Unique & Original Greeting Cards, Prints & Mosaics
~ About Us ~
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Steph |
~ n ~ |
Annie |
| I moved to SC in
2000
and live in Greer, a small town near Greenville in the Upstate
of South Carolina. Before moving here I lived primarily in
Colorado and Oregon, where I grew up. When living in
Colorado, I met Annie and we've been fast friends ever since.
We share many common interests, among them astrology, music and
art. I am grateful to her for joining me in this grand
adventure. I'm one of those people who, for most of my life thought "I'm not creative" but sometime in the 90's that started to change. I started sketching and toying with pastels and watercolors. At the time it was just a lark. Then in 1999 one of my best friends introduced me to the art of mosaics. I've been hooked ever since. I am mostly self-taught and I find creating mosaics to be very satisfying, stimulating and therapeutic. While in the moment of creating the design, choosing the colors, cutting, finding and placing just the right pieces of tesserae, it feels to me as if time stands still. I agree with a new mosaic buddy who said mosaics are like piecing together a puzzle ~ it's looking for the right shape and color and watching the work take form as more and more pieces fall in place. I easily become immersed in the process and have discovered that mosaics, like most art, seem to take on a life of their own. That captivates me, sometimes frustrates me, yet always feeds my soul. It was while planning a mosaic design of a person that I stumbled into the art of paper cut outs. My idea was to use paper to try and get the shading and contours of the human face just right before I went to cutting and working with glass. Much to my surprise and delight, the paper came to life with each snip of my scissors. Some of the cut outs come easily with no forethought, others are patterned from sketches I've done. I have long observed people, their personalities and what drives them. I think some of that has led to my attraction to this art form, as for me, the cut out faces seem to manifest their own distinct attitudes as I piece the papers together. I didn't know what to call this art form until I showed my work to Annie and she told me that I should check out the book about Cut Out Art by Matisse, who was known for this art form in his later years. After feedback from friends and further encouragement and some brief tutoring in website design from another dear friend, I venture forth, sharing my artistic efforts and those of Annie with you. I hope you find some pleasure in viewing and welcome your feedback. I am a member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists and the Metropolitan Arts Council. You can find some of my framed prints at House of Joe (8024 Augusta Road, Suite H, Piedmont, SC) & 444 Gallery Cafe (444 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC) Thanks to those of you who purchase from Steph-n-Annie's Arts. May you enjoy and be joyful. |
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As a long-time art lover,
I have immersed myself in all of the arts, primarily as an
observer, since I was a young woman. That role began to change
eight years ago when a friend of mine gave me a little set of
watercolor paints as a gift, and out of respect in response to
her gracious gesture I began the task of learning how to paint
with water and pigment. Steph encouraged me all the
way in my new pursuit, and it is in the joyful ease and
comforting spirit of our friendship that I am honored and
pleased to join in sharing this adventure with her. It remains a passion and a discipline that I continue to study and grow at understanding, and is a powerful tool for challenge as it continually surprises the seeker. It seems to be all about the momentary continuity of finding new growth on old wood, as it were, and I remain committed to the experience of discovery that it provides through its unique properties. I have long practiced the art of writing, and my passion for that is expressed through the wonderfully, beautiful challenge of writing poetry. By respecting the gift that my friend gave me, I was induced to take on further challenges that led to many new directions. I studied at the Art Student’s League of Denver for 2-years and found a great deal of interest in drawing and painting techniques with various mediums, including Charcoal, Pastel and Oil. Strangely, I didn’t have the experience of studying watercolor painting, as it seems quite difficult to find formal instruction for, and am self-taught which I continue with very actively...until recently... I just had the honor of attending a week long workshop with internationally known and esteemed master watercolorist Cheng-Khee Chee. Other professional interests include nursing and astrology. I am a Registered Nurse, more or less retired, and have practiced as an Astrologer, which I’ve studied for 30-plus years and maintain a keen interest in. Both of those avocations have provided me with the gifts of their particular knowledge. In practice they have served to deepen my compassion for the human condition in terms of the physical as well as the emotional and spiritual. Astrology, specifically, opens doors of perception by providing a description of the intimate interplay of cosmic energy as it manifests individually and collectively while intrinsically weaving character and experience into the whole, thereby illuminating the cosmobiology of spirit. Currently, I continue to work at improving and growing in the field of visual art and creativity. I live in beautiful downtown Denver, Colorado situated at the bottom of the great Rocky Mountains. I love all kinds of music and theater. I like to laugh as much as possible and do my level best to stay centered and find joy in the moment. I am a Mother to 2 grown Sons, a Grandmother to 4 beautiful Granddaughters and a Great-Grandmother to a beautiful 1 year old Great Granddaughter. Some of my framed prints can be seen at Spanky's Backyard BBQ (108 N Main Street, Six Mile, SC) and at House of Joe (8024 Augusta Road, Suite H, Piedmont, SC). |
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