Sunflower Seeds

Born in Heber Springs, AR. July 1977. Grew up in rural southern Arkansas. Arkansas gave me a strong sense of play and enjoyment. However, also summer days too hot to play in. It was these days that I discovered my love of Art. My experiences of intensely studying nature and creating with my hands were amplified by being a Boy Scout. In 1995 I became an Eagle Scout and began a three-year search to re-unite myself with handy work.

Drawn by Tennessee’s musical heritage, moved to Memphis in 1998. When I moved to Memphis I had the pleasure of living in a duplex in midtown. The landlord and co-habitant was Artist Robert Brady. Robert became a constant source of instruction and imparted much about his personal philosophies of life and art to me. Each day I still understand those words and themes on new levels.

While I attended school, at Memphis College of Art, I was able to work at the Art Center for three years. Working closely with other artist who were both experienced and established. The learning of materials not only came from co-workers like Greg Haller but also the costumers themselves. Many of who would pose questions about materials or be interested in using materials in a way not originally intended. Not only did this give me a solid base of knowledge about materials conventional uses but drive to push each material to maximum tolerance. At Memphis College of Art studied painting and computer animation. Participated in juried and faculty select shows. Achieved the coveted Most Dedicated Artist Award. Graduated in May 2001 with BFA and Art History minor.

After graduation and still at the Art Center meet Brother Spyridon, a Russian Orthodox monk whose specialty was painting iconography. Befriended Brother Spyridon raising my interest in spiritual symbolism. Keep in correspondence with him at his Alaskan monastery. Was chosen for a painting commission by Union Planters Bank.

In the summer of 2001 was taught hieroglyphs by Egyptian-Canadian Artist Nihal Mazloum. Scribed hieroglyph names for British Museum exhibit Eternal Egypt during its duration in Memphis. Artist in residence Second Annual Hot Springs Sidewalk Chalk Festival.

From 2002 to 2006 was a Flight Attendant for Mesaba Airlines. Traveled the world experiencing mass variety of cultures increasing understanding. Asked by Memphis Grizzlies to display work in VIP lounge during 2004 NBA season. In 2006 began to use art skills as a graphic designer. Worked with companies Sabertooth Games, Fantasy Flight Games, Microsoft, and Eddie Bauer.

Currently my work is on sale at Common Ground in Heber Springs, AR, Boxheart Gallery in Pittsburgh, PA, as well as Etsy.com

original regretsy.com

Though my primary medium is oil paint, handycraftmanship has a special place in my heart. -I can weave, lampwork, and work in stained glass – Also in my spare time I appreciate the illusive prey of genius.

This afternoon I happen to check out regretsy.com to see that one of the creators listed on there rebranded an item after the original critique. The item is a beaded brooch in the form of a butterfly, or at least attempting to be a butterfly in the opinion of Helen Killer, writer of regretsy.com.

valentinefiberarts not only is a skilled crafter but also a brilliant marketer with a good sense of humor. She took the time to reshoot the brooch and write a branded story of the item. (posted in full below)

Brilliant Brand Moment

Unlike a large corporation, who tries hard to respond quickly, the lightweight of staffing in an operation like this and many on esty.com allows a great marketing comeback and capitalization of this extra attention.

valentinefiberarts had this to say about the situation, “I had fun …the original pictures were a fright, and each day in my head I was going to retake them. Thanks to regretsy I was able to have some fun.”

Even recently I have seen large companies buckle under the weight of extra attention. Spending large sums on touting accolades with ambiguous results that sometimes, at best, look like ego stroking.

In a not so surprising turn of events the item has now been purchased. Someone must identify with being “young at heart and quite different,” and needed “not just your ordinary brooch.” -Sounds like a few people I know.-

Delicate and Sensitive

Take a moment and visit valentinefiberarts who is currently selling beautiful ornament pincushions. You can see that she has great sense of style and skill at her craft.

Poor Butterfly Brooch description

“HANDCRAFTED This little creature has lost and antenni, and seems to have alot going on. He was spotted almost being squashed by a car and then again riding on the windshield. He has quite a personality, eventhough his looks are a bit out of the ordinary…cartoonish character adds a touch of whimsy when you look at him. He loves to travel.

Measures about 1 2/2″ square not counting the antenni and arms. I call it a puff pin, as it has some polyester fiber fill tucked between the front and back. I find the clasp closures to be too bulky for this type of pin, so I use a safety pin. This will be easier to pin on as well.

Great gift for someone young at heart and quite different, not just your ordinary brooch.”

Laugh out loud, right?

PS. Yes, I know handycraftmanship is not a word. It is an idea, a grand idea, that all creators should strive towards.

This print of Lindemans, an oil painting by Sabe Lewellyn that already has a home in Germany. You too can now enjoy this art work in your own home via an archival 8X10 inches, 20X25cm. limited edition print. –One of a few made and only available for a limited time.

“Attentive and alert you would not know it is 3:00 am and all day she has walked around the city. At this point you might as well stay up. She will have you in the museums as soon as they open and before that an “exquisite” cappuccino at the café down the street.”

Each print has a white border and is ready for framing. Items are always “Priority” shipped.

Please contact us regarding commissions, or custom work, we would love to create something specifically for you.

Take a moment to sign up for our email list so you may know of special announcements and receive exclusive offers.

PARIS – Claude Levi-Strauss, widely considered the father of modern anthropology for work that included theories about commonalities between tribal and industrial societies, has died. He was 100.

The French intellectual was regarded as having reshaped the field of anthropology, introducing structuralism — concepts about common patterns of behavior and thought, especially myths, in a wide range of human societies. Defined as the search for the underlying patterns of thought in all forms of human activity, structuralism compared the formal relationships among elements in any given system.

During his six-decade career, Levi-Strauss authored literary and anthropological classics including “Tristes Tropiques” (1955), “The Savage Mind” (1963) and “The Raw and the Cooked” (1964).

Jean-Mathieu Pasqualini, chief of staff at the Academie Francaise, said an homage to Levi-Strauss was planned for Thursday, with members of the society — of which Levi-Strauss was a member — standing during a speech to honor his memory.

France reacted emotionally to his death, with government officials, politicians and ordinary citizens populating blogs with heartfelt tributes.

Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner praised his emphasis on a dialogue between cultures and said that France had lost a “visionary.”

Born on Nov. 28, 1908, in Brussels, Belgium, Levi-Strauss was the son of French parents of Jewish origin. He studied in Paris and went on to teach in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and conduct much of the research that led to his breakthrough books in the South American giant.

Levi-Strauss also won worldwide acclaim and was awarded honorary doctorates at universities, including Harvard, Yale and Oxford, as well as universities in Sweden, Mexico and Canada.

He was down to earth.

A skilled handyman who believed in the virtues of manual labor and outdoor life, he was also an ardent music-lover who once said he would have liked to have been a composer had he not become an ethnologist.

He is survived by his sons Roman and Laurent.