Friday, December 31, 2010

Favorite Things

In my last post of 2010, I would like to share a little song I have written to be sung along with the melody of the original "My Favorite Things" by Maria in the famous old time movie, a Sound of Music.  It is both a fun play on words and also a tribute to the amazing woman who's real life story inspired the movie named Agathe von Trappe, who just recently passed away.


While I sit and reflect on the year past, all I can really think about is how happy and excited I am for all the New Year has to offer!  There were many challenges in 2010 both personally and professionally for me.  I mean, let's face it, this year has been really hard for a lot of us!  However keeping my goals in sight and asking myself each day "What can I do today to help me get one step closer to my dream?" has allowed Muse Silk Paintings and me as a person, to continue to grow.  In that respect, keeping positive, and remembering my favorite things, often times are what keeps me going....

*Clearing throat* 

Big fluffy rain clouds and shimmering sun rays
Soaring tree branches and PJs on Sundays
Beautiful patterns on butterfly wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Reading nice comments and hearing from Musies

Dreams of silk painting while catching my snoozies
Good tiding wishes the holidays bring
These are a few of my favorite things

Italian ice cream and small, fluffy piglets

Warm sheets from the dryer and full staff of Muselets
Envisioning all the great concepts for Spring
These are a few of my favorite things

When bad news hits

When harsh words sting
When I feel so sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

In closing, I want to share a ROARING THANK YOU to all my friends, family, clients and supporters over this past whirlwind year of 2010.  Wishing you and your family health, wealth, prosperity, and of course, ultimate style for the New Year!!

Monday, December 13, 2010

My Silky Friends - Special Holiday Feature

Dear Friends and Family,
As this year comes to a close, and the holidays are close upon us, I wanted to take a moment to say Thank You to a handful of very special artists who's positive energy and incredible talents have all had a hand in inspiring and supporting my continued Silk Painting adventures this past year.  Each lady being featured here is someone who I truly admire and as all artists have a very different voice and style, it is my pleasure to introduce and share them with you!

1. Name: Fiona Stolze 
Store Name:  Silk & Art
Angel’s “nick name” :) : Mistress of Mandalas

About the Artist:  Fiona is known for her incredibly intricate mandala silk paintings in gorgeous and vibrant colors, which can be found on scarves, pillows, greeting cards, you name it!  I cannot believe the amount of detail that goes into her pieces!  Her energy is a healing and positive one, and therefore no wonder that so much of her work has ended up in environments of meditation, therapy, and healing.  We have had many conversations on silk painting and other various topics that arise in the Silk Painting community.  She is well known in the Silk Painting forums as an active teacher giving generously, her expert advice on varied silk painting techniques and for her graceful, spiritual nature.  I look up to Fiona as a silk painter, business woman, and great marketer of her amazing creations.

When asked what she loves most about silk painting, Fiona's response was, "The thrill I get at seeing those luminous colours on the silk. The huge contrast between the stark white silk and the vibrant dyes I add, step by step. Just standing back again and again and soaking up the colours with my eyes. That’s quite exhilarating at times."
"Return of the Sister Bride" by Fiona Stolze

Favorite Piece:  "Return of the Sister Bride"
When asked why she is proud of this piece, Fiona's response was."  I was inspired to paint it after attending a workshop on the topic of Mary Magdalene being Christ’s no. 1 apostel. All of the symbolism linked with Magdalene’s followers and the myth that was build up around her is incorporated into this painting, including the rose at the centre. Mary was called the Sister Bride. And I feel proud when I look at that painting because it shows my attention to tiny detail as well as the sacred geometry within it. I drew a few circles onto the silk and then began to construct the six pointed star within it. I was fascinated to see that the intersections of the 2 equilateral triangles exactly sat on one of the circles I had drawn. How perfect is that? And my hand didn’t even shake when I retraced the lines in gold."

