Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Amber Alexander

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Amber Alexander, whose work reminds me of a modern day Beatrix Potter, is an artist to watch. This Vermont based artist creates interesting characters with her paints and brushes. Her watercolor and acrylic work is stunning!

It’s rare to find art that can find a home on any wall. That is another great aspect of Amber’s work. You could hang any of her paintings in any room of your home and it would simply ‘fit it’.

You will find affordable prints, originals and even some cards featuring Amber’s artwork in her shop. There is a lot to choose from that will make your collection all the more special. Enjoy!

The Wheat Field

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I recently stumbled across The Wheat Field and I loved the prints available! The above whale print is extra special because the shop owner is donating 50% of all proceeds to the National Wildlife Federation. Shop owner Katie Lombardo says:

My heart goes out to all of the creatures being affected by the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Hundreds of animals have been found dead and hundreds more are struggling to survive. This is an absolute tragedy, and we need to take action now.

Isn’t this print cheerful? If this print was hanging in my bedroom I would surely wake up smiling everyday!

This print make me want to literally ‘take a hike’. Katie has captured the allure and whimsy of nature in this print. It would be great for a boys room!

I’m moving this next week and I am definitely planning on purchasing a few of these for the new house. Please be sure to see all the other beautiful artwork that is offered at The Wheat Field!

Sistersequins

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This single piece of artwork is what I would like to share with you today. I noted this piece back in February and I am drawn to it every time I am rifling through my favorites. It is a collage entailing fabric, thread and a vintage paper doll parts.

From what I can tell in the pictures and the artist description, the fabric has been stretched over a canvas and the artist has sewn circles of cut fabric onto the piece to resemble flowers. This detailed rich touch has me mesmerized.

The color choice is also dreamy. The blend of mustards, sepia tones and light olives is entirely too perfect. There is an heaviness to this piece which seams contradictory to it’s light floral background.

Do you remember Sophia Coppola’s film “The Virgin Suicides”? I get the same beautifully eerie feeling looking at this piece as I did watching that film.

I tracked down the artists blog and am trying to decipher the mysterious, thick lushness of her style.

I am somewhat taken by this piece as you can probably tell. It is not usual for me to highlight only one piece of art but I felt it deserved a spotlight. It is an original piece and available here… race you to it!

Mix It Up

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Please welcome the latest Try Handmade columnist, Susannah Rodgers! You may know her through her shop Art Nest (which we featured a few weeks ago), and we’re fortunate to have her and her new series Get On The Wall. She’s going to be treating us with 2D, frameable art for your walls. Check out her first column, and I know you’re going to be hungry for more. Welcome Susannah!

:: Erika

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My interest in mixed media art was sparked by mistake. Several years ago, a local artist gave me one of her watercolor paintings as a thank-you gift for hosting her first art exhibit. I proudly hung the painting in my home, and it was admired often by my family and me. One evening, I was walking through my home turning off lights, and something in the painting caught my eye. Upon closer inspection, I was shocked to discover that the artist had used a few strips of magazine images in a section of the artwork—it was a mixed media piece, not a strict painting as I had previously thought! I had my nose to the glass for a long while, examining all of the details I had been missing. My mistake was a happy one which resulted in a new-found fascination of mixed media art. This month’s get-on-the-wall pieces are beautiful examples of how delightful mixed media artwork can be.

Color Theory (13)

I think the Color Theory pieces by Esta Sketch are genius. [Read more…]

Lola's Room

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If I were being honest, I’d have to say that I want to live in Lola’s Room. Cassia’s photography dances with addicting color schemes and intimate subject matter. When I stumbled across this wonderful photographer I was somewhat haunted as I just knew I’d seen her work before. Finally, I realized that I’d been a fan of her first Etsy shop already. I guess my taste is pretty predictable by now!

As you can see, the photography at Lola’s Room is drenched in femininity. I really love that it embraces the simple pleasures in a girl’s life. I’m sure you will find something spectacular!