Hello,
So, I have always loved thrifting but this guy is awesome!!!! He is Rashon Carraway and I first saw him on the Nate Berkus show. I found his website today and am hooked!!! Take a look at the great things he does with thrift store items!!
Take a look at his blog and you will be hooked!!!
Stay creative,
Charmel
http://www.rashoncarraway.com/
Friday, December 9, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
flower headbands
Greetings,
I realized the other day that I am obsessed with FLOWERS!!! I attended the Nutcracker Market a few weeks ago here in Houston and was analyzing the booths and patrons. I noticed that booths that sold items related to little girls were very popular. Also, over the last year, I have noticed the flower headbands on newborns and little girls. Well, I took a leap and decided to make some. I ordered some flowers about a year ago and they have been sitting in my closet and I realized they needed to be put to use. Last week I pulled them out, bought some headbands from a local store and went to work. I am really pleased with the way they turned out and they were super easy to make. Here are some pics of the finished product.
They can also be found on my etsy shop....www.etsy.com/shop/mclester78
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| yellow flower headband |
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| blue flower headband |
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| pink flower headband |
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| animal print headband |
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| green and black animal print headband |
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Emma Amos
Greetings,
I just found a great article about a wonderful artist, Emma Amos.
Painter, printmaker, and weaver Emma Amos was born in 1938 and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, where her parents owned a drugstore. She began painting and drawing when she was six. At age sixteen, after attending segregated public schools in Atlanta, she entered the five-year program at Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She spent her fourth year abroad at the London Central School of Art, studying printmaking, painting, and weaving. After receiving a BA from Antioch, she returned to the Central School to earn a diploma in etching in 1959.
Amos’s first solo exhibition was in an Atlanta gallery in 1960. In that same year she moved to New York, where she taught as an assistant at the Dalton School and continued her work as an artist by making prints. In 1961 she was hired by Dorothy Liebes as a designer/weaver, creating rugs for a major textile manufacturer. In 1964 she entered a master’s program in Art Education at New York University. During this time Hale Woodruff invited her to become a member of Spiral, a group of black artists that included Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis, and Charles Alston. She was the group’s youngest and only female member.
She married Bobby Levine in 1965 and received her MA in 1966. She had a son, Nicholas, in 1967, and her daughter, India, followed three years later. While the children were small, Amos focused on sewing, weaving, quilting, and doing illustrations for Sesame Street magazine. In 1974 she began teaching at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, and in 1977 she developed and cohosted (with Beth Gutcheon) Show of Hands, a crafts show for WGBH Educational TV in Boston, which ran for two years.
In 1980, Amos was hired as an assistant professor at the Mason Gross School of Art, Rutgers University. She earned tenure in 1992, was later promoted to Professor II, and served as chair of the department from 2005 to 2007. She continued teaching there until she retired in June 2008.
Amos’s work has been exhibited internationally and is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Wadsworth Atheneum, the New Jersey and Minnesota state museums, and the Dade County and Newark museums. She has won prestigious awards and grants.
She continues to create work in her studio in NoHo, New York City. She lectures and participates in symposiums, and shows the work nationally. Emma Amos also serves on the Board of Governors of Skowhegan and in the National Academy Museum.
Here are some pieces by Emma Amos, notice that she has a variety of work. There is a piece that is acrylic painted on tapestry and the hook rug at the beginning of the post is my favorite.
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| Harmony rug, 2002 |
I just found a great article about a wonderful artist, Emma Amos.
Painter, printmaker, and weaver Emma Amos was born in 1938 and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, where her parents owned a drugstore. She began painting and drawing when she was six. At age sixteen, after attending segregated public schools in Atlanta, she entered the five-year program at Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She spent her fourth year abroad at the London Central School of Art, studying printmaking, painting, and weaving. After receiving a BA from Antioch, she returned to the Central School to earn a diploma in etching in 1959.
Amos’s first solo exhibition was in an Atlanta gallery in 1960. In that same year she moved to New York, where she taught as an assistant at the Dalton School and continued her work as an artist by making prints. In 1961 she was hired by Dorothy Liebes as a designer/weaver, creating rugs for a major textile manufacturer. In 1964 she entered a master’s program in Art Education at New York University. During this time Hale Woodruff invited her to become a member of Spiral, a group of black artists that included Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis, and Charles Alston. She was the group’s youngest and only female member.