Learn more about Fiona by clicking HERE

Fiona's Holiday Promotion:  Order a 12 pack of Mandala cards between now and December 31st and you will recieve $3.50 taken off the regular price of $23.00.  Just add "MUSE" in the instruction box when you order, and you will be refunded after purchase!

Shop Fiona's Silk & Art store by clicking HERE




2. Name: Maria Jürimäe
Store Name:  Singing Scarves
Angel’s “nick name” :) : Silken Nightingale

About the Artist:  Maria is an amazing, energetic force who is known for her love of painting one of a kind, custom scarves for special customers.  She has amazing talents to create any idea you can think of!  She loves to paint and sing at the same time and as Maria says, "People from Estonia, the small Nordic country I come from have used the power of song to influence their lives.  Maybe you have heard of our song festivals... and we even sang ourselves free from the Soviet Union."

When asked what she loves most about silk painting, Maria's response was, "I love to paint custom silk scarves that carry special and very personal good wishes."  I know for a fact it is a true joy to receive a lovingly painted scarf from Maria as I have one in my own home of happy dancing bears that makes me smile every time I look at it!  :)

Family Portrait by Maria Jürimäe

Favorite Piece:  "Family Portrait"
When asked why she is proud of this piece, Maria's response was, "One of the most difficult tasks I've had was painting a family portrait on silk (5 people on silk with the things they love to eat).  Painting a portrait on silk is already a challenge, but painting five of them on the same piece is five times riskier.  If one member of the family feels s(he) is not like himself/herself then... "

Learn more about Maria by clicking HERE or HERE

Maria's Holiday Promotion:  She has surprises waiting for your in her Etsy shop - seven can take a small scarf they have never seen with VERY special price (2 are already gone, 5 left).  She is offering one custom large silk scarf for half price and some scarves are currently discounted up to 30%

Shop Maria's Singing Scarves store by clicking HERE




3. Name: Joy Light
Store Name:  Joysilk
Angel’s “nick name” :) : Mermaid of Ashland

About the Artist:  Joy is such a pleasure to know!  When I think of her, I see her smiling face modeling gorgeous, large silks being draped, like waves over her shoulders.  :)  Her studio is amazing, and even has published a video taking a peek into her creative work space which I just love!  Joysilk is known for their gorgeous ruanas and scarves with beautiful textures and rich colors.

When asked what she loves most about silk painting, Joy's response was, "The beauty of this work is that it is for wearing. In the wearing it finds its purpose; transforming the wearer with its light, channeling human energy into a unique presence. Bringing pleasure from the eye to the heart, each piece has its own personality, a life of its own, channeled by the artist into our world."

European Series by Joy Light
Favorite Project  "European Series"
When asked why she is proud of this piece, Joy's response was."This series was a big departure from my usual abstract color washes.  Each scarf was painted on a different weave of silk, each design was completely different from the nex.  I was proud and encouraged by my ability to paint in a new style."
 
Learn more about Joy by clicking HERE or HERE

Joy's Holiday Promotion:  Take 50% off at Joysilk.com with discount code ANGELRAY.  Offer good through 12/15

Shop Joysilk's Etsy store HERE  and her home page HERE




4. Lynn Meek 
Store Name:  Silk Siren
Angel’s “nick name” :) : Floral Goddess

About the Artist:  Think you've seen a pretty watercolor floral scarf?  Think again.  Lynn Meek's work simply takes my breath away and I am always inspired by her insane talents on expressing detailed, beautiful watercolor floral, landscapes, and even tigers onto gorgeous silk pieces.  Lynn's work has become known for her large scale, shawl-type wraps - no two alike!  Meek has developed her own signature watercolor style using slightly thickened dye applied in a more painterly manner without resist.  This technique lets her paint wet-on-wet letting the dyes mix and meld on the silk - a tricky and unforgiving process!   But.. they are ohhh.. so lovely!

