Mesoamerican Art

My exploration of zibbet revealed one of those 'you'll never find it anywhere else shops', michaelgoard. Michael gets his creative inspiration from the Mesoamerican cultures of the ancient Aztec and Mayan. He uses enriched concrete and replicates Aztec and Mayan glyphs on tiles, dishes, garden decoration, and wall art. His wondrous works remind me of spectacular History Channel shows and archaeological specials on foreign lands, and they take my husband back to his childhood by Tazumal.

Michael is also an accomplished silversmith and lapidarist. Many of his jewelry pieces honor the rich cultures of the past. Be sure to see the Mayan glyph 'mountain' jade pendant, and the Aztec 'movement' Glyph necklace. He has also taken his hand to painting, drawing on Mesoamerica for inspiration in a series of colorful interpretations.

Michael revives the past in my part of the woods in California, and can ship internationally if you contact him. This gentleman loves the art world, and much more about his restoration work, mural painting, and art services is found on his website. He also has a shop on etsy. If you are interested in a custom or large order, be sure to contact him. My mom is going to adore the coaster for Mother's day! She doesn't use a computer, so I can tell you.

Painted Glass

Colorful flowers on hand painted glass vases had me exploring SylwiaGlassArt on etsy. She uses ceramic, porcelain, and glass paints to decorate each piece freehand making them unique works of art. Be sure to see some of her vase pictures showing the beautiful stained glass room glow when a tea light is used. You can special order the perfect tea cup or coffee mug for mom or dad. All the kitchenware I looked at was microwave safe, but to give your painted work of art a long life, hand washing is advised. I found the serving bowls with holes for chopsticks very interesting.

You know how passionate I am when it comes to recycling. Sylwia hand paints Tabasco bottles with little houses giving them a second life of beauty and usefulness as decorative art works! She uses other rescued glass bottles for her colorful creations. In her shop, her favorite style of bottle to paint has a Sunflower design, but she can paint yours with any design you fancy, and has many vase and bottle styles available.

Originally from Poland, Sylwia now calls California home where she paints her pretty pieces. She ships internationally and is found on Facebook. If you see a pattern you like, but prefer other colors or a different shape, be sure to contact her for a custom piece. Sylwia's love of flowers and nature takes her outside with her camera, and you will find photography in her second etsy shop SeeWorldThruMyEyes.

The Gentleman Carver

We have friends who live on Catalpa Way, and I didn’t know it was named for a tree until exploring this delightful shop, Twinwoodcarving, full of hand carved bowls on etsy. Joe listens to each block of wood then uses the skills of a master craftsman to bring out the bowl hidden inside, exposing its glorious grain patterns and natural wood beauty. Years of hand woodworking classes in school, while growing up in Ireland, gave this artist the true appreciation of wood he enjoys today. Thank goodness for those cost cutting measures.

Each of his bowls is a one-of-a-kind treasure. He finishes each bowl with tung oil and beeswax, giving his artworks a lasting finish. These bowls are safe for food use, but are recommended for dry foods only. He also has a line of modern candle holders.

Joe carves in Missouri, ships internationally, and can be found on Facebook. He has an amusing and informative blog post about an over exuberant carving expedition on a piece of green wood, among other helpful ‘working with wood’ insights. My husband makes guitars and I can appreciate the amount of careful cajoling it takes to release these artistic pieces. I can imagine the satisfaction Joe takes when stepping back and gazing at a job well done!