She married Bobby Levine in 1965 and received her MA in 1966. She had a son, Nicholas, in 1967, and her daughter, India, followed three years later. While the children were small, Amos focused on sewing, weaving, quilting, and doing illustrations for Sesame Street magazine. In 1974 she began teaching at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, and in 1977 she developed and cohosted (with Beth Gutcheon) Show of Hands, a crafts show for WGBH Educational TV in Boston, which ran for two years.
In 1980, Amos was hired as an assistant professor at the Mason Gross School of Art, Rutgers University. She earned tenure in 1992, was later promoted to Professor II, and served as chair of the department from 2005 to 2007. She continued teaching there until she retired in June 2008.
Amos’s work has been exhibited internationally and is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Wadsworth Atheneum, the New Jersey and Minnesota state museums, and the Dade County and Newark museums. She has won prestigious awards and grants.
She continues to create work in her studio in NoHo, New York City. She lectures and participates in symposiums, and shows the work nationally. Emma Amos also serves on the Board of Governors of Skowhegan and in the National Academy Museum.
Here are some pieces by Emma Amos, notice that she has a variety of work. There is a piece that is acrylic painted on tapestry and the hook rug at the beginning of the post is my favorite.
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| Sand Tan, 1980 |
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| Twined Flowers, 2009 |
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| My mother was the greatest dancer |
Monday, November 21, 2011
Crocheted Earrings!!!
Good evening,
As I sit and crochet I can become impatient when it takes a while to finish a project. Therefore, I have now started making accessories that don't take as much time and are very fun!!!! I had been toying with the idea of making some earrings for a while, but every time I tried, I couldn't get my gauge correct. One earring would turn out larger or smaller than the first one the I made. I was on etsy one day and saw someone that made some earrings and they used the hoops and crocheted into them. I was a little hesitant at first, but after I made my first pair I was hooked!!! I am thinking about spicing them up a little by adding more things but it's still in the making!!!
Check out some of my latest earrings and I am also working on other accessories as well.
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| Extra large red and black earrings |
As I sit and crochet I can become impatient when it takes a while to finish a project. Therefore, I have now started making accessories that don't take as much time and are very fun!!!! I had been toying with the idea of making some earrings for a while, but every time I tried, I couldn't get my gauge correct. One earring would turn out larger or smaller than the first one the I made. I was on etsy one day and saw someone that made some earrings and they used the hoops and crocheted into them. I was a little hesitant at first, but after I made my first pair I was hooked!!! I am thinking about spicing them up a little by adding more things but it's still in the making!!!
Check out some of my latest earrings and I am also working on other accessories as well.
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| Extra large black and silver hoops |
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| Large hoops made with gold crochet thread |
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| Actual look of the extra large earrings when worn |
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Newborn photography props
Hello,
I recently joined Etsy, an online community for crafters. For you all that are unfamiliar with Etsy, you can create an account to sell your handmade items. My friends have been telling me for over a year to set up a shop and finally did. Well, as I was browsing through the other shops, I realized that I needed some professional pictures on my site. I was trying to decide where I was going to find a photographer and DING, a light bulb went off. One of my childhood friends that lives in D.C., told me that she recently started a photography business. So, I sent her a text and asked if I could send her some items to use as props in exchange for me using the pictures on my site and she agreed. Who would have known that bartering still exist in the world today!!! I took some pics of the items that I made for her and am going to share them with you. All of these items were made for baby photos and I hope that you all enjoy them!!!
My etsy shop address is: www.etsy.com/shop/mclester78
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| multicolored baby hat |
Hello,
I recently joined Etsy, an online community for crafters. For you all that are unfamiliar with Etsy, you can create an account to sell your handmade items. My friends have been telling me for over a year to set up a shop and finally did. Well, as I was browsing through the other shops, I realized that I needed some professional pictures on my site. I was trying to decide where I was going to find a photographer and DING, a light bulb went off. One of my childhood friends that lives in D.C., told me that she recently started a photography business. So, I sent her a text and asked if I could send her some items to use as props in exchange for me using the pictures on my site and she agreed. Who would have known that bartering still exist in the world today!!! I took some pics of the items that I made for her and am going to share them with you. All of these items were made for baby photos and I hope that you all enjoy them!!!