When asked what she loves most about silk painting, Lynn's response was, "Color, color, color!  Luscious dye dropped onto sexy silk  - I was hooked the first time I did it!  AND, as I've continued on this journey, the wonderful, supportive and creative family of silk painters I've met along the way! (... let me add "crazy" and "fun" to those adjectives as well :)"  

Shamrock Scarf by Lynn Meek
Favorite Piece:  Shamrock Scarf
When asked why she is proud of this piece, Lynn's response was."This was for a 30 something young woman with the most gorgeous long, thick curly red hair which would soon be gone to chemo treatment.  I designed a bright, colorful square of silk she could use as a head wrap, tucking some lucky shamrocks in the design as well as her name in Celtic script.  I was truly honored to create this for her."
 
Learn more about Lynn by clicking HERE

Shop Silk Siren's Etsy store HERE  or by special appointment at her studio - just email her at lynnmeek@bellsouth.net




5. Name:  Marcia Ferris
Angel’s “nick name” :) : Maestra Mia

About the Artist:  Possibly one of my number one supporters, and fellow mushroom obsesser is this lovely lady! Marcia is a self taught artist who is a self-proclaimed " Technique Artist" in silk.  She is known for her amazing "Alter Ego" scarves, interesting textures, and jacket collections.  She has probably tested out every possible way to create interesting textures on silk than you or I could possibly think of.  And what is even better?  She loves to share her knowledge and give classes to budding silk artists, and experienced ones alike.

When asked what she loves most about teaching silk techniques, she replied "I recently taught some groups of women who had never silk painted before.  We had so much fun.  They went home with beautiful scarves and happy faces."

Children's Quilt by Marcia Ferris

Favorite Project  "Childrens Quilt"
When asked why she is proud of this piece, Maria's response was, "I am most proud of a children's quilt I made last October for a raffle to help pay for the hospital and medical expenses of a very sick child that I knew.  It was inspired by a beautiful matching children's game with interesting animals, wild life, flowers, etc.. I used scrap painted silk to create the squares and then machine quilted.  The raffle went quite well.  Of course it is unavailable now."
 
Marcia's pieces are only available via private request.  You can email her at marcia8401@gmail.com and she is happy to answer your silk painting questions as well.





6. Pauline Wherrell
Store Name:  Pauline Wherrell on RedBubble
Angel’s “nick name” :) : Crystal Ice Princess

About the Artist:  Pauline is more of a mixed media artist, who also paints on silk as well as canvas, paper, and currently exploring more in photography.  I've had many critiques and discussions about art with this wonderful lady and feel quite close, even though we are oceans apart.  She is known for her incredible interpretations of crystal blue (her favorite color) and high contrasting pieces.  While most of her artwork feels cool to me, she is in reality such a warm, friendly and talented person!

When asked what she loves most about silk painting, Pauline's response was, "The thing I love most about silk painting is its unpredictable nature when painting freely and the vibrancy of the dye colors."  

The Pond by Pauline Wherrell
Favorite Piece:  The Pond
original silk painting with dupont dyes on charmeuse
I love Pauline's delicious use of cool blues and vibrant purples in this, and all her amazing artwork! 
When asked what piece she is most proud of, Pauline's response was, "I am proud of anything I do that has occured as an accident that nobody, not even I can reproduce.  I am at the present exploring photographic creations with ice and clear quartz."  
 
Learn more about Pauline by clicking HERE

Shop Pauline's RedBubble store HERE




7. Jasdeep Kaur
Angel’s “nick name” :) :  Silky Queen of New Delhi


About the Artist:  Jasdeep has been an enthusiastic supporter of my work through her comments and energetic responses over the past year, and although she does not sell in a store online, yet, she does beautiful work herself, and I wanted to share it with you.  She is known for her happy, vibrant and colorful motifs filled with positive and lively designs!  Her forte is hand embroidery, but has begun to explore silk painting in the past few years

Butterfly Inspired long silk scarf by Jasdeep Kaur
When asked what she loves most about silk painting, Jasdeep's response was, "Since this art is relatively new to Indians, at least in the northern part of the country, wearing a painted outfit thrills them, giving me all the more reason to be happy and proud of the fact that I have yet another medium to express my feelings... put my thoughts from my mind to the ever gorgeous silk.  It is a proud feeling to give something so unique and exclusive and boast about it!"  

