a gorgeous giveaway with artist darrin davis of crazy uncle art studios!

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have i got a treat for you today, nicies!

it's with great pleasure that i celebrate the launch of a wonderful new handmade fine art shop that's very near and dear to my heart.  hip hip hurray! & three cheers for one of my favourite folks in the whole wide world, my fabulous & talented brother, darrin davis, and the opening of his boutique Crazy Uncle Art Studios.

darrin says it best: "Crazy Uncle Art Studios "Balances Fine-Art Snobbery & Greasy Kids Stuff!"  - i create handmade art from the heart, ranging from vibrant, engaging fine-art Nursery Paintings and Prints for the kiddies to dramatic, breath-taking Black and White nature photography for the non-diapered! :)  This shop is like a favourite family diner for the eyes, providing nourishing treats to young and old, with the added bonus of a 100% no-heartburn guarantee!"

indeed, this shop is a veritable wonderland of fabulous gifts for everyone on your Holiday list!  

• how about an adorable personalized animal painting on canvas for your favourite little ones?  
• or a giclee print from his evocative "men wearing hats, crying" series for a favourite art-loving friend?  
• or ordering a few sets of his ever-expanding & mesmerizing "wanderlust" nature photograph notecards as the perfect everyone-will-love-them gift for co-worker gift exchanges, teachers, neighbours and more this gift-giving season!

on a personal note: darrin is the gosh-darn best brother around. his amazing talent in so many creative spheres always inspires me - among his many talents he's also a brilliant musician - isn't almost home so lovely? and remember his fabulous canadian playlist here?  

and... he's a true nicey! he's the most hilariously fun & funny person in the world and i love how you can sense his fabulous being in every piece of art he crafts from his amazing eye for colour-play to his captivatingly rich photography. love you, brother!

so be sure to visit darrin around the web, and read on to
WIN a $50 gift card to crazy uncle art studios! woohoo!

darrin davis
crazy uncle art studios shop | facebook | twitter | the darrin davis band
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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one way to enter is to grab one of my rikrak studio buttons,

like this one for YOUR BLOG! here they are!

<center> <a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiorectangle.jpg" /></a></center>

<center> <a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiosquare.jpg" /></a></center>

and add it to your blog!

{ ... just copy & paste the text in the box above onto your blog sidebar! thanks! }

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:: RULES ::

a) it is possible to have numerous entries total per person.
b) please make sure to leave each entry as its own comment. thanks!
c) using random.org, 1 winner of this  giveaway will be chosen on nov.8th @ 12:01 am EST.
d) open to contestants worldwide.
e) please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. thanks.

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your first art

 little rikrak's first art love: column by ulysse comtois

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what was the first piece of ART you really remember seeing in life?

how does it affect your artistic sensibilities, ideas, inspirations and creativity today?

this week is little rikrak's birthday.

among his many fabulous traits (i'm biased - what can i say?) is his sincere love of,  and joy for, art & design. i see it in the way he looks at shapes and spaces; how he excitedly talks about lines and curves / shadows and light; how he handmakes with great enthusiasm, and vigour. 

i also admire his wise appreciation of handmaking and art at such a young age. 

i was thinking last night about the first art i really remember him adoring: i think it would whole-heartedly be the "column" by Ulysse Comtois : it's a brilliant piece  - a lightweight aluminum sculpture of 67 movable plates.  everytime he sees it his eyes are WILDLY WIDE - interactive art at its best!

the first time i really remember feeling moved by a piece of art was my recollection of seeing lawren harris' *mt. lefroy* at the amazing mcmichael gallery. i was about 8.

infact, i'll confess, that piece of art stands out to me because i detested it so much. i so passionately despised the dark lines,  menacing light and surrealist imagery. perhaps it is so vivid of a memory for me as i realized in that moment the emotional response one could so feverishly have (good or bad) to art. 

how art can create opinion.

it's a wonderful thing, isn't it!

so what are your first memories of fine art? 

what painting, sculpture, photograph, illustration stands out in your personal fine art history? 

i'd love to hear.

(just incase you haven't had the joy of playing with it yourself yet, here's an animated short of some of the fun possibilities column illicits!)