My etsy shop address is: www.etsy.com/shop/mclester78
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| baby hat in pink |
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| baby mat, beanies and booties |
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
crochet ties
Good evening all,
I know I have been M.I.A. lately, but I am back again. I am trying to get more inspiration for items to crochet. Recently, I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine that had been to a fashion show. He told me that there was a young lady there that had crocheted some items and they were awesome!!! He then asked me to crochet him a tie!!! I was a little reluctant at first but I found a pattern over the next few days and took a shot at it. The pattern was very easy to follow and the tie only took a couple of hours to make!! When he received the ties, he was very elated!! Here is a pic of one that I made last week. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message or leave a comment.
Stay creative,
Charmel
Here are some snapshots of the tie:
Monday, September 12, 2011
My newest love!!!
Greetings,
So, as all of you all know by now, I am addicted to crafting!!! When I was in Tyler this summer for a retreat, I was introduced to decorating canvases. I can't draw a straight line, so this was a great way for me to be creative using items that were already made. The canvases were made for my best friend's daugthers that live in the DC area. Their mother knows that I like to create things, so when I called her to ask her the color of their rooms, she was immediately suspicious. They did arrive via the US Postal Service but they did have a few dents and bruises. She was able to patch up the canvases and they worked out perfectly.
These are super easy to do and embellish with different stickers and other miscellanous items that can be found at your local craft stores.
So, as all of you all know by now, I am addicted to crafting!!! When I was in Tyler this summer for a retreat, I was introduced to decorating canvases. I can't draw a straight line, so this was a great way for me to be creative using items that were already made. The canvases were made for my best friend's daugthers that live in the DC area. Their mother knows that I like to create things, so when I called her to ask her the color of their rooms, she was immediately suspicious. They did arrive via the US Postal Service but they did have a few dents and bruises. She was able to patch up the canvases and they worked out perfectly.
These are super easy to do and embellish with different stickers and other miscellanous items that can be found at your local craft stores.
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| Madison's canvas for her room. Check out the yarn on the side, a cool accent!! |
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| McKenzie's wall canvas. Check out the pearls on the side and the button..... a few items you could have laying around the house!!! |
Stay creative,
Charmel
I'm back
Greetings,
I have been away for a while, catching up on class work. Well, I am back and ready to start blogging again. As we know, winter time is approaching and I am getting started on some scarves and other winter wear. This is one of my favorite scarves from last season!!!!
Also, if you have any requests, feel free to let me know.
I am also going to post more artisans info as well.
Stay creative,
Charmel
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Talented Hands
Greetings,
I have another good find!!!! This gentleman makes Greek organization pieces and other regalia as well. Check out his bio below and some pics of his pieces.
Chris Walker
Born and Raised in Houston TX
I started making jewelry in school because I like being different. I want people around me to be different. I didn't like seeing the same Greek license plates or Greek Jewelry. I thought if I could study and learn, I could market affordable custom jewelry to friends.
What started as a hobby turned into people all over the US wanting jewelry. It all started with Facebook. Everything I do is with tools and my hands. No machines. I don't have any orders laying around because they are made to order. I love what I do. I also love seeing smiles on my customers faces. All I need is a picture and I create it.
Talented Hands
Stay creative and enjoy,
Charmel
Chris can be reached via facebook under Talented Hands.
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| Harley-Davidson sandals |
Greetings,
I have another good find!!!! This gentleman makes Greek organization pieces and other regalia as well. Check out his bio below and some pics of his pieces.
Chris Walker
Born and Raised in Houston TX
I started making jewelry in school because I like being different. I want people around me to be different. I didn't like seeing the same Greek license plates or Greek Jewelry. I thought if I could study and learn, I could market affordable custom jewelry to friends.
What started as a hobby turned into people all over the US wanting jewelry. It all started with Facebook. Everything I do is with tools and my hands. No machines. I don't have any orders laying around because they are made to order. I love what I do. I also love seeing smiles on my customers faces. All I need is a picture and I create it.
Talented Hands
Stay creative and enjoy,
Charmel
Chris can be reached via facebook under Talented Hands.
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| Omega Psi Phi pendant |
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| AKA pendant |
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| AKA plate |
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| sheriff key chains |
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Little Bow Peep Girls.......hair accessories
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| Little Bow Peep Girls!!!! |
Greetings,
Today's post features Little Bow Peep Girls line of hair accessories. The CEO, S. Jenell Green, is a New York native but I met her while she was living in Shreveport, La. We had the privilege of reconnecting a few weeks ago and she told me about her company. Check out her bio below and you know I am going to post some pics of her work. Another great and inspirational sister doing her thing.