To learn more about Jasdeep and view her silk painting gallery, click HERE

 To All my Silky Friends both featured here and all over the world, thank you for your continued support and friendship.  Wishing you all the best for a healthy, happy, safe and warm holiday season and a very Happy New Year!
All My Best,
A.R






Saturday, November 27, 2010

Mad about Plaids!

Do plaids ever go out of style?  Really?  I think we all know the answer here.  Of course not :)  Here are just a few ways some Designers have interpreted plaids into their latest shows.   In a romantic dress, funky coat, or rich tweed, it all looks fantastic!

This season add a little preppy accent to your wardrobe without buying a whole new outfit - just throw on a fun, plaid scarf to update your look. 

I am delighted to announce that we have just added a brand new section of Watercolor Plaids to our Muse Etsy store! 
Cookies & Cream
Chocolate Pear



Blackberry Tart
Toasted Persimmon
























They come in a smaller size than we normally offer - 11"x60", perfect for a petite lady.  These scarves are also hand painted on a different type of silk - a satin/chiffon stripe which has such a gorgeous texture and catches the light beautifully.  Come discover all the new, delicious flavors,  errr... I mean colors and enjoy the very reasonable price  - a great gift idea!

If you are Mad about Plaids too, shop our new listings today!










Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thanksgiving Poem

I’m thankful for my Musies
In every way times three
For silly little comments
Which we can laugh so merrily

 

I’m thankful for my Muselets
And squealing right along
Each new step and victory
They waddle on and on
Vineyard Art Sunrise
I’m thankful for each color
That streaks across the sky
For silk, for art, for crazy dreams
That make me wonder Why?

But most of all I have to say
I’m thankful that I’ve found
Inspiration every single day
Silk Painting wears the crown

Big Bear loves Fluffy Buns
 So Thank You, Creativity
And all of those who care
Wishing you and all your family
More love than you can bear


Have a safe, warm and very
Happy Thanksgiving!

~ A.R.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Greeting Cards - A Whole New World (and giveaway)!

Greetings friends, family, and lovely clients! I cannot even count how many times people have come to me and said, "You know, I love your art, but I'm not a scarf wearer." Believe me, I can relate. Not every day can be a scarf day!

So in an effort to widen my product line and offer a little something to let you get your hands on a Muse Silk Paintings artwork, I SO excited to let you know that I'm planning to offer cards in the very near future! There is only one that I am 100% sure will be in the Collection so far, and that is the ever whimsical Fairytale Forest silk painting "Mushroom Dream".
I am reaching out to you, my followers, friends, and Musies to take this survey to help me understand what you look for in Greeting Cards before launching this new product line. As a Thank You for taking the time out of your day to do this, I am offering ONE FREE ART CARD (and envelope) of this gorgeous "Mushroom Dream" silk painting to you!

Take the survey today by clicking HERE!


Tuesday, October 12, 2010

A Dharma-ful Morning!

Recently I took a little trip up to Northern California to get away from it all... but in the back of my mind all through the weekend, I admit it was very hard to stop thinking about my final stop in San Raphael. Why, you ask? In this town resides one of my favorite shops EVER!


Ahhhh (listen closely and you can hear the choir singing Hallelujiah) DHARMA!!! One of my favorite silk painting suppliers! For a moment, my heart skipped a beat because I realized it was a holiday, but then I saw they were, in fact OPEN!



I walked in, and to the right there were rows and rows of beautiful silk, cotton, and hemp blank clothing - all ready for painting.. just hanging there.. waiting to be decorated..


