show off your summer pedicure with a pair of stylish Flip-Flops. Personalize them. Express your fashion style. Accessorize your footwear.

…Just add Bling-Bling Charms. To create your unique style of expression. Pick a Rhinestone Letter, Number, or Symbol to add to your Flip-Flops.

Buckle Straps on the Flip Flops are adjustable.  Rhinestone Charms can slide on and off easily the straps, be your own footwear designer. Perfect for Spa-Party, Bridal Shower gifts and other occasions.

Enjoy!

Love To Mom Necklace at Sundance Jewelry

Don’t forget mom…Mother’s Day is May 13th! Shop at Sundance Jewelry for gifts with mom in mind.

‘love to mom necklace’

A sterling silver tag says “MOM”; a brass heart shows your love. Lobster clasp.  Exclusively designed by The Blue Hound Jewelry for Sundance, handmade in USA. 18″L.

Chinese Contemporary Artist: Wu Guanzhong

For those lucky ones and get the chance to the Hong Kong Art Museum this Spring, ahead over to the ‘Wu Guanzhong:  Painting-Dance-Music Exhibition’… which ends on April 15th.

Do you know (吳冠中, 1919–2010) is one of the best known contemporary painters of Chinese origin?  His paintings were exhibited at the British Museum in 1992, which was the first for a living Chinese artist.

Born in Yixing (宜興), Wu traveled to Paris in 1947 to study at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts on a government scholarship. Wu’s style reminiscent of the impressionist painters of the early 1900s with admiration for Braque, Matisse, Utrillo, Gauguin, Cézanne, Picasso, and especially for Van Gogh.  ‘Wu’s paintings have the color sense and formal principles of Western paintings, but a spirit and tonal variations of ink that are typically Chinese. Natural scenery is reduced to its essentials.’

Wu introduced aspects of Western art to his students at the Central Academy of Fine Art in Beijing, where he taught from 1950 to 1953.  He was appointed a Professor at the Central Institute of Arts and Crafts, Beijing in 1964.  In 1991 Wu was made an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.

Whether you are impressed with Wu Guanzhong’s accomplishments to the art world, or just enjoy the spirit of his paint strokes like I do…I would like to imagine the inspiring life he had painting along side of the French artists in good old Paris.

Source:  Hong Kong Art Museum, The Guardian, Wikipedi

Me and My Figure Drawing Class

Get inspired.

Create.

Enjoy.

A Figure Drawing Class every Tuesday took place at Paul Vincent Studios, Hoboken, NJ.  It has  a relaxing environment filled with alluring music and artistic people who likes to spend 3 hours each week drawing from a life model.

Warm up your sketching abilities with 1 minute poses…5 minute..10 minute poses, etc.

Don’t be surprised that they encouraged BYOB…and all levels and dry mediums welcome.

Sign up at Meetup today. Get ready to get inspired and create! I’ve certainly did…

Follow them at Facebook.

The World of Anna Sui

When Anna Sui was four years old, she was already talking about becoming a designer.

‘I’m not exactly sure where I got this notion.  It was probably something I saw on television.  I always had it in mind that a designer had beautiful fabrics around her, and a big sketchbook, and would drape cloth around a mannequin, and go out to lunch.  It seemed like a very glamorous life….’

Anna Sui’s first fashion show for fall 1991 was one of the giant breakthroughs for her career.  She  suddenly started getting a lot of press notice internationally. The professional world of Anna Sui has gone global…and still counting.

• Over 300 sales outlets in 30 countries

• 50 boutiques/ shop n shops in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Dubai, Turkey,and USA

• 27 accessory boutiques/ shop n shops in Taiwan, Korea, Honk Kong and China

• 17 DOLLY GIRL by ANNA SUI shops in Japan

• Over 350 ANNA SUI BEAUTY countries worldwide

• In 2010, Anna launched her 1st book…her ‘Fairytale’ fragrance – ‘Forbidden Affair‘

Check out her Fall 2012 Runway Show on Facebook!

P.S. – Worth to mention about Anna Sui’s In-House Digital Photographer, Thomas Lau.

 

Source:  Anna Sui, Thomas Lau,

Loud & Clear Media, Inc.

Urban Zen’s Haiti Artisan Project

Donna Karen’s Urban Zen has a mission.

