Art, Yo!

Last weekend was totally artsy.  I went to the American Artisan Festival at Centennial Park in Nashville on Saturday and Sunday.  I spent time with my family on both days, got a touch sunburned, spent way too much money, and found things I LOVED.  Also, a Christmas present.  But I can't talk about that here.  Until after Christmas.

So what did I find?  This great mug from Pawley Studios in Kentucky:

I liked it so much I got another one on Sunday.  These are huge, which isn't coming across in pictures.  One of them holds about 20 ounces of coffee.  (WHEEEEEEEE!!!!  Because what we need is caffeinated Heather jumping on blogger at 3 in the morning and ranting and raving about... whatever comes to mind.  Ryan Gosling dating Eva Mendes.  (SERIOUSLY?)   People who try to pet my dog.  My Home Owner's Association.  I'm sure I will think of things.)

Also, I bought this pretty ring made out of vintage silverware.  I wanted to check their stuff out again on Sunday, but I couldn't find the booth!  Maybe they were there just one day.  (Yup, one day I will write a post about using little bottles as props.)

 

These two magnets were from a great booth and they just made me laugh.  Actually, I could have come home with 10 magnets but I was trying to keep it under control.  One lives on my fridge, and the other on my front door.  Can you guess which is which?  I have no idea who the artist was because I forgot to get a card.  I hate when I do that.

My Mom got a painting of a dog at the same place that says, "When you find something you love, roll in it." Awesome.

Then, the big thing.  I didn't see this artist there on Saturday, but her jewelry sure did hit me over the head Sunday.  She etches metals by first drawing designs on them with a Sharpie marker, and then putting them in an acid bath for 45 minutes.  I tried on a necklace and had to have it.  It was a big purchase for me, but I am building up a good little collection of nice handmade jewelry now.  This is bronze with a freshwater pearl in the middle.  She included a piece of high-grade foam backed sandpaper so I can polish it up if it gets too dark for me.  I love the idea of low maintenance jewelry like that.  No polishing with a silver cloth or throwing it in some sort of bath.  Just sandpaper it!

Other cool stuff I saw:

Big World Photo

Turquoise Embedded Wood

Detailed, Psychedelic ART

Jewelry Loaded with Detail

Highly Textured Painting/Collage

Speaking of art, but not the festival, I saw a painting at the Tennessee Art League back in March at the 1st Saturday Art Crawl that downtown Nashville has every month.  I have been thinking about this sucker for 3 MONTHS people.  Who does that?  So the other day I did some sleuthing and found the artist's website.  I sent her an email that went something like, "Okay I KNOW this is a long shot, but did that painting ever sell?"  Guess what?

It didn't.

She still has it.

Cue the excited jumping up and down that happened in my head.

She, being an artist, is sure that it was waiting for me to take it home.  I like to think shes right.

So I am going to her studio on Monday to pick it up.  You can bet there will be a post about it.