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the ekphrastic challenge *revealed* : part six

:: row 1 :: RouDesigns : skinnerstudio : VerreEncore : vadjutka 

:: row 2 ::  theshagbag : ThePeachTree : buckscountyframes : 
chelsea3349

:: row 3 :: IKABAGS : elliven : sharlee39 : ettaandbillie

:: row 4 :: slightlyaskew : wildhare : asilart : sidhe filz

 

wonderful imaginings, nicies!here's what you all came up with, inspired by lawren harris'
beautiful *winter landscape with pink house* painting.  

love the tones and hues you all incorporated in this 6th round of the ekphrastic challenge! 

don't you just love great art inspiring other great art!

gorgeous! just gorgeous!

wishing you a day filled with gorgeous tones! 

have any colours inspiring you today?

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the ekphrastic challenge { part six } : harris

:: lawren harris' beautiful *winter landscape with pink house* painting ::

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bravo, superstars!
the 5th round of the ekphrastic challenge was met with fabulous nominations and suggestions! i just loved seeing your artistic interpretations of the art & the tones that create it!

so as requested: round #6!

today we're frolicking thru the snowy canadian forest on a bright & sunny blue skies february afternoon in lawren harris' beautiful *winter landscape with pink house* painting.

oh how it reminds me of the landscape near and dear to me here right now. such pretty hues, the snow resting so prettily & so gently on strong tree boughs. i love this time of year. 

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so, here's the challenge for you:
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using the idea of ekphrasis , a "graphic or artistic description/representation of a visual work of art" ,  study the colours of the painting above, and/or the colour palette generated to match it (see above) . 

leave a link here to a handmade item of yours, (or another's) that is inspired by these colours + tones!


in about a week, i'll compile the suggestions and post them as our 6th collective response. 

---> just keep in mind, i'm looking for handmade works that fit the colour-palette of this piece! thanks.


so show me your late winter lovelies, nicies!


can't wait to see what you come up with!

and may your day be filled with gorgeous tones!

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the ekphrastic challenge *revealed* : part five

:: row 1 :: larimeloom + mojospastyle

:: row 2 :: nauli + pulpandpaisley + ikabags + vadjutka

:: row 3 :: magichands +beautybysaria + vilte + fleurfatale

:: row 4 :: woodbyderaud + awkward + madfishmarket

wonderful imaginings, nicies!

love the tones and hues you all incorporated in this round of the ekphrastic challenge!

here's what you all came up with, inspired by Paul Signac's pointillist superstar Sandy Seashore. 

gorgeous! just gorgeous!

AND as an extra special thank you, cheers go out to 2 wonderstars: the wonderful vadjutka + the amazing fleurfatale - who each created a piece especially for the challenge! woohoo!

wonderful, inspired work, nicies!

by vadjutka

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by fleur fatale

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5 a.m.

molly briggs' amazing acrylic + ink works.

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5 am today.

this is how my morning rested silent. 

all souls sleeping.

me: in + out of sleep.

sound + colour sort of dancing in slow slow motion through foggy closed eyes

light floating gently into the room.

oh how i love those mornings: seeing hearing feeling things i usually miss because of routine, schedules, busy-busi-ness, life. living in what's right now instead of what's ahead...  you know what i mean.

have a beautiful beautiful weekend, nicies.

{& thanks to design for mankind for introducing me to the fabulous molly briggs}

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the ekphrastic challenge { part five } : signac

paul signac's pointillist superstar: Sandy Seashore, 1890

via the Pushkin Museum, Russia.

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bravo, superstars!
the 4th round of the ekphrastic challenge was met with fabulous nominations and suggestions! i just loved seeing your artistic interpretations of the art & the tones that create it!

so as requested: round #5!

today we're lounging at the beach  with a painting full of late summer lure: Paul Signac's pointillist superstar Sandy Seashore.

 oh how it reminds me of one of my favourite summer beaches: sandbanks provincial park here in southern ontario! just love those gorgeous sandy grey tones, the textured dots, and those dunes-o-delight!