Little Bow Peep Girls
It stared off as an idea I had back In August 2007-I loved for my daughter to have a bow for every outfit.......the boutique I was buying them from were not lasting which = me no longer spending my money with them on bows because I said to myself that I could do this. I wanted to include people I felt were closest to me(but that didn't work out), but in the process of starting up the business I lost my Mommy and that shook me. I took a couple months off trying to regroup but then her Mom(my Nana) went on to join my Mother so I had to then thrust myself back into LBPG's to keep my mind off of those things.........
Little Bow Peep Girls, LLC believes that having your own business is the corner stone of independence. We started our business for many reasons but the most important was that as people of color and women we do not leave legacies for our children. I wanted my daughter and the children in our family to have something that they could be proud of and call their own while taking pride in the business we are building. We believe in our brand contributing to the economics of society. It's very liberating to become an entrepreneur and not accept another's definition of success for our lives and having Little Bow Peep Girls, LLC is the freedom to pursue our own success. No matter how many times something don't go our way, we never give up because success is a journey, not a destination and that's what having your own business means to me/us!
We have Bows for all ages...headbands, bow holders, bibs, onesies, and tees for Mommy&daughter!
All Links are below
S. Jenell Green
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
http://www.littlebowpeepgirls.com/
www.facebook.com/pages/Lewisville-TX/Little-Bow-Peep-Girls-LLC/190179202085
www.twitter.com/LbpGirls
"No matter how many times something doesn't go your way never give up, that's because success is a journey, not a destination. "
Stay creative and enjoy,
Charmel
| Tweety-bird bow!!! |
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| Elmo!!! |
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| ladybugs and bumble bee's!!! |
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Safiya Mitchell
Greetings,
I have found another crocheter!!!! Wooo hooo!!!! I was browsing etsy and ran across some great pieces from Safiya Mitchell. I will share her bio with you and also check out her etsy page: www.etsy.com/shop/fiyamitch.
Here is some info that she shared with me.
Safiya was born and raised in NYC and currently resides in Brooklyn!!!! My peeps in NYC, show Safiya some love!!
Here is her bio written in her own words:
Stay creative and enjoy!!!
Charmel
Safiya has so many wonderful pieces, that I am going to have to do another blog on her and post some of her pics!!! Stay tuned for more of her work.
Now take a look at some of her pieces:
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| Know Thyself |
Greetings,
I have found another crocheter!!!! Wooo hooo!!!! I was browsing etsy and ran across some great pieces from Safiya Mitchell. I will share her bio with you and also check out her etsy page: www.etsy.com/shop/fiyamitch.
Here is some info that she shared with me.
Safiya was born and raised in NYC and currently resides in Brooklyn!!!! My peeps in NYC, show Safiya some love!!
Here is her bio written in her own words:
My interest in crochet is rooted in my appreciation for all things afro-centric, particularly, Rastafarian culture and natural locks. I was very fascinated with how beautiful a woman could be with her hair wrapped in a turban or covered in a tam. I thought, wow… how innovative, how liberating… It was a movement/lifestyle that I had to be a part of.
I began crocheting almost two and half years ago, while on maternity leave with my son. I came across some wonderful tutorials by tjw on youtube.com and some great starter patterns by Double Stitch Twins. To my surprise, I picked up fairly quickly and took a genuine liking to the craft. Fortunately, as time progressed, so did my skill.
What keeps me motivated to create is being able to express my inner happenings outwardly through my hands. It’s therapeutic, spiritual, and a reward from GOD! Every color reflects my mood at the time of creation, and every finished product represents that which has been influential throughout my journey thus far. What I love the most is being able to connect with others through art. A sold item to me speaks volumes, stating that I have created something special for someone that I don’t even know. Such a connection preserves my inspiration to offer to you the “Fruits” of my labor…
Peace…
Safiya
Fruits Boutique
Stay creative and enjoy!!!
Charmel
Safiya has so many wonderful pieces, that I am going to have to do another blog on her and post some of her pics!!! Stay tuned for more of her work.
Now take a look at some of her pieces:
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| flower earrings |
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| Iylah |
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| tropical pearls |
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Charmel's Creative Corner: Orese Marketing - jewelry
Charmel's Creative Corner: Orese Marketing - jewelry: " Curvature Greetings, Take a look at this gorgeous jewelry that I came across once again, on etsy. This sista does some amazing wo..."
