tribute to my favorites!

It was a nice little surprise to find that my Baltic Amber- Ring made it into a treasury today. Southamericatraveler has made yet another wonderful treasury, this time titled "tribute to my favorites!" in which she has listed some items "straight from her favorite sellers list." Thank you for including my work! Here is the treasury (please stop by and take a look before it expires):

*(my ring(s) are the first image in the second row)
Thanks again southamericatraveler for including me in your treasury!

Link to treasury: tribute to my favorites!
Link to: southamericatraveler


Going off the theme of favorites, I thought I would post a few of my own:

via southamericatraveler


via RetroReproHandmade


via ziazia


via Still Memory

Upcycled and Revamped.

Here are some images of a little side project that I did this week for a display that I will be using on my table at the Polish Bazaar next weekend. The original frame was an over-the-top gaudy gold color. However, I used some white spray to make it a bit more neutral. Luckily, I stubbled upon an old laptop box that had some black soft foam in it and used both the cardboard and the foam for the center section. So here is the before and after of my upcycled and revamped frame!



What do you think???

MOO| MiniCards.

So I ordered my MOO MiniCards last week and I am super excited about getting them. I got an email earlier this week that they have been mailed out and I can't wait to see how they turn out. I will definitely take a picture and leave my feedback about the MiniCards as soon as I get them. But for now here is a link to MOO.com. I think they have great prices and are worth a try....you don't lose too much. If anyone has ordered from them before...I would love to hear your feedback. So please leave me a comment! :D

Here are some examples I found on Flickr:



images via Richard Moross

Wednesday's Artist of the World (No. 9).....

Country- Ireland:
Ireland is definitely a tourist destination for many. Travelers are drawn to this country's traditional side as well as for it's stunning scenery. Ireland is thought to be one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Ireland has a truly lush landscape that is spotted with castles and cathedrals, amazing coastlines and unspoilt country landscapes. You can visit prehistoric sites or perhaps see the Guinness brewery or visit some Irish pubs. The people of Ireland are considered to be quite friendly and welcoming.



images by jule_berlin


Artist- Katie Holten:
Katie Holten was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1975. She uses various mediums in her artwork ranging from drawings, installations, sculptures, photographys and public art project. She creates work that focuses on the individual and the environment. Holten work closes the distinction between natural and artificial by mixing various media as well as recycled materials. I am drawn to how Holten engages others into the environments and little continents/worlds she creates.


The Black Tree (installation view at Schurmann Berlin), 2005 - 2007, cardboard, newspaper, wood, wire, duct tape



28 Globes, 2006 - 2008, ink and acrlyic on molded newspaper

Link to where more images and information about the artist can be found: Katie Holten

NEW SPRING SALE ITEMS!!!!!!!

Here are TWO NEW LISTINGS for SPRING SALE ITEMS!! Most spring sale items are discounted from 20% to 30% off original price. Keep checking back this week for even more items. However, please remember SPRING Sale will ONLY run until the end of this month.

New Items.

Here are two NEW items that I listed today in my Etsy shop:




...please stay tuned for some more new listings this week!


HINT: some NEW SPRING SALE ITEMS will be listed tomorrow.

SPRING SALE!!!!!!!

Perhaps some of you may have noticed there was no artist post this week. However, since it is the beginning of spring @ least here in the Northern Hemisphere......I made a SPRING SALE section in my Etsy shop (www.adarosman.etsy.com). So please stop by and see what is on SALE. Keep checking back since I will be posting more items randomly in the upcoming week for the SPRING sale. Sale will run until the end of this month. I hope you will find a piece that you can celebrate the beginning of spring with.

47th Annual Spring Polish Bazaar!

Please come and enjoy the 47th annual Spring Polish Bazaar at the Polish Home in Seattle. This year I will also be selling my jewelry there, so I hope to see you there! :D

Date: Saturday, April 4, 2009
Time: 12:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Polish Home
Street: 1714 18th Avenue
City: Seattle, WA

-----------------------------
Here is some more information about the event from the Polish Home Association website:

Yes, this is 47th Annual Spring Polish Bazaar! It is a yearly event organized by the Ladies Auxiliary.

The booths upstairs will offer Polish crystal bowl and vases, Boleslawiec pottery, amber and silver jewelry, pottery, crafts, books, Easter eggs and much more.

Downstairs you can enjoy traditional Polish dishes of pierogi, sausage, cabbage rolls etc. served by the young generation of waiters clad in Polish folk costumes. You can also buy home made desserts and pastries. Most of the Puget Sound area Polish organizations would have their booths or info posted. This is usually a quite crowded event, so come early!

Admission and parking is FREE!!!!

Polish Home Association website: www.polishhome.org

New Collection: Bloc.

My new collection of work is inspired by Poland and the role of Communism, which is something that I am continually drawn to. As I had mentioned briefly in a previous post that I was born in Warsaw, Poland and in 1986 my family "escaped" from what was then Communist Poland. However, I will expand on my family's journey in a later post, which I will post this upcoming week along with images from my BFA work.

This new collection of work has to do with some photos that I had taken this summer of what is considered to be typical Communist architecture. Here are just a few of the images that inspired this new collection (location: Nowa Huta in Krakow, Poland):



The role of architecture as well as the fundamental idea behind Communism was to unify people thus limiting the freedom of expression, which in the end would be mediated by the state in order to maintain the "integrity" of the collective. This type of architecture can be still found scattered all around Eastern Europe and Russia. In Poland people refer to this type of housing as a "blok"---the buildings are basically made from prefabricated concrete panels.