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so, here's the challenge for you:
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using the idea of ekphrasis , a "graphic or artistic description/representation of a visual work of art" ,  study the colours of the painting above, and/or the colour palette generated to match it (see above) . leave a link here to a handmade item of yours, (or another's) that is inspired by these colours + tones!

in about a week, i'll compile the suggestions and post them as our 5th collective *ekphrastic response.* 

---> just keep in mind, i'm looking for handmade works that fit the colour-palette of this piece! thanks.

so show me your late summer signac, nicies!
can't wait to see what you come up with!

and may your day be filled with gorgeous tones!

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the ekphrastic challenge *revealed*: part four

fabulous! just fabulous!

i put forth a new creative challenge last week- and you nicies rose to it!

and so part four of the ekphrastic challenge began: suggest handmade works that are ekphrastically inspired by the colour palette & lines of a famous piece of art. this time i chose Mondrian's "Composition with Yellow, Blue and Red." i love seeing what you come up with... so here we go...

Piet Mondrian's Composition with Yellow, Blue and Red
via the Tate Gallery

row one

bellsandunicorns

row two
betsyonetsy
pulpandpaisely
reiter8

row three
bestillshop

row four
mary zoom

row five
brightmoondesigns
zanneavenue

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and superthanks to SHAbang! who sent me this fabulous link to this fabulous Mondrian-inspired handmade cake! made by caitlin williams, via cakewrecks! woohoo!

just lovely, nicies! and while we anticipate the next ekphrastic challenge,

don't forget to VOTE in round B of the 2010 handmade world cup
(did YOUR fave teams advance? - it closes TODAY!)

and enter my sponsors' shopping spree giveaway here!

see you tomorrow!
have a most colourful day, lovelies!

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the ekphrastic challenge { part four } : mondrian

Piet Mondrian's Composition with Yellow, Blue and Red via the Tate Gallery

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it's a tour de force, superstars!
the 3rd round of the ekphrastic challenge was met with fabulous nominations and suggestions! i just loved seeing your artistic interpretations of the art & the tones that create it!

so as requested: round #4!

and today, we're ADDING a TWIST to the challenge .. read on!

for challenge 4 we're oohing and aahing Piet Mondrian's famous Composition with Yellow, Blue and Red painting, courtesy of the Tate Gallery.

i just love the lines, the shapes, the balance of fresh tones here. splendid!

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so, here's the challenge for you:
.........................................

using the idea of ekphrasis , a "graphic or artistic description/representation of a visual work of art." study the colours of the painting above. for THIS challenge, i'd also like you to study the linear feel and focus on the shapes therein!

then leave a link here to a handmade item of yours, (or anothers) that is inspired by these colours + SHAPES! (there's the twist - i know you can do it, nicies!)

in about a week, i'll compile the suggestions and post them as our 4th ekphrastic response! just keep in mind, i'm looking for handmade works that fit the colour-palette & the lines and shapes of this piece! thanks!

can't wait to see what you come up with!

and may your day be filled with gorgeous tones!

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the ekphrastic challenge { part three } : monet

La Promenade by Claude Monet. 1875

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bravo, superstars!
the 2nd round of the ekphrastic challenge was met with fabulous nominations and suggestions! i just loved seeing your artistic interpretations of the art & the tones that create it!

so as requested: round #3!

today we're oohing and aahing at a painting i've long loved for it's springtimey lure: Claude Monet's La Promenade.

i just love those gorgeous hues, the textured brushstrokes, the spring wind gently rushing thru that gorgeous blue sky, and the spring green grasses rustling. thought it might be perfect for today's spring weather!

.........................................
so, here's the challenge for you:
.........................................

using the idea of ekphrasis , a "graphic or artistic description/representation of a visual work of art." study the colours of the painting above, and/or the colour palette generated to match it (see above) . leave a link here to a handmade item of yours, (or another's) that is inspired by these colours + tones!

in about a week, i'll compile the suggestions and post them as our 3rd collective *ekphrastic response.* just keep in mind, i'm looking for handmade works that fit the colour-palette of this piece! thanks!

so show me your springtime *monet*, nicies!
can't wait to see what you come up with!

and may your day be filled with gorgeous tones! Pin It