Parts of Art

Harmony is a combination of units which are similar in one or more respects. It is a medium interval or difference in one or more dimensions. Units are harmonious when one or more of their elements or qualities, such as shape, size, or color, are alike. In this sketch, done by my husband in preparation for a painting commission of a Chilean vineyard, I am struck by the harmonious blend of the directional lines that lead my eye through the painting. Design in art is not random, it is planned by the use of the elements of design, such as line tone, color and form. In this drawing, the lines of the vineyard rows lead the eye of the viewer toward the distance and then back toward the front. Harmony is achieved by the variegated, yet similar, lines that form the rows of planted vines. In 2011 I am going to explore all aspects of visual harmony. Whether is it fashion, jewelry design, art, food and wine combinations or just different aspects of harmonious living, I am goi...

Most of my jewelry pieces are simply harmonious blends of color, shape and texture, and I am proud of how each one is a little wearable work of art. There are a few pieces, however, that go beyond the simple elements of art and aim to express qualities that are spiritual. One of those pieces is this necklace, called Poured from within. In the gospels, Jesus Christ taught his disciples about the gift of holy spirit, which they would be receiving at some point in the future. He said in Luke 7:38, " He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." That was spoken about 2000 years ago, and since then, anyone who believes can receive the gift of holy spirit. That spirit within is like a river of living water, and when we operate the gift of holy spirit, it pours forth from within us. We are, at best, vessels of clay with earthly and finite bodies. The beautiful thing is that inside this clay vessel is this living, sparkli...

In my on going adventure of finding beads I acquired a beautiful conglomerate of what I think is jasper. Not being an expert on gems, I am simply attracted to the colors and textures of stones and love the process of combining them with parts of art. This piece lived in my jewelry bead box for at least a year, waiting its turn for how it would be used. Then along came some beautiful double drilled jasper squares with hues of olive and sepia. I then found a delicious slice of acrylic paint with visual layers of spotted and marbled tans, dark chocolate brown, and pastel baby blue. It all came together with some gray pearl and clay beads. It made its debut on my Etsy store as the Natural Beauty necklace. It sat for four months, waiting patiently for its owner to find it. But no one came forward to call Natural beauty their favorite. When it came time to renew its time on Etsy, I pulled it out to re- photo it. Then it sat on my work table for a few days in the bundle of...

I now have kits for those of you who would like to try your hand at making a pair of one of a kind Parts of Art earrings. The kits will be available soon on my online store, sandyartparts.etsy.com, or at my shows. Each kit contains an assortment of dried acrylic paint, papers, canvas, beads, and all the findings you will need. To see a video on how to make the earrings from the kit, simply paste this link into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzS6_TMk30U Once you make a pair of earrings, if you email me a photo of them and you will receive credit to shop in my online store! I am looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with using all kinds of wonderful stuff from my studio. Enjoy!...

I think it is wise of art and craft show promoters to request a photo of the art in progress. After all, the art is supposed to be made by the artist, not pulled out of a box labeled "made in China", and a pretty sure way to tell if the artist really made the art is a photo. It's also very telling of how organized or unorganized an artist is at the work space to see a snapshot of the work in progress. That being said, welcome to my work table! Each week I work with one color combination, such as black, gold and white, as was the chosen palette last week. This allows me to make several pieces that are similar but not identical. It's kind of an organized chaos in a small space, but it works for me. I usually make several pairs of earrings, one or two necklaces, and a bracelet in that color palette. I piece them together and by Friday morning usually have a fresh crop of Parts of Art. I choose a few representative pieces for my Etsy store, and add them...

Beginning Drawing and Painting Wednesday, January 27- March 3rd. 7-8:30 PM Learn the basics of drawing for the first 3 sessions, then venture into painting for the last 3 sessions. Each session includes a demonstration of drawing or painting by the instructor. Learn simple techniques to help you draw what you see. Learn about achieving tonal values and depth with nothing more than a pencil and paper. Explore color mixing, then do a painting with a limited palette. The cost of the class is $125. Intermediate Drawing and Painting Wednesday, January 27- March 3rd. 11 AM-12:30 Students will develop their individual painting style while working alongside the instructor. Each class will consist of a drawing or painting demonstration by the instructor. Students are free to work on a project of their choice, in the media of their choice. The cost of the class is $125. ...