Nothin' But Wood -- Featured ArtFire Artisan

I love miniatures. They appeal to the child in me (as I suspect they do for many of us), so I was captivated when I saw these tiny doors. Newfoundland artisan Kerry (of Nothin' But Wood) has created these small, decorative gnome or fairy doors for your garden, and I think they're adorable. From the hinge to the doorknob to the tiny lion's head door knocker, this one looks perfect.

Here's what Kerry says about this aspect of his work:

My interest in this unusual and, some might say, 'odd', path originated from a lady in Western Canada. This lady, who has her garden predominantly decorated with things "whimsical" was purchasing Gnome doors from the UK and found them to be terribly expensive. That, and the cost of high shipping, was adding insult to injury for her. She simply asked me "Hey Kerry, can you make these?" She showed me a picture of a Gnome door. I immediately purchased some plans, read them over and decided to make them my OWN way. :)

If you've never heard of garden gnomes, gnome doors and the like, you're missing out on a lot of charming fun -- and probably a dash of good luck, too. The Wee Folk are especially at home in gardens and backyards; if you make them welcome, they'll repay your kindness with healthy plants and pets, keeping your karma in order all the while. :)

Kerry also uses his scroll saw to make custom portraits of people. I'm so happy I found this talented Canadian craftsman, and look forward to seeing more of his pieces. You can investigate all his work at his ArtFire Studio!

Nothing' But Wood's ArtFire Studio

ImagineStudio -- Featured ArtFire Artisan

When I saw the work above (Madame Paris Pantheon) on the front page of ArtFire, I was riveted. Canadian artist, Lise Marion of ImagineStudios, describes her work as "digital photo fusion collages". Often beginning with the work of the great artists of the past, her pieces are layered, altered, and heightened through digital techniques, and then printed on archival papers with archival inks.

She says of herself:

My professional background is in visual and creative arts as well as in social work. I presently live in the Montreal region where I share my life with the loves of my life, my husband and my two daughters. I’ve been creative all my life…literally. It all started with feeling the mud between my toes on the farm in the Canadian prairies where I was born and spent my childhood. Creativity is definitely a passion with me. In that sense, my artwork is neither a job nor a hobby but a need. The ideas just keep coming and I continuously strive to bring them to life.

Through more than 30 years, my one constant expression in art has been Collage, and for the past five years I have been working on transferring this art form into the digital world. Layers upon layers of thoughts, emotions and research have been turned into transparencies, textures, colours, depth, emotions, portraitures, etc. This virtual digital world of seemingly endless possibilities has given me a new take on my artwork, allowing me to pursue even further my undying need to produce lyrical, evocative and sometimes provocative images.

The piece above is called "Waiting for Spring". I love the contrast between the two works I've selected for this feature (there are many, many more exquisite works in her ArtFire Studio): the first is quite vivid and saturated in a photographic way, the second softer and more painterly. They both share a great sense of repressed emotion bubbling to the surface, and they both contain many details that are not evident on first viewing.

I encourage you to explore Lise's work at ArtFire.

ImagineStudio's ArtFire Studio
ImagineStudio's Etsy Shop

Leader of Men -- Featured ArtFire Artisan

Today's Featured Artisan is Alexandra, a.k.a. Leader Of Men, from Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. There's a lovely, clean aesthetic going on here, as you can see from her Anomaly Ring, pictured above, made to order in sterling silver with two differently-sized little cups catching the light.

I am a self-taught jewellery designer with a background in architecture and design. All of my jewellery is handmande by me in my own little fortress in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, under the watchful eye of my helpful houserabbit, Attila the Bun.

I work primarily in precious metals and semi-precious stones. My designs are inspired both by my architectural background and the colours and textures of the lush Pacific Northwest.

(By the way, I've been choosing the artists to feature here from my hotlist on ArtFire. I swear I didn't try to find two Canadians in a row who were assisted in their artistic endeavours by rabbits :) (see Dame Named Redd, below). Who knew bunnies were so pivotal in the history of arts and crafts?)

This is the Wealh Necklace, which features soft blue-green aquamarine rounds mix with walnut-shaped vintage rosewood beads. No, that name is not a typo (that was the copy editor in me, wanting to insert what I thought was a missing "t" :) :

"Wealh" is from the Old English word meaning walnut. These beads are beautifully carved to show the wood's lovely grain, and are extremely limited in supply. Links and s-clasp are sterling silver.

Tactile, clean, simple -- elegant function meeting perfect design. That's the work of Leader of Men.

Leader of Men ArtFire Studio
Leader of Men Blog
Leader of Men Etsy Store

A Dame Named Redd -- Featured ArtFire Artisan

I have a confession to make. I love kitsch. My home is pretty tasteful (but then, I guess we all think that, eh?) but my home studio is something else :) That's where I collect my funky 1950s lamps (I've got one with a panther on its base), my portraits of the Queen and that's where my most prized possession is displayed: a paint-by-numbers version of Leonard da Vinci's The Last Supper, bought at a Goodwill store in Toronto for $8. ( I'm still looking for an Elvis on black velvet ...)

This personal quirk of taste is one reason I freaked out when I saw the above cameo by A Dame Named Redd at ArtFire.

I always used to have a pink flamingo somewhere in my apartment. I realize that this is not unusual for people in their 20s, but mine stayed with me until I was 40 :) This cameo made me feel a tiny bit nostalgic for those days ...

And how about this Bad Ass Skull and Crossbones Cameo Necklace? I love the Halloween colours and the bold statement it makes: "I'm a bad ass and I don't care who knows it". And yet, it possesses a kitschy elegance all its own. The Dame also makes Tetris earrings which I think are a must-have for geeky fashionistas everywhere.

A Dame Named Redd lives in Ottawa (yay, Canada!) Here's a bit of what she says about herself:

I'm a jack of all trades and master of none. I love knitting, crocheting, beads, painting. I also stencil shirts and sew a little. I even have my own studio in my house that I share with my Holland Lop, Chloe.

All this, and a bunny, too. That's cool.

Here are her links:

Dame Named Redd ArtFire Studio
Dame Named Redd Etsy Shop
Dame Named Redd Website
Dame Named Redd Blog