Totemic Dreams by V. Shaw

A garden tended by a green and patient thumb is never ordinary, but artful touches large or small can make it extraordinary. Cast aside the notion that art should only hang on a wall or sit on a shelf awaiting routine encounters with the feather duster. Artwork intended for the elements can be a graceful extension of your home’s personality as well as an imaginative foil for natural beauty. Give these pieces a chance to take root, and watch them reveal their magic through the passing seasons.

Create a focal point.
A large work of art, such as a sculpture or a water feature, can give your garden a clearly defined point of view. Modern, formal, whimsical—that’s entirely up to you. An imposing piece is sure to attract attention wherever you place it, so approach the opportunity strategically. If you wish to draw eyes toward a favorite tree or flowerbed, site the artwork nearby. By the same token, you can use artwork to direct eyes away from a less desirable view.

Treat your garden to a secret.
If your garden has a hidden space—a wooded path, for example, or a leafy niche—try tucking away something beautiful to surprise passers-by. Squirrel away a statue. Or add works of art that possess a hidden twist, like the ceramic piece shown here.

Keep it functional.
All aspirations aside, you know your yard will never be a sculpture park with large-scale works of art around every twist in the path. But that’s no reason not to pursue other possibilities for incorporating art in your outdoor living space. Detailed metalwork is a natural choice—try lanterns, trellises, pland stands, or even garden gates. Or go the mosaic route and use bits of brilliantly colored tile or glass to add joyful pizazz to benches, grill surrounds, or paving stones.

The Great Bowl O’ Fire by John T. Unger

Home 14 by Lisa Call

Without a doubt, one of the great joys of my work is meeting artists in their studios. The combination of actually getting to know an individual artist, seeing more of their work (including work in progress), and seeing them in their own environment allows me to develop a deeper understanding of them and their work and often see the work in a new light. This past weekend I was in Denver and Boulder, visiting with three Artful Home artists, each of whom works in a different medium.

The first stop was at the home and studio of Lisa Call. Lisa is a textile artists (and software engineer!) who often develops whole series of quilts around particular themes. Currently, she is exploring houses, strongly influenced by her recent overhaul of her own home and life, thus exploring what “home” means to her.

Lisa boldly explores her theme in multiple scales, from teeny tiny 3″ squares to large pieces. Seeing Lisa in her light filled studio with her larger pieces helped me understand her draw to the house structure, and notice the exquisite detail of her hand-dyed fabrics, her painterly color sense, and detailed, almost obsessive quality to her stitching.

Striations Cuff – River Blue by Julie Powell

The next stop was in Boulder, to the home and studio of Julie Powell. Julie is a former quilter (and outstanding baker!) who now employs her fascination with color and texture in amazing beadwork jewelry.

I got to see this Striations Cuff in person, along with many other pieces, and came to understand Julie’s process. She starts with a feeling, in this case, the desire to convey the motion and rush of a Colorado river. Working with a sketch that she uses as inspiration, Julie starts in the middle of the piece and lets the piece take form from there. The end result is dazzling, sculptural, and unique , so much so that a friend who had joined me for the visit, an avid fly-fisherman, had to purchase it on the spot – just because!

And in my hand is one which you’ll soon be able to find on Artful Home – and my wrist!

Teardrop Hall Table by Derek Secor Davis

My final visit was to the home and studio of Derek Secor Davis. He lives in the gorgeous foothills of the Rockies, and finding him required driving up and up and up along a breathtakingly beautiful road through gold mining country. Derek is a furniture artist whose elegant work employs sculptural elements, sophisticated whimsy, and masterful craftsmanship. Seeing work in progress revealed the painstaking carving, milk-painting, sanding, carving processes Derek uses to create his subtly textured surfaces and forms. Even more interesting was seeing Derek’s pieces in a home environment.

Sometimes it is easy to assume that a piece of contemporary furniture might be too “out there” for your home. Yet, in Derek’s home, the Teardrop Table lived perfectly happily next to the coziest of chairs, as evidenced by this photo of the artist himself. And yes, Derek built his home, and it is a thing of beauty!

After leaving these three artists, I was reminded of something I was taught in art school, that as an observer of art one should be willing to let the work “sink in”. Any one piece represents all the years of experience of that artist, funneled into a specific work. Meeting the artists, hearing how they think about their work and what inspired them, allowed their work to sink into my brain even more deeply, and I am grateful for their allowing me to experience that.

Landscape and Architecture by Chin Yuen

As a US based company it’s easy for us to talk about art glass in California, or the energy of fine craft in North Carolina. But with such a long history of free interchange of commerce and ideas between us, it would be a huge disservice to our northern neighbors not to talk about their rich influence on North American art. This is especially evident in the colorful art and design shows that are going on today in the country. Two major shows, one on each coast, attract the finest artists, as well as art, craft and design aficionados.

The One of a Kind Show and Sale first began in Toronto in 1975, and has since branched into shows in Vancouver, Chicago, and New York. What started as a simple desire to bring the unique craft of a few energetic artists to a wider audience has since grown into one of the best venues for an art lover to find original work-as well as for an artist to share his or her latest unique creations. Likewise, the Interior Design Show West in Vancouver is an annual showcase of Canadian and international talent, one which several Artful Home artists have used to introduce themselves to a design-loving public.

A strong streak of individualist creativity seems to unite much of the work of Canadian artists. Chin Yuen, whose paintings take the form of an abstract diary played out on canvas, reflects the impact of her exposure to different artistic educations and cultures, with thematic interests in socio-cultural issues and the celebrations of things she loves such as dance, acrobats, and jazz.

The influence of international contemporary design is also noticeable in the work of Canadian furniture artists. Enrico Konig and Kino Guerin seem to be able to ride the leading edge of design, offering uniquely practical furniture with graceful curves and distinct architectural lines.

Black Walnut Rectilinear Coffee Table by Enrico Konig

Shimmer 5 by Tim Harding

I admit: I am a bi-coastal snob, who until just a few years ago had little direct connection to the vital community of artists working throughout the Midwest. Like many of my fellow “coasties” (a Midwest term I have learned here in Madison, WI) I knew of the Midwest more as a place of airport connections than artist colonies. Through my association with Artful Home, I have certainly learned otherwise and had my eyes opened.

While in Minneapolis to speak at the American Craft Council national conference, I was fortunate to get a chance to visit Tim Harding in his studio, located around 30 minutes outside the “Cities”. A Minnesota native, Tim’s work is more influenced by internal forces than external, yet his acute attention to the details of the landscape around him are evident in his intricate textile works.Harding’s pieces, comprised of cut, layered and stitched bits of silk, have a pixel-like quality reminiscent of pointillism. He uses “simultaneous contrast” – multiple solid colors in tight proximity to create the kind of vibrant richness associated with the Impressionists.

I was fascinated to learn from Eric Bladholm about the effect of his life spent in Chicago on his work, and it caused me to look at his work differently. From a young age, he was fascinated by the steel mills and urban areas. During college he started documenting through photography the urban landscape around Chicago, a project that continues today and has expanded internationally. He believes that his current work is heavily influenced by this. The industrial influence on his forms in glass is evident.

Neo Geo Cone by Eric Bladholm