Orese Marketing - jewelry
Greetings,
Take a look at this gorgeous jewelry that I came across once again, on etsy. This sista does some amazing work and you all need to support her. Here is a short write-up that she sent me regarding her pieces. She resides in Canada!!!!
I was inspired to start Orese in August 2010, after vacationing in Barbados. I've been making "play" jewelry for years and years, but this was my first time actually making something serious (and pretty lol). The feedback to my first earrings was huge, so I decided to start making them for sale. I found Etsy, and continued on from there :)
I am of African descent, so I really love to create adornments that tell a story that reflects the beauty, intricacies, and the drama of my homeland. I own an ridiculous amount of fabric, beads, semi-precious stones, and wire, so I like to create things that are different and fun to wear, especially for summer. I love bold, bright colors so that is also a must for any Orese design.
I'm hoping to soon expand Orese to include items for men, and will soon start incorporating more materials into my work for added dimension and texture.
You can stay updated at my blog: http://www.orese.wordpress.com/, twitter: @OreseJewelry, and facebook: Facebook.com/OreseJewelry
Take a look at these pieces and support this great work!!!
Stay creative,
Charmel
 |
| Curvature |
Take a look at this gorgeous jewelry that I came across once again, on etsy. This sista does some amazing work and you all need to support her. Here is a short write-up that she sent me regarding her pieces. She resides in Canada!!!!
I was inspired to start Orese in August 2010, after vacationing in Barbados. I've been making "play" jewelry for years and years, but this was my first time actually making something serious (and pretty lol). The feedback to my first earrings was huge, so I decided to start making them for sale. I found Etsy, and continued on from there :)
I am of African descent, so I really love to create adornments that tell a story that reflects the beauty, intricacies, and the drama of my homeland. I own an ridiculous amount of fabric, beads, semi-precious stones, and wire, so I like to create things that are different and fun to wear, especially for summer. I love bold, bright colors so that is also a must for any Orese design.
I'm hoping to soon expand Orese to include items for men, and will soon start incorporating more materials into my work for added dimension and texture.
You can stay updated at my blog: http://www.orese.wordpress.com/, twitter: @OreseJewelry, and facebook: Facebook.com/OreseJewelry
Take a look at these pieces and support this great work!!!
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| Nova |
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| Adiya |
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| Ma'at |
Monday, June 20, 2011
Memory Lane Inn
Good evening all,
I hope everyone had a productive weekend. I had a GREAT weekend because I was creative. I went to Memory Lane Inn in Tyler TX, for a scrapbook retreat. I had a BLAST and made some really cool things!!!! I learned about a lot of crafting techniques that I had never thought of. I met a lot of crafty women that motivated me to broaden my creative horizons!!!!! They made the most amazing pieces out of the most simple material. One of my favorites was a wreath made from an old book and also a lamp shade made out of burlap!!!! My friend Robin kept telling me that I was going to be inspired and boy was I. I ONLY took my yarn and crochet hook, but left with 3 completed projects that didn't use yarn. Let's just say Hobby Lobby and Michael's were glad that I was in town. My newest obsession is the chipboard book. The chipboard book is a cardboard like material that is like a blank canvas that is decorated with scrapbook paper and embellishments to suit the needs and theme of the book. Take a look at the book, they can be purchased at most craft stores in a variety of different themes and are a very fun project. I also made a few other items but will post those after they are delivered to the appropriate parties. I was able to finish a blanket and a scarf that I had been working on.
The footstool that I made a few weeks ago, was delivered this past weekend, so now I can post a picture of that as well.
I encourage everyone to get creative if you would like to. If you don't feel like you are creative, I am pretty sure that you can find something crafty that you enjoy doing. I can't draw a straight line and I LOVE being creative!!!
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| Footstool for baby Steven Thompson |
Good evening all,
I hope everyone had a productive weekend. I had a GREAT weekend because I was creative. I went to Memory Lane Inn in Tyler TX, for a scrapbook retreat. I had a BLAST and made some really cool things!!!! I learned about a lot of crafting techniques that I had never thought of. I met a lot of crafty women that motivated me to broaden my creative horizons!!!!! They made the most amazing pieces out of the most simple material. One of my favorites was a wreath made from an old book and also a lamp shade made out of burlap!!!! My friend Robin kept telling me that I was going to be inspired and boy was I. I ONLY took my yarn and crochet hook, but left with 3 completed projects that didn't use yarn. Let's just say Hobby Lobby and Michael's were glad that I was in town. My newest obsession is the chipboard book. The chipboard book is a cardboard like material that is like a blank canvas that is decorated with scrapbook paper and embellishments to suit the needs and theme of the book. Take a look at the book, they can be purchased at most craft stores in a variety of different themes and are a very fun project. I also made a few other items but will post those after they are delivered to the appropriate parties. I was able to finish a blanket and a scarf that I had been working on.
The footstool that I made a few weeks ago, was delivered this past weekend, so now I can post a picture of that as well.
I encourage everyone to get creative if you would like to. If you don't feel like you are creative, I am pretty sure that you can find something crafty that you enjoy doing. I can't draw a straight line and I LOVE being creative!!!
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| chipboard book!!! My newest addiction!! |
Friday, June 10, 2011
Just me
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| 100% cotton scarf |
Good friday afternoon everyone,
I decided that I will write a post about myself and share it with you all. Let's see, I love, love, love to create things and come up with new projects. At the present moment I am working on some crochet blankets and scarves. I am working on a blanket in particular for a mentor of mine that is ill. She doesn't know that I am making it for her so it's a secret (shhhh!!!). I just finished making a decorative footstool for someone, but I can't mention them either because they have not received it. So, those are the projects so far, oh I learned how to make baby booties and am sooooo excited because they are quick and fun to do, crochet that is. I will post some pics of them soon along with other items that I am working on.
Oh, next weekend I am going on a scrapbook retreat with a group of friends in Tyler, TX and I am really looking forward to that. I have projects to take down there and work on as well. I am not going to be scrapbooking, probably just crocheting.
I am going to an Etsy party tonight, it is like a world-wide craft party and one of the sites is here in Houston. I can't wait to mingle and meet new crafters like myself.
I am getting a really positive response about the blog so far and am happy about that. I usually search for my crafters on etsy, facebook and a few other sites and that is how I find people. So, if you know of anyone that wants to be featured on the blog let me know. I am going to post a few things that I have made now.
Have a good weekend and enjoy!!!!!
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| baby blanket |
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| decorative footstool, you are looking down on the stool |
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Clementine Hunter
Clementine Hunter is a world-renowned folk artist from Louisiana. Her artwork has had lasting impressions on my Louisiana natives. If you have not heard of her, check out this bio and some of her pieces.
This excerpt was taken from: http://www.nadersgallery.com/ClementineBio.htm
Hunter was born on Hidden Hill Plantation near Cloutierville, Louisiana; a place so isolated and harsh that local legend claimed it was the real-life inspiration for Uncle Tom's Cabin. As a child, her family moved north to the Cane River area, eventually to Melrose Plantation near Natchitoches, where Hunter spent a lot of her life picking cotton. She attended school for just 10 days and never learned to read or write. Later, she cooked for the Big House, using her creative spirit to make dolls for the children, as well as quilts, baskets and lace curtains.
But in the late 1940s, one of the many artists who visited the plantation left behind some tubes of paint. Plantation curator Francois Mignon encouraged Hunter to try her own hand at painting. During the next four decades, she created thousands of paintings. Hunter worked all day at the plantation Big House and took home washing and ironing to be returned the next day. Once home, she took care of her worthless husband.
It was often midnight before she was free to ''mark some pictures,'' as she once said for her painting; using cardboard, paper bags, lumber scraps, milk jugs, the insides of soap boxes and other throw-outs. Almost all of her works were ''memory paintings,'' showing plantation life as she remembered it: picking cotton, gathering figs, threshing pecans, weddings, baptisms, funerals and other scenes of everyday life. Her titles were often intriguing, too.
Some simple ones were selected by collectors and were merely descriptive of their content: Watermelon, Flowers, Ducks and etc. When collectors did asked for a title, Hunter gave her own, such as Trying to Keep the Baby Happy, She's Not Pretty But She's Strong and Saturday Night at the Honky Tonk. Visitors to the plantation would buy her paintings, starting at 25 cents and 50 cents in the 1940s. Contemporary collectors consider these early works her best. Eventually, her various patrons were able to get her work into shows, the first big one being the New Orleans Arts and Crafts Show in 1949.
