Conner Lopez
Team Editor
www.nativemotif.com

Words, each day we casually and carelessly spew them out by the dozen and by the hundred. Lost in this sea of words are a few that are show stoppers (courage). A few that can shock you out of your mundane existence (passion) and flood you with emotion and memory (love). Emily Mancini and Emily Ito clearly understand what words can do. Words are inspirational faith, words are uplifting friends, words are comforting (trust).

looking at Emily Mancini and Emily Itos personalized hand stamped jewelry, reminds me of the power words hold. A phrase your grandmother (“a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step”) used to say or words of wisdom from your mom (”be the change you want to see in the world“) or dad that stays with you forever.

Perhaps even more powerful, a name (“Calvin Necklace”). there are half a dozen names that will derail my thought process and fill me with love( “I Heart You Necklace”), happiness (“Kara Necklace”), or even pure melancholy (personalized name rescued dog tag).

It’s obvious that Emily Mancini and Emily Ito want to honor words and names with custom silver name jewelry.

Sometimes the most beautiful works of handmade art are the simplest. a name, a word, a personalized phase, these hold sentimental value beyond themselves, their meaning held most secure in our hearts.

Our Show Stoppers.

Conner Lopez
Team Editor
www.nativemotif.com

Actually I heart my girlfriend but I heart Mary Hining’s beautiful handmade kitchen and dining glassware and artwork. while browsing through www.nativemotif.com I was quickly drawn to the kitchen and dining section as my kitchen currently no style, no flair, and definitely nothing of the high quality handmade variety. I browsed some attractive handmade pottery mugs by Richard Rising and beautiful decorative art glass by Joby McGowan that I thought would be perfect for my mom and sisters house. then Mary Hining’s black widow stemless wine glass set and thought,

‘that’s the coolest glass I’ve ever seen.”
 
not only would that fit in perfectly with the theme of the rest of my apartment, but it would give me a piece of handmade artwork that would class up the joint significantly! I’m not a teenager anymore but I still love the same themes as I did then, and what a perfect way to upgrade my style to a more contemporary motif. a set of these black widow glasses would be sleek and elegant, but most of all just fun!

I started to wonder what else was available in art glass and if there was anything I could look at that was wearable for my girlfriend. I was thrilled to find the dichroic glass shaped pendant by Dayton Dean! what an interesting piece, another handmade beautiful work of art jewelry. it reminded me of something out of the Nightmare before Christmas and totally fit my theme. I’d never heard of dichroic glass before, but I quickly learned that its a type of multi layered glass that has unique optical properties. What a unique piece of handmade artisan jewelry! 

  I guess I was just surprised at how much I could improve my living space by picking out a few quality handmade works of art and mentally placing them strategically through out my ho hum apartment. with handmade artisan  work from Joby McGowan, Dayton Dean, Richard Rising and others I could do just that.

Thank you Mary Hining, you’ve inspired me!

25 Year Veteran Gary Roberts Creates Beautiful Artistic Scroll Work by Hand

Artist Statement
“I have been scroll sawing for the last 25+ years and have been doing artistic scroll work for over 15 years. I have always enjoyed working with unusual types of wood that are either rare or hard to find.  Most of my wood comes from local sawmills where I will find a log that has been laying around for a few years, this is when the fungus starts working on it and the wood will become spalted. This gives the wood a very unusual and beautiful figure that cannot be found in store brought lumber.

As you can see from the pictures I have been busy during the winter months, I will cut out several pieces and just stacked them up until the weather warms up and then I will start putting the finish on all of them at the same time. You can also see the different types of wood I use that makes each and every one of my pieces a one-of-a-kind.

Most people think that these are laser cut or by a computer, that is not so, each and every one are cut out by hand and if I make a mistake, it is firewood because unlike painting you cannot undo a mistake. As you can see from the picture just how small the blades are that I use for cutting out each piece.

View Gary Roberts Artistic Scroll Collection

Water Color Art Prints & Originals by Derek McCrea

About the Artist
Derek McCrea is a US Army Infantry Combat Soldier with two tours in Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division, and this is his stress relief. He has always loved to paint; it allows him to express emotions on paper and relax. Derek paints in a whimsical impressionistic style in plein air settings. He was born in Albany, Georgia on February 19, 1969. He presently resides with his wife, Sheila, of 20 years and his two sons. He first started painting with oils in the summer of 1984. From 1985 to 1986 he painted under the instruction of Jimmy Peterson, a well known artist from Georgia. In 1986 he won 1st place in the Georgia Arts Exhibition.

Abstract Digital Butterfly Collectible Art Print (pictured right)
In this abstract digital butterfly wildlife animal art print, Derek shows his unique talent and expresses his love for nature. This is a limited edition signed and numbered collectible prints from his watercolor painting collection, 11 x 15 inches, comes with a certificate of authenticity. View details

Waves Seascape Beach Collectible Art Print
As calming as the ocean, so is this “Waves Seascape Beach” art print by Derek McCrea. Filled with vibrant colors and a touch of his vivid imagination. A limited edition signed and numbered collectible print will make for a fine addition to any art collectors personal gallery. Dimensions 22 x 30 inches. This print is from his watercolor modern art painting collection, comes with a certificate of authenticity. View details

Derek McCrea’s Charity Contributions
Derek has donated several artworks to non-profit and charitable organizations in the past: February 2007 to Christian Mission Hospital for HIV children run by Joyce Meyer Ministries in India, silent auction for a baby with PWS syndrome October 25, 2008, and the Annual Benefit on OCT 17, 2008 with Rescue Ink out of NYC

View Derek McCrea’s Fine Art collection

About the Artist
Except for one break from potting while my kids were young, I have made functional pottery all my adult life. For many years, all my pots were salt glazed. When I set up to teach classes, I added a stoneware reduction kiln. A salt kiln does much of the decorative work for the potter – change and variety depend on where and how the salt fumes hit the work. It’s been fun learning to create that kind of variety using regular glazes. Now I have the best of all pottery worlds, with both a reduction and a salt kiln on site, plus access to firing with wood. I’ve come to appreciate the way wood extends the variety and serendipity of kiln effects as ash and extreme heat transform the edges and corners of forms in subtle ways.