I was drawn to how these monotonous, grey, concrete buildings started to take on a new role post-Communism. It was interesting to see all these vibrant colored balconies and people trying to make their space their own (different and unique). In making this bloc collection, I wanted the shapes of each piece to depict the idea of this simple, uniformed Communist thought while the Baltic Amber symbolizes change. To me, each piece is like it's own little complex.

Here is a little preview of some of the pieces:



More of my "bloc" collection can be found on my Etsy shop: www.adarosman.etsy.com

Virtual Lab with Rosie.

Today's Shop Live host was Rosie O'Donnell.......it was nice taking part in this Virtual Lab event and learning more about her work and her cause. Here is a shot from the Virtual Lab (it was truly entertaining and fun):


Anyhow, I think it is great to see a celebrate like her giving to such a wonderful cause: children and the arts. I believe children have some of the greatest imaginations!!! Here is some information about her cause from her Etsy shop announcement:

all money made here
100%
goes to support
THE MARAVEL ARTS CENTER in nyc
a wonderful non profit founded by me n kelli - 5 yrs ago

"'Rosie's Broadway Kids 'is an arts education organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children through the arts. Using professional teaching artists, Rosie's Broadway Kids provides instruction in dance and music and a professional theater experience for children who might otherwise not have the opportunity. You can read all about the school here http://www.rosiesbroadwaykids.org/"


So please stop by her Etsy shop and check out her work. Here is a glimpse into some of the items she has available:

Link to Rosie O'Donnell's Etsy shop: Rosie O'Donnell

I heart Latinoamérica.

Here is a treasury that I made today that has work inspired and/or from Latin America:

Here is a link to the treasury so you can click and leave a comment on it before it expires... March 13th: I heart Latinoamérica.

Wednesday's Artist of the World (No. 8).....

Country- Guatemala:
Guatemala is a truly beautiful and colorful country, if you travel here once you will definitely want to come back (I know I do). Guatemala is a nation filled with a rich Mayan culture, brimming with stunning archaeological ruins, incredible mountain landscapes, colorful markets, colonial era courtyards and even modern cities. The Tikal ruins are considered to be one of the most important Mayan archaeological sites. Not only are these breathtaking ruins amazing in sheer size, but also the lush jungle setting makes these ruins absolutely magical. While Antigua (one of the world's best preserved colonial cities) is a captivating town that makes you feel like you have stepped back into history at least some 300 or so years ago. Antigua is filled with colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and magnificent surroundings. Here are a few images from my travels to Guatemala:





Artist- Luis González Palma:
Luis González Palma born in 1957 is a modernist Guatemalan photographer who grew up in Guatemala City (currently lives in Argentina). He is of a mixed or "mestizo" background and in his photography he focuses on the plight of the indigenous Mayas and the mestizo people of Guatemala. He wants his viewers to get a sense of understanding and pain of what the minority in Guatemala have gone through since before, during and after the intense genocide of their race. His photographs do just this by focusing on such items as his subject's gaze or mystical costume, all his photographs use sepia tints while some of his other work also has an antiqued collage feel. I am truly amazed by the his all of his subjects' eyes---he makes his subjects' gazes so intense by the lack of tint which causes the eyes to appear very white against the sepia tint in the rest of the photo.

La loteria II (set of 9)
gelatin silver prints with oil paint
19.6 x 19.8 in.
1989


Here is a link to the artist's website---where more images of his work can be found: Luis González Palma

Olympia.

Here are some images I took while in Olympia, Washington this Saturday. I played around with the photos a little on photoshop. What a crazy day: one minute it was bright and sun while literally seconds later.....snow!

Happy International Women's Day!!!

This is a postcard that dates back to the 1940s---it was my great grandmother's. However, I thought the adorable little girl with her flower basket and the Germany saying "Herzlichen Glückwunsch" (Best Wishes) would be quite appropriate for today. So best wishes to all the women of the world!

Wednesday's Artist of the World (No. 7).....

Country- Colombia:
Colombia is a country that perhaps sometimes doesn't have the best reputation. Media reports spotlight and speak of all the violence, rebel problems, coca fields and kidnappings, but travelers' expectations are definitely shattered once there. Colombia is a country with vibrant cities such as Bogotá and Medellínas as well as beautiful port towns scattered along some of the most stunning coastlines of clear blue water. It is also filled with unspoilt mountains, jungle as well as stunning archaeological sites. The people and culture of Colombia are truly vibrant and alive.


Photos by Luz A. Villa


Artist- Fernando Botero:
Fernando Botero is a neo-figurative artist from Colombia, born in Medellín, Antioquia on April 19 1932. His work includes still-lives and landscapes, but Botero is best known for his portraits filled with inflated forms and exaggerated human figures. In his work, the artist exaggerates the proportions and the corpulence of the human body as well as animal figures. His Colombian upbringing as well as political and social stance are items that are present in his work. I am drawn, as probably are many, to his inflated forms as well as his use of color---I really like how each painting is so bold and forward.

Contortionist
2007 Oil on canvas 128 x 100 cm


Still Life with Watermelon
1992 Oil on canvas 95 x 116 cm


I really like this last image--great composition, wonderful subject matter and color. It looks like a really great birthday party....wish it were mine.

Feliz Cumpleaños
1971 Oil on canvas 44 x 150 cm

Port Townsend Cruise 2009.

Yesterday, I had a nice break from my studio......I went on a drive known as the Port Townsend Cruise with friends and many other European car enthusiasts. My friend drove his new GTI and I tagged along. This year was the 5th annual event, however, it was my first time going and it was definitely a lot of fun. Here are some images from the drive: