As the World Turns & the Seasons Spin, 21″ x 5″ x 6″, 2009
swiss pear, white oak, fossil mammoth ivory, acrylics and metal leaf
Collaboration with Bonnie Klein, click image to see large

The award-winning artist’s work has a hypnotic effect on viewers. Distinguished by lush colors, repeating leaf patterns and rows of rippling, curving lines that mimic lapping waves, the skillfully carved sculptures provide a quiet place to rest tired eyes.

Fly My Blues Away, 5″ x 2.3″
carved/textured cherry, silver leaf, acrylic

Aqua Nova, 3″ x 7″
carved/textured cherry, african blackwood burl, acrylic, carved opal

Primordial Orb of the Pemaquid Rock People, 6″x6″x4″ w/ 3″sphere
carved/textured cherry, burnt ash, steel, granite, 23k gold leaf, acrylics

Teapot, Relic of a Tidal Tea Time, 7″x6″x7″
carved/textured cherry, oxidized silver, acrylic, opal

“We are touched and influenced every day by many shapes and colors. We look, we listen. I work in wood due to its familiarity, its makeup, and its qualities. Its warmth inspires direction and doesn’t inhibit me. The wood becomes my canvas, but it’s the engaging convergence of form, proportion, texture, and color that creates the unique spirit and soul with a story to tell. Material and technique then become irrelevant. Each piece of art I create has its own story…we just need to look and listen.” Jacques Vesery

When Vesery was a submariner in the Navy he lived in a small space with 150 people. The experience helped the self-taught artist gain new respect for the old adage, “A place for everything and everything in its place”.

Jacques Vesery in his space

Watch this short video to learn how his time on the submarine influenced the organization of his current space.

‘As the World Turns & the Seasons Spin’ is part of Boxes and Their Makers, the current exhibit (through November 25th) at The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine.

Above quote as seen on Maine Home Design

Cocoons Embrace, 22″ x 27″ x 11″
graphite drawings, embroidery on silk dipped in beeswax, beaded/embroidered silk

Cocoons Embrace, detail

Halt’s work continued to evolve, more recently as she moved the two dimensional paintings off the canvas and onto…cotton and muslin? Yes, cotton and muslin. Today, Karen Halt’s portfolio includes a wardrobe of dress and collar sculptures that are hand-sewn, each wearing graphite, colored pencil and embroidered scenes she once painted with acrylic on the flat of a canvas.

Ladder Dress, 29″ x 19″ x 8″
colored pencil, graphite, embroidery on Muslin dipped in beeswax

For the final step, the artist dips each piece in beeswax and resin which hardens the free standing sculptures. The result brings the two dimensional work to life…a life that will continue to evolve, change and grow in both small and large ways - along with the artist herself.

Three Sisters, 18″ x 24″, acrylic on board

Red Moonstones, 7” x 7” x 7”
blown glass, flameworked glass, glass beads, woven artificial sinew

Scarlet Windflower, 10” x 5.75” x 5.75”
blown glass, flameworked glass, woven artificial sinew

African Bloom, 7.75” x 7.25” x 7.25”
blown & sandblasted glass, flameworked glass, woven artificial sinew

Bayberry, 7.5” x 7.25” x 7.25”
blown glass, flameworked glass, woven artificial sinew

Angels Tears, 6” x 6.5” x 6.5”
blown & sandblasted glass, flameworked glass, woven artificial sinew

Box of Macaroons Bracelet
Hand fabricated sterling silver, polymer clay

Nine Tartlet Brooch
Hand crafted sterling silver, polymer clay

5 Tarlet Pendant
Hand-forged sterling silver, polymer clay, sterling silver cable

Tillie combines her metal work with polymer clay desserts from Doll House Collectables, framing the miniature pastries in hand fabricated sterling silver and gold. Sweet. There is also a bento box collection that mixes Tillie’s craftsmanship with collectible Gashapan.

Etsy shop here.

You can find Tillie on Artful Home.

Garland Necklace, pleated bronze, silver plated

Beehive Necklace, pleated bronze, silver plated

Beehive Necklace, detail

Brooches

Beehive Necklace, pleated bronze, silver plated

via Metalisteria

henglee on flickr

Headed Home, 8×8x22
cast glass, turned and blown glass, LED’s

Historically, we often view objects under glass as important and revered. When creating the Illuminarium pieces, Tate drew upon memories of an image from a documentary that featured a picture of Madam Curie’s newly discovered radium under a glass dome.

Guardian, 10×10x22
cast bullseye glass, turned and blown glass, LED’s

When I asked about the new series, which the Maureen Littleton Gallery will preview at SOFA Chicago this weekend, Tim explained, “I chose Illuminarium as a term to describe the work. It references not only its LED illumination, but also refers to spiritual illumination from within. This form hopefully gives these pieces the feeling of awe I once had while watching that glowing piece of radium.”

The Artist’s Attic, 9×9x24
cast and blown glass, LED’s

While Tate’s Illuminarium is centered firmly in craft, the work is driven by new technologies. Small LED lighting that is now available throws off very little heat and allowed him to enclose the lights under the glass domes.

Summer Of Love, 8×8x24
cast uranium glass, blown glass, black light LED’s

Last year when they began making the LED’s in black light, it was enough to bring back his childhood fascination with black lights and peace signs. ‘Summer of Love’ is made of hundreds of cast glass peace signs, Ganesh heads, flowers, toadstools and a hookah smoking caterpillar finial at the top.

Lit with LED black lights, ‘Summer of Love’ captures more than cast glass elements - it captures the thinking and actions of a generation and preserves them in our collective memory.

Summer of Love, detail

Hookah smoking caterpillar finial lit by LED black light

Congratulations to Tate on this new direction - he continues to provide us with thought provoking, stirring work that transforms our experience of art.

SurFeRGiRl30 on Flickr, Wishing Well

If my posts seem stiff lately - if the writing lacks a certain depth of feeling you’ve come to enjoy - it is because my creative self is lurking around feeling undernourished, bogged down and locked out.

Do you remember this post about locked up creativity?

I have exciting art to share, but little energy to write.  In a few weeks I will post pictures that explain why my energy is low, why my words don’t flow. {If you follow me on Facebook, you might know what I am hinting at.  What’s that you say?  You aren’t following daMuse on Facebook? Oh dear, why not?}

Or this one about attitude, intention and unlocking your creative treasures?

This morning as I struggled to write a post, wishing for more energy, dreaming of less chaos, praying for more clarity, I browsed the archives looking for a glimpse of my creative self and found two posts that I wrote a year ago. Oh, how I needed to read them again and take my own advice!  Then I realized that maybe you might find inspiration again too, inside those paragraphs and images. You can find them here and here.

Thank you for understanding if I’m not on time these days; if my words don’t echo my joy in sharing the handcrafted beauty I find on the worldwide web. I hope you continue to be patient as I slowly refill the creative well and then drink until drunk. Today, my visual voice needs rest and quiet. See you next week?

Grasshopper

Cicadas

Mustang

Rocket Rabbit

See more of Matsuoka’s work at Device Gallery