Shino glaze Wall Vases Set of Three (pictured right)
Set of small vases, flattened on the back to hang on the wall. This set of three have a Shino glaze that is brick red/orange where thin and closer to white where thick. Their center light sections result from being dipped into the glaze from each end, thus doubling in the middle. View details

Round Stoneware Vase
This round vase is glazed in Shaner Red, and then sprayed on the top half with a blue ash glaze. The color range reminds Nan of the Southwest — gold to red. View details

The Nan Rothwell Workshop
In addition to Nan’s personal studio time, she also teaches workshops. “I enjoy teaching at outside venues.  Past conferences included presenting at The English Connection in Staunton, Virginia and Out of the Fire in Duluth, Georgia — both conferences sponsored by The Potters Council”.  In 2008, she did a one-day presentation for the Shenandoah Valley Potters Guild, and taught a week-long workshop at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina.  “I love getting out into the world and sharing what I know about clay”!

View Nan Rothwell’s pottery collection

Margarita Sunderland moved to Seattle, Washington from Russia in 2005 to start a new life and family. Since the age of five, she’s been creating jewelry and custom knot work (macrame) in a variety of styles. “I enjoy bringing my passion to a world of new people”.

“Knot Art designs are the culmination of my husband and I, he has a degree in design and art and draws up many ideas for me to duplicate in knot work, stone and metal. My work has been a big hit locally with those who know the quality of the work I do.”  

With the addition of a new child, Margarita frequently works from her home studio with her adorable little girl who loves to watch her “mommy” work. “Our little girl loves to watch mommy make art and she sure adds her own humorto the process.”

Emily Ito has been metalsmithing jewelry for over 14 years.  Schooled in the old way of apprenticeship, she received much of her basic training from an established jeweler.  From there, she learned many techniques from workshops, books, and experimentation.

Emily loves jewelry; hammering, bending and forming metal.  For Emily, making jewelry that people have an emotional response to is a very satisfying experience.  She enjoys the creative process of bringing a concept into form, which changes and evolves along the way.

Spirituality is very important to Emily and she incorporates many of her beliefs into the making of her jewelry using intuition, positivity, loving intents and empowerment.  The affirmation line was created because she wanted to share her passion and she believed in the need for meaningful jewelry that could be a bridge to our higher selves and inner wisdom.

It is a joy for us to bring to you Emily’s craft and it is our hope that her jewelry touches your heart, mind, body and soul!

Ronald Pratt was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan where the change of seasons had a dramatic influence on his perception of light and color and how these two elements can affect the mood of a particular scene. It is the capturing of a particular mood through the careful handling of light and color that he pursues in his watercolor paintings. Before he begins each painting, the mood or feeling is established along with the specific lighting and color palette that will best convey that sense. Only after this is decided will the design and composition be determined. This approach assures that each painting will have a strong feeling conveyed by the play of light and color on the scene.

While attending the University of Michigan and majoring in architectural design, Ronald’s education was interrupted by a five year military tour that included duty and travel in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, The Philippines, Sicily, Italy and much of Europe. After completing his military tour, he completed his education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. The next ten years were spent as a practicing architect as both a designer and construction administrator. As a practicing architect, watercolor became his favorite medium for renderings and presentations. It was during this time that he learned watercolor painting was his true love. It was also during this time that his wife, Patty says he learned what a “mid life crises” was all about. In 1991, Ronald became a full time watercolor painter and instructor.

As an associate member of the National Watercolor Society, California Watercolor Association and a number of local art groups, Ronald has had award-winning paintings shown both locally and throughout California. His paintings are included in private collections in England, Ireland, France, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada as well as throughout the United States.

Ronald says he is a painter who tries to express in his work the amazing beauty and fascination of life. His subject matter varies from dynamic seascapes to peaceful landscapes, from still life’s to surreal abstracts, from florals to the human figure. He states: “the more I paint the more fascinated I become with life.”

Ted Arden is a retired History and Social Studies Teacher who for the last 35 years has done nature photography. He photographs flowers, fall colored leaves, vast landscapes, and garden butterflies. Ted is moving into new directions using abstract colored light images on stained glass and water glass while shooting through multi optic filter lenses to create a colorful dynamic effect.

Ted Arden has always been interested in the hand-color photography art form and uses transparent oils to enhance each photograph. This art form creates a vivid, sometimes fantasy image. Each final image is an ORIGINAL. No two photographs are colored the same. No Computer enhancements are used. All photographs are painted by hand with real oils.

Ted uses professional Fujichrome Velvia films that brings out colors with a wonderful sharp texture. Many of his compositions are from western Pennsylvania and California. Only thick high quality acid free mats are used. The image and paint are preserved by a final U-V spray over the surface of the hand-enhanced photograph. This sets the colors and protects the image from harmful sunrays. I hope you enjoy Ted’s interpretation of nature and flowers as much as we do.