Glass sculpture of Guardian Angel. Artist of applied art Elena Nechayeva (closeup)

Stained glass artist Elena Nechayeva (Yamskova) was born February 26, 1973 in Krasnodar region, Russia. She still lives and works there in her home art studio. Elena Nechayeva started working with glass by accident – on the New Year’s eve, which she wanted to be special for her beloved sister. And she made ​​an angel … Now Elena is a mixed media artist, her creative collection includes handmade glass sculptures, decorations for Christmas tree, paintings, panno and plates, home furnishings, gifts, dolls, and glass jewelry.
More »

Fabric relief illustration by Salley Mavor

Fabric relief illustrations by Salley Mavor will take you back to a time in your childhood when it was still possible to be an independent, imaginative child who roamed the neighborhood and woods with abandon. There is a magic in childhood and Salley captures it in the most enchanting manner with her beautiful works. American artist of applied art has had a life-long fascination with little things and needlework. Studying at the Rhode Island School of Design, she rediscovered her childhood delight in sewing and creating miniature scenes. The craftswoman herself named her technique Fabric Relief 35 years ago. She works in her home studio on Cape Cod, in Falmouth, Massachusetts.
More »

Feathered Hanging (detail), 7th–8th century. Peru. Wari. Feathers on cotton, camelid hair. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Ancient Peru feather art collection of twelve colorful feather panels was first exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in 1979. Spectacular well preserved panels were made by the Wari peoples of southern Peru between about 6th and 10th centuries. About ancient feather art became known In February 1943, when local newspapers in Arequipa (southern Peru) reported that villagers had discovered an ancient “burial ground”. The site with findings became known as Corral Redondonot. The feather panels rank among the most luxurious and unusual works created by textile artists in Peru prior to the Spanish conquest in 1532.
More »

St. Sergius of Radonezh and Scenes from His Life. Pall. 1671. Detail. Donated by Anna Ivanovna Stroganova

Russian Medieval Embroidery art of the I5th – I7th centuries have unsurpassed historic and artistic value. The collection of Sergiev Posad Museum, which is in the old city of Sergiyev Posad in Moscow region, founded in 15th century, presents various figurative and ornamental compositions embroidered in multicolored silks, gold and silver thread and pearls. It acquaints with an original sphere of Russian medieval art, which had much in common with icon-painting and folk art. The embroidered items were greatly appreciated and carefully preserved: icon-cloths, palls and shrouds, icons, ancient books and church vessels of precious metals.
More »

Folk art of Rangoli

In India, since ancient times, there are many rituals designed to bring peace and harmony into the house. One of these rituals, which serves to scare away evil spirits, is drawing rangoli on the floor near the main entrance to the house. Rangoli is a folk art also known as kolam or Muggu. Rangoli art is more than just art, it is a traditional prayer, a certain mystery and timid process of creating colorful and vibrant ornamental drawings of flower petals, colored rice and rice flour. Rangoli is usually done during the Indian festivals of Diwali, Onam, Pongal and others. They are intended to refer to the sacred places of welcoming Hindu deities. Patterns of ancient symbols transmitted over the centuries from generation to generation, keeping the art form and tradition.
More »

Mother cat with her kittens. Felted composition by Russian artist of applied art Irina Andreeva

They are not toys, not souvenirs and not even interior decoration items, this is felted sculpture by Irina Andreeva, Russian artist of applied art. All that is shown below, made ​​of simple material suitable for creativity – felt. Irina has created the whole gallery of cows, butterflies, pieces of furniture, dolls, and finally, the whole composition of felt. Talented craftswoman Irina Andreeva graduated from graphic arts department of the Pedagogical University in the city of Izhevsk, Russia. Recently, along with her husband and young son she has moved to Moscow and became at once a participant of art festivals. Her art works made her the winner of the International Festival of the author textile dolls “Eve’s Rib”.
More »

Button ‘Cat trying to catch a lizard’. copper

Antique buttons art. Button for a long time served as a decorative ornament. Buttons were made ​​from precious metals, coral, amber, pearls. The shape, size, decoration and number of buttons on clothing informed about a person’s wealth and social status. Some garments were often more than a hundred buttons. Fur coat might be cheaper than the existing buttons on it. Historically, fashions in buttons have also reflected trends in applied aesthetics and the applied visual arts, with button-makers using techniques from jewellery making, ceramics, sculpture, painting, printmaking, metalworking, weaving and others.
More »