Elva Fields Blog » art
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EF + OE (+ W&W!)
It's all rainbows and sunshine tomorrow in Lexington, as we celebrate Omar + Elsie's 3rd birthday with our first-ever exclusive-to-a-store design! Available in limited edition, each is entirely unique, featuring a one-of-a-kind assortment of bright and cheerful beads and a vintage clasp. (Swing by to see them all in person...or choose your own beads to help us design one just for you!)
We'd love for you to join us for the fun...from colorful necklaces, beautiful art from Well + Wonder, and 20% off clothing to custom creations featuring your choice from our curated collection of vintages and beads! (We'll be bringing lots of goodies, and we'd love to work with you to create a signature style all your own, either while you wait or to ship your way after we finish it up in the studio for you later!)
No matter what, it's sure to be a happy celebration, and we hope to see you there!
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Rainy Day DIY
A long holiday weekend and lots of rainy weather meant some crafting was bound to happen with my little ladies to keep us (me) from going stir-crazy. Thanks to an earlier trip to my new favorite art store in town (Louisville peeps, if you don't know, now you know: Artist & Craftsman Supply!) I had a paper bag full of polymer clay and some packets of paracord that was a sure bet of at least an hour-ish of jewelry-making with my favorites. And as long as they're crafting, they're not whining, so it's a win all around.
Here's what we used to make the magic happen:
- colorful packets of polymer clay (we used a few of these and these)
- wood skewers (actually, we didn't use those, but I wish we had...we made do with the handles of our trusty paintbrushes, which was a little tricky, so something with a point would've been money)
- a small and very dull knife (my kids are old enough to be moderately safe with a little kitchen knife, but if you wanted to get fancy and have the official tools, my guess is this set would be legit)
- our hands
- a cutting board
- an oven
- parchment paper
- cookie sheet
- paracord (make sure the diameter of the cord is smaller than the holes in your beads...I've heard meltdowns can happen when the beads can't actually be strung on the cord you originally purchased because it's too thick and "why didn't you tell us to make the holes bigger???")
Honestly, it was pretty great just letting the girls do their thing and make whatever kinds of beads they wanted, but the style that was easiest for us all (seen above) involved rolling a base color of clay into a ball, then applying little confetti-like pieces to the outside of it, and rolling it a bit more to create a fun dotted design.
Once we made our beads and created a hole through it (or tried to) we placed them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and baked them at 275 for 15 minutes (I think. The packet of clay will walk you through that part...)
After letting the beads cool, (and waiting a week because Mom's eyeball measurements don't always pan out) we strung them on the CORRECTLY SIZED paracord and now have awesome necklaces to remind us of being together for a long weekend and surviving...mostly with smiles on our faces!
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NOD Holiday Pop-Up & Gallery Opening
Friday, November 30th / 6 - 8
Saturday, December 1st / 10 - 5
Sunday, December 2nd / 12 - 5
Natalie O. Design
1000 Swan Street
Louisville, KY 40204
full details here
~It's that time of year!
Natalie O. Design Co. is opening the doors to their airy studio and filling it with bright cheer, warming drinks, fine art, and finer goods.
This year, the evening kick-off accompanies an opening night for the gallery. Next artist up is Luke Metzinger, whose newest photography collection "Epoch" features the inverse of his grand landscapes. This time, it's an intimate take on the fleeting moments of every day life though a medium you'll surely recognize.
True to Luke's brand, Original Makers Club will be providing libations with a Woodford Bourbon Bar.
Curated goods will range from Natalie O Design custom pieces, fresh holiday greens, candles, and handmade pieces from Anchal, Kelly Zellers, Elva Fields, and more.
One part shop, one part art, one part party! -
The Friday Five
Five things we've seen, heard, loved, stumbled upon, or been inspired and delighted by this week on Instagram:
1. sweater / Apiece Apart
2. roasted cauliflower / The Chalkboard Mag
3. enamel pins / Carolyn Suzuki
4. handmade rosettes / Leila Sanderson
5. stunning interior / Rita Konig
[all images linked to the original Instagram post where I first saw them, credited in those posts by the account owner]
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Introducing: Original Art
I've always loved to paint. Perhaps, unlike cooking, it doesn't skip a generation. My mother is an artist, with a skill so innate I'd swear she was born with a paintbrush in her hand. Or, perhaps it does skip a generation here and there, now that I think about it. My grandmother was a great admirer, supporter, (and collector) of art, but not so keen on the making of it, insisting up until her final years that she was "still looking for her talent." My great-grandmother, however, adored painting, even taking classes throughout her life, and I love that the Elva Fields studio gallery wall shows off a floral still life painted by Elva Fields herself.
Somewhere along the line, though, despite my joy in putting brush to paper and canvas, I somehow--and maybe even subconsciously--determined that I had to choose between jewelry and painting as a career path. And, once jewelry was the choice, I convinced myself that any temptation to pursue painting as a business would be nothing short of disaster. Essentially, I built a wide, invisible, dividing-line wall between the two. I painted exclusively for fun: thank-you notes and postcards, gifts for friends, backdrops for photo shoots, doodling in the margins of to-do lists, and rainy-day painting with my daughters. And I've loved it.
But lately (as in the-last-three-years lately) I've felt a pull to put my painting out there on a larger scale, to a wider audience beyond friends and family. I largely ignored the instinct, mostly because I'm a huge chicken and also because I was following the unwritten rule I'd made for myself so long ago, and in addition to being a huge chicken, I'm also a very well-behaved rule follower. (Mostly.) I'm also, as it turns out, a gal who follows her heart...even in matters of business; in recent weeks, I've taken a closer look at my position on the separation of gems and paint and realized I could change my mind. Like an artist's palette, I'm seeing there are shades of gray between the black and white.
So, I've gathered a small collection of work to share for now--all original works on paper painted in gouache and watercolor that show the start of something new here at Elva Fields. Or, rather, something not-so-new but representative of a more full, vibrant, and--dare I say--authentic Elva Fields. How fitting that the collection makes its debut headed into Mother's Day weekend, an unintentional but timely tribute to the mothers and grandmothers who share and shared their gifts so beautifully with me, and, now with you.
Enjoy.