‘To help develop, market and present the work of Haiti artisans to the western world. As an ambassador to the preservation of Haiti’s artistry and expression, Donna Karan and a community of supporters have been traveling to Haiti at every opportunity, working one-on-one with the artists and manufacturers. “The artistry and skill is breathtaking,” Donna says. “I am so inspired by what I am seeing and the people with whom I’m working with. I couldn’t be more excited.” (read more>)

Source:  Urban Zen

Charm her. Inspire her for this Valentine’s Day

Charm her. Delight her. Inspire her with our handmade inspirational charm bracelet for Valentine’s Day.

Get her this ‘Dream’ Leather and Charm Bracelet

Comes with inspirational Message:
‘It is never too late in the journey of life to follow your dreams.’

Lick only No Biting – Stylish and Irresistible Jewelry by Debra Kallen

Being a Lampwork Artist and Jewelry Designer gives Debra Kallen the freedom to create unique glass beads. Torching fresh daily, she currently has 3 collections:

glass candy – lick only no biting!
glass berries – sweet berry kisses
glass chocolates – making the world sweeter one glass chocolate at a time

Contact Debra Kallen -  glasschocolate@gmail.com

1) Pink Leaf Designs:  When did you first know you wanted to be a Glass Bead Jewelry Designer, and what are your inspirations?

Debra Kallen:  The freedom to recreate great moments from a childhood in a glass medium. Torching fresh daily, oxygen and propane is what fuels the flame which in return helps me create lampwork beads. Working with molten glass has the consistency of taffy. It has resistance as well as the pliability to create my

candy collection – lick only no biting!
berry collection – sweet berry kisses
chocolate collection – making the world sweeter one glass chocolate at a time

Here is the process in short form:

• turn kiln on
• dip 1/16 or bigger mandrel
• flame on
• pull glass for what I am working on for the day, pull stringers (thin pieces of glass pulled from bigger rods),or  make twisted canes before you start your bead. Wind glass onto mandrel, shape using many different tools, now would be the time you use pre-made stringers, twisted cane or pulled stringers to decorate the surface of your bead.
• place in digitally controlled kiln, the bead needs to cool down slowly so the beads won’t crack. All beads need to be annealed for longevity.

2) Pink Leaf Designs: If the sky’s the limit, what piece of pet artwork would you create now?

Debra Kallen:  The sky is the limit! I would add to my candy collection because I love what I create now.

3) PLD: What LIVE celebrity would you like to send a piece of your artwork for FREE?

DK: Katy Perry! I would love for her to own every piece of my candy jewelry.

4) PLD: If you have your way, what famous and successful Pet Artist/ or other type of portrait artist would you like to be?

DK: I would love to be a famous and successful glass candy company/brands myself one day.

5) PLD: You get stuck creating art today, what do you do to get unstuck?

DK: I go to my favorite old-fashioned candy store and look at all the colors, shapes and textures to be inspired. The smells are wonderful as well. I would love to have smells accompany my glass candy collection one day.  As an artist I believe it is important to touch as many senses as possible.

6) PLD: Which music CD are you listening now?

DK: Katy Perry, California girls

7) PLD:  What obstacles did you face when starting up your business? Any new challenges when creating your art/product lines?

DK: Photography – taking pictures maintaining the color of the bead , having slight shadows and wanting a white background. I feel that candy is so colorful that it needs to be a pure white background fresh and clean
looking.

8) PLD: Which piece of artwork at your online / off-line store is your most favorite and why?

DK: My personal favorite is the glass candy collection and if I had to pick from the candy it would be the lollipop pendant , gummy bear and jellybean bracelet. The most popular is the lollipop pendant necklace.

9) PLD: What advise would you give to other Jewelry Artist newbies who wants to set up a new business store (online & off-line) during this difficult economic climate?

DK: My advice would be go for it! If you are passionate and love what you do, do it. Your passion will reflect in your business and you will be successful. Positive thoughts bring positive results.

10) PLD: What is in your tool box?

DK: There are a lot of goodies in my candy Pandora tool box, lol!

11) PLD: What else would you like the readers know about your work?

DK: My future business plans for marketing are contacting the biggest candy store in the world, don’t quote me on this. The biggest one in my world is Dlyan’s Candy store in New York. If anyone has suggestions for me I would be more than happy to hear your suggestions for marketing
ideas.

Go ahead and check out these gorgeous and irresistible ‘yummy’ creations – shop at
www.debrakallen.com
www.debrakallen.etsy.com