A June 1953 article in Look magazine brought her to national attention. In 1957, some critics dubbed her ''the Black Grandma Moses.’’ And, in 1979, Robert Bishop, director of The Museum of American Folk Art in Washington, called the artist, then in her 90s, ''the most celebrated of all Southern contemporary painters.’’ By the 1970s, there were large public and private collections of Hunter's work, and by the 1980s, several important traveling exhibitions featured her paintings. The prices for her work had risen from 25 cents to several thousand dollars.
In the last years of her life, Hunter left her rented cabin and moved upriver, living in a trailer she bought with money from selling her paintings. She painted until the last few months of her life, dying at the age of 100 on January 1, 1988. Hunter was more modest about her abilities. ''God puts those pictures in my head and I just puts them on the canvas, like he wants me to,'' the artist said.
Reference:
Black Women in America An Historical Encyclopedia
Volumes 1 and 2, edited by Darlene Clark Hine
Copyright 1993, Carlson Publishing Inc., Brooklyn, New York
ISBN 0-926019-61-9
Here is another interesting tidbit I had found. She was illiterate so she couldn't sign her name to her paintings. She began to initial them by copying the initials of Cammy Henry, the owner of the plantation, but she worried that it would cause confusion, so she made a backwards C. Over the years the backward C worked its way across the H, until Hunter's identifying mark became uniquely her own.
Now for some of her artwork:
Here is a link for more information about Clementine Hunter: http://www.clementinehunterartist.com/index.html#anchor1487990
This excerpt was taken from: http://www.nadersgallery.com/ClementineBio.htm
Hunter was born on Hidden Hill Plantation near Cloutierville, Louisiana; a place so isolated and harsh that local legend claimed it was the real-life inspiration for Uncle Tom's Cabin. As a child, her family moved north to the Cane River area, eventually to Melrose Plantation near Natchitoches, where Hunter spent a lot of her life picking cotton. She attended school for just 10 days and never learned to read or write. Later, she cooked for the Big House, using her creative spirit to make dolls for the children, as well as quilts, baskets and lace curtains.
But in the late 1940s, one of the many artists who visited the plantation left behind some tubes of paint. Plantation curator Francois Mignon encouraged Hunter to try her own hand at painting. During the next four decades, she created thousands of paintings. Hunter worked all day at the plantation Big House and took home washing and ironing to be returned the next day. Once home, she took care of her worthless husband.
It was often midnight before she was free to ''mark some pictures,'' as she once said for her painting; using cardboard, paper bags, lumber scraps, milk jugs, the insides of soap boxes and other throw-outs. Almost all of her works were ''memory paintings,'' showing plantation life as she remembered it: picking cotton, gathering figs, threshing pecans, weddings, baptisms, funerals and other scenes of everyday life. Her titles were often intriguing, too.
Some simple ones were selected by collectors and were merely descriptive of their content: Watermelon, Flowers, Ducks and etc. When collectors did asked for a title, Hunter gave her own, such as Trying to Keep the Baby Happy, She's Not Pretty But She's Strong and Saturday Night at the Honky Tonk. Visitors to the plantation would buy her paintings, starting at 25 cents and 50 cents in the 1940s. Contemporary collectors consider these early works her best. Eventually, her various patrons were able to get her work into shows, the first big one being the New Orleans Arts and Crafts Show in 1949.
A June 1953 article in Look magazine brought her to national attention. In 1957, some critics dubbed her ''the Black Grandma Moses.’’ And, in 1979, Robert Bishop, director of The Museum of American Folk Art in Washington, called the artist, then in her 90s, ''the most celebrated of all Southern contemporary painters.’’ By the 1970s, there were large public and private collections of Hunter's work, and by the 1980s, several important traveling exhibitions featured her paintings. The prices for her work had risen from 25 cents to several thousand dollars.
In the last years of her life, Hunter left her rented cabin and moved upriver, living in a trailer she bought with money from selling her paintings. She painted until the last few months of her life, dying at the age of 100 on January 1, 1988. Hunter was more modest about her abilities. ''God puts those pictures in my head and I just puts them on the canvas, like he wants me to,'' the artist said.
Reference:
Black Women in America An Historical Encyclopedia
Volumes 1 and 2, edited by Darlene Clark Hine
Copyright 1993, Carlson Publishing Inc., Brooklyn, New York
ISBN 0-926019-61-9
Here is another interesting tidbit I had found. She was illiterate so she couldn't sign her name to her paintings. She began to initial them by copying the initials of Cammy Henry, the owner of the plantation, but she worried that it would cause confusion, so she made a backwards C. Over the years the backward C worked its way across the H, until Hunter's identifying mark became uniquely her own.
Now for some of her artwork:
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| Washday, 1950s |
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| Bowl of Zinnias, 1939 |
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| A funeral at Isle Brevelle, 1966 |
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Gabby Girl Designs and Accessories
Greetings,
I ran across this fantastic designer on one of my friend's facebook pages and asked her to share her story with me. I was going to re-type it but decided just to paste the email that she sent me regarding her start. I feel as though reading it from her will give you a better perspective on her passion for her craft. The name for the company is her daughter's name, Gabby.
Gabby Girl creator's words:
I am a mother of 2 girls, an 8 yr old and a 2 yr old. I am from Shreveport, LA. I Love all things girly ...pink, zebra, bows, glitter, you name it! In the past, I have always purchased my daughter's hairbows from custom places like boutiques or little girls specialty stores...money was never an issue for me in buying their bows...the issue for me was having to drive to the store, place my order & then come back later or another day to pick it up! I am the type of person that likes to go to the store, get what I need to get... AND GO! ...the only time I ever really "order" anything is when I order online---and at least then I don't have to leave my house to place my order! One day I decided to pick up some ribbon while I was at Hobby Lobby (one of my favorite stores--I LOVE to decorate!) to just experiment making some bows. When I saw my final product, I thought to myself---"hey, I'm pretty good at this!" I received lots of positive feedback from the pictures I shared of my bows, so I just continued to make them and tried to add more creativity to them as I went. While I was making bows, I began to come up with other creative ideas...and began to put my thoughts into action ---On my job, I have to wear an ID badge, so this is want led to the idea of decorating retractable ID badges...I decorated a few at first and got some positive feedback on those as well, so as with the bows, I continued to make more of them. Many creative ideas just began to flourish when I sat down to make my bows and ID badges...this is what also led me to begin decorating flip flops, pens, t-shirts....etc. Somehow, I feel as though I always try to challenge myself, because there are soooo many other creative people here in Northern Louisiana that make similar items...but the question is---what sets me apart from the rest???? I try to add a personal touch to all of my creations...
Now here are some pics of her items. She can be reached at GabbyGirlDesign@aol.com for any questions or to order items.
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| Greek organization pens |
Greetings,
I ran across this fantastic designer on one of my friend's facebook pages and asked her to share her story with me. I was going to re-type it but decided just to paste the email that she sent me regarding her start. I feel as though reading it from her will give you a better perspective on her passion for her craft. The name for the company is her daughter's name, Gabby.
Gabby Girl creator's words:
I am a mother of 2 girls, an 8 yr old and a 2 yr old. I am from Shreveport, LA. I Love all things girly ...pink, zebra, bows, glitter, you name it! In the past, I have always purchased my daughter's hairbows from custom places like boutiques or little girls specialty stores...money was never an issue for me in buying their bows...the issue for me was having to drive to the store, place my order & then come back later or another day to pick it up! I am the type of person that likes to go to the store, get what I need to get... AND GO! ...the only time I ever really "order" anything is when I order online---and at least then I don't have to leave my house to place my order! One day I decided to pick up some ribbon while I was at Hobby Lobby (one of my favorite stores--I LOVE to decorate!) to just experiment making some bows. When I saw my final product, I thought to myself---"hey, I'm pretty good at this!" I received lots of positive feedback from the pictures I shared of my bows, so I just continued to make them and tried to add more creativity to them as I went. While I was making bows, I began to come up with other creative ideas...and began to put my thoughts into action ---On my job, I have to wear an ID badge, so this is want led to the idea of decorating retractable ID badges...I decorated a few at first and got some positive feedback on those as well, so as with the bows, I continued to make more of them. Many creative ideas just began to flourish when I sat down to make my bows and ID badges...this is what also led me to begin decorating flip flops, pens, t-shirts....etc. Somehow, I feel as though I always try to challenge myself, because there are soooo many other creative people here in Northern Louisiana that make similar items...but the question is---what sets me apart from the rest???? I try to add a personal touch to all of my creations...
Now here are some pics of her items. She can be reached at GabbyGirlDesign@aol.com for any questions or to order items.
Stay creative,
Charmel
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| ID badges |
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| hairbow holder |
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| personalized flip flops |
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| adorable hair bows |
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| neon green and black hair bow |
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