I turned to the left and felt hypnotized by the candy colored rows of yummy Lumiere paints! Ohhh how I wanted to gobble up every color. I LOVE Lumiere!

And then *sigh* the piece de resistance - a little tower of novelty silk scarves, all folded up and organized in their places.. devore, satin burnouts, coin purses, velvets... so many ideas flowed through my mind just looking at each little compartment! Yes did spend nearly a half an hour in front of this tower. And yes, I may have been drooling the whole time (at least no one seemed to notice the crazy lady obsessively inspecting each novelty silk).

After pretty much frolicking all over the Dharma store and stocking up on silk painting goodies, it was such a beautiful morning that I decided to go for a stroll in the neighborhood. I decided a few things. 1) I would like to live in that little red house on the end please.


2) I would like fairytale flowers growing all over my door as well.



3) a pumpkin patch flag of my very own (how cute)!

4) would like my excuse of "Officer, Nature WANTED me to Park here" to be valid in avoiding being towed.

5) and last, but not least, I would really like to know, "How much is that doggy in the window?" :)

Overall I had a wonderful trip! Saw my friends, family, enjoyed some gorgeous, Northern Cali weather, and yes... finally made it to Dharma!


Friday, October 1, 2010

Fairytale Forest Fall/Winter Collection by Muse Silk Paintings


We modern and savvy women go a mile a minute these days, emailing, texting, twittering, facebooking and just trying to keep up with life. Wouldn’t you just love to hit pause on the chaos?


Muse Silk Paintings invites you to take a deep breath and enter the Fairytale Forest…


Imagine a lilac mist rolling gently over sloping foothills and meadows of sweet-scented flowers. Delicate mushrooms nestle at the base of towering Redwoods in warm hues of peach and coral, gold and bright citron green. They are nearly enchanting enough to eat.


This is a place for magic, for wood nymphs and fairies.

Water ripples over the smooth rocks of a nearby stream and beyond that is a crystal blue waterfall, whose droplets mix with the sun rays to throw small rainbows along your path. It’s here, in a serene pool of water, that you catch a glimpse of your reflection. You are goddess of the forest.


As the sun begins to set in a blaze of pinks and orange, all the forest creatures—the sapphire caterpillar and the young butterfly emerging with its splendid new wings—begin to disappear into the dusk. The snails leave behind iridescent trails and the stars begin to shimmer and wink across the rich indigo sky.


Allow the Muse Silk Paintings Fall/Winter collection to remind you of your favorite childhood fairy tales and to escape into the flora and fauna of youth. Invest in a little treasure for yourself, adding both elegance and charm to your fall wardrobe.


The Fairytale Forest luxury collection is now available, so come discover all our brand new scarves today!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Behind the Name

Have you ever wondered why I have named my silk painting business “MUSE”? I suppose most would think – ah well, she has so many ideas that she must think SHE is the MUSE. (How egotistical) But, my friend, that was not really the intention behind the name. Today I just wanted to take some time to share why I decided to name my business “Muse Silk Paintings”. Well, the “Silk Paintings” part should be pretty obvious, but about the “Muse”, let’s start with the definition.

Definition of a Muse:
The source of an artist’s inspiration.




A muse can be a person, place or thing. It can be a song, or a memory, the setting sun, a twinkling star that inspired you to wear your diamond earrings tonight, or to add some glimmering silver to that project you are working on.






Also accordingly to Greek mythology, the Muses were ethereal goddesses who would literally inspire artists, poets, writers, etc.. to create their masterpieces, sometimes by whispering to them in their dreams.





With these lovely notions in mind, it is my hope that my hand painted scarves in their uplifting colors, with fantastic, daydream imagery will inspire you to throw together an outfit that is really special and completely YOU.
As each piece is a unique, one of a kind artwork you can wear, it is meant to spark your imagination! Where will you wear it? What colors will you style it with? How will you fold it and swirl it around – as a neck scarf, a head-band, a belt? When you order a hand painted silk scarf from Muse Silk Paintings, I hope you will search and find your inner “fashion” Muse and have fun creating your own, special look. Because after all, you are a beautiful masterpiece yourself, so why not take a moment to dress it up and really shine!?

