My Entries for Living Arts Montana

A couple of months ago, friend of mine talked me into doing a donation piece for the Living Arts of Montana's 6th annual Light Show. She is a volunteer for the group and was recruiting artists. I had heard about this show from other artist friends of mine who had participated in past years. All had nothing but good things to say about the experience. Though, I really had no idea what Living Arts did or what the donation would go to, refusing a chance to include a piece of my work seemed insane! The Light Show is to be held on May 14 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula.

So I had to get to know a bit about the organization to really know what this was all about about. I mean, I can't enter a piece into an auction that benefits something horrific. (Not that I thought it was...)

According to Living Art of Montana's website:
Living Art presents at local, national and international workshops and conferences and teaches classes for professional care-givers and at the University of Montana Social Work Department.
and:
Living Art works with other health care providers and organizations who share a common vision of creating holistic and integrative options for wellness.

(Living Art of Missoula's Website)

This year's Light Show theme is "An Evening in Red". I hadn't had much time to think about what I was going to submit what with the opening of the gallery and so many stinking holidays and events happening in the last bunch of weeks. So, now that things are more settled I thought hard about what that would mean to me, how I would capture it, what media I would use, how big it should be, etc. I've finally got a solid idea started.

Sneak peek at the sketch...

Yes, it is intentionally obscured. I'll post more progress pictures as time goes on. Now that the holidays are over, I'll have more time to devote to the studio (yaay!) and less pressure to create for fairs and for gifts.

The nice folks at Living Arts also invited all the artists signed up for the Light Show to exhibit in February one different piece of work in a group show. I think I'll include this one:

If you want to see it in person, it's in the gallery. Come on by!

Kelly Smith, a.k.a, Stella Latwinski

Just last May, Kelly finished graduation at the University of Montana, Missoula with a master's degree in Economics. She quickly found a job at an environmental consulting firm and her career was on its way. But, just months after her graduation, Kelly let go of her new career and chose to be a full time freelance artist and illustrator. She hasn't looked back since.

She has changed her working name to Stella Latwinski -in honor of her grandmother- in order to separate her artistic side from her Kelly-ness.

One of her characters, Unconventional Ida, has had a loyal following and has inspired an entire world of unconventionality.

Kelly's, er... Stella's, usual artistic M.O. is Sakura Pigma Micron pens and Prismacolor colored pencil on recycled wood block or board that she gets as leftovers from her father-in-law's cabinet shop. She has recently been expanding her canvas to include jewelry and Moleskine Journals.

Artsiehorse Studio & Gallery is ecstatic to be able to carry some of her wood mounted prints, Journals, and Greeting Cards!

Visit her at her website:
stellalatwinski.com

Spotlight on Pam Cozby

These beautiful fabric bowl sculptures are the work of Pam Cozby, another member of the TARTS fiber artist group out of Hamilton, Montana. Her work is entirely her own. With the help of a computer, Pam creates the patterns on the bowls from photos. Then she prints them onto plain white fabric to create one of a kind designs and finishes off with intricate stitching.
The result is absolutely stunning!

Every piece is a unique creation. There are boxes and vases, bowls and platter shaped designs. Some are fuzzy, and some are sleek. They all beg to be held.

Stop by and see what she has done lately...

Anita Mistry–Itsamistry Design Studio

Anita Mistry is a friend, as she would say, from the other side of the pond. Anita harks from Ashton-Under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England and has graciously sent some of her divine handmade jewelry for sale here in the States.

Itsamistry Design Studio specializes in hand crafted jewelry, made mainly from sterling silver, combined with semi precious stones, artisan or glass beads, Swarovski or Czech crystals. Anita designs and custom makes a unique range of her own designs, where no two pieces of jewelry are the same or designs pieces incorporating client’s ideas and themes. The product range includes necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets and hairpieces and is now being diversified into cake jewelry.

Anita was also invited to submit a craft jewelry project recently for a National Craft Magazine about the Ananta Bead Necklaces (which are stocked in the Gallery!) and was subsequently asked to run a workshop in the USA and is further developing a series of workshops at her studio for adults and children from age 8 upwards.

See more of Anita’s jewelry, paintings, greeting cards and other artsy creations on her website. http://www.itsamistrydesignstudio.com/