Thanks for reading about my intentions behind the name… and whether it comes to you in a dream, or in a pretty little package, I hope you find your inner Muse every day!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Five Favorites - Contemporary Craft Show

Ohhh I had just so many errands to run and events to attend last weekend, but I just couldn't stay away...ended up driving on out to the Contemporary Crafts Show in Santa Monica to see all the silk painters and incredible artisans - it’s such a high end and wonderful show. It was just perfect weather, and wished I could have stayed longer ~ I even brought grandma!

I thought I’d share with you my five favorite booths at the show (although there were SO very many amazing shops!).


1. Olivia Batchelder - Art Couture

This amazing and gentle lady's work is so whimsical and free flowing. She was kind enough to give me some personal lessons when I was just barely starting off and her creative spirit really shines through her work (and her smile). She had her signature ribbon scarves ~ almost musical feeling, twirly, swirly scarves and also really special patched together pieces as well.

Her booth looked phenomenal and I was so happy to see her, even if just for a moment. She offers original paintings, hand painted scarves and garments. To learn more about Olivia Batchelder's work click HERE.



2. Erica Batchelder - Hand Dyed Silk Creations

Like mother like daughter? Yes and No! While both are extremely talented, Erica’s collection is more geared towards specialized dyeing and shibori techniques, and other precious fashion accessories such as these wonderful silk pins displayed here at her booth. I have one of her turquoise knit scarves and I just love it. Gorgeous! To learn more about her work click HERE.

3. Leighelena - Enamel Jewelry by Leigh Navarro

One word here - OBSESSED. I love love LOVE her amazing enameled, super large and in charge circle rings!! She came all the way from Texas to be here, and I am SO glad she did! The beautiful glazed designs sit pretty ontop of the smoothest wooden base and make such an amazing statement! I bought a handful, and have been getting compliments every day on my amazing rings. AND she had them in different sizes which I can NEVER find my right size! Hers fit me perfectly! To learn more about Leighelena click HERE.



4. Leyla Navab - Art Silk

Needless to say, I stopped at every silk painter's booth, but this one REALLY stopped me in my tracks. Leyla's attention to detail (extremely impressive on chiffon) and sense of sophistication combined to create just a lovely space of decadent luxury. She was so very nice, and even invited me to come paint in her studio some day! And she is local! I really look forward to painting with this amazing lady, and seeing a true master at work. To learn more about Leyla Navab's silk paintings, click HERE.

5. Just for Fun by Dotty Calabrese

Wow wow wow! At first I thought these were ikat designs, but this friendly, purple haired, creative artisan from Palo Alto described to me her special process of hand woven, hand painted silk threads and it was simply fascinating. The scarves were bold, bright, yet sophisticated and oh so soft. I want the far one on the right! She had all sorts of lovely treasures as well in her booth, but these gorgeous scarves really took my breath away. To learn more about Just for Fun, click HERE.

Thank you, to all the artisans for sharing their photo and your amazing artwork at the show. I had a great time and am inspired by each of you!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Birthday gift - from me to me ;p

Dear Friends & Musies,
As you may or may not know, I've been contemplating taking a little break from blogging. The rapid growth of Muse Silk Paintings + the demands of the Muselet staff have really been keeping me super busy! While I love posting Fashion Finds, features, painting processes, etc., lately I've been getting less and less sleep.. and you know a Muse needs precious dream time!



So as a birthday present to myself (which is today, by the way), I will be taking a break for about 1 month from blogging. It will be great to re-evaluate the direction this blog is going, how often to post, etc.. Thank you for your support, encouragement and comments throughout the past year, and look forward to picking up again soon!

Would you like to share your ideas on how to make this blog more spectacular? Then please take this quick SURVEY.