Art Kaleidoscope

Between art and craft

Feather painting by Marina Nesterova

Feather painting by self-taught artist of applied art Marina Nesterova

Feather painting by self-taught artist of applied art Marina Nesterova

Feather painting by Marina Nesterova. Russian mixed media artist of applied art Marina Nesterova is a professional nurse, born in Belozerskoye, Donetsk region of Ukraine. Her collection of artworks includes mosaics, painting on bark, silk, charming dolls, miniature sculptures, embroidered egg shell, 3D embroidery, and paintings made entirely of feathers. Thanks to breeders of birds and pet shops Marina ‘paints’ her animals, floral still lifes, landscapes and folk scenes. When Marina is lack of feathers, she finds something to occupy herself – embroidery, floral, pottery, silk painting, sculpting. Her work can be found in private collections of the presidents of Ukraine and Russia. Marina often exhibits her artworks abroad, where her master classes are visited by a huge number of admirers.
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Soap carving in Thailand

Carved soap flowers in Thailand

Carved soap flowers in Thailand

Soap carving in Thailand is a very popular kind of applied art. To date, soap flower souvenirs are produced throughout Thailand, but such luxurious works of art are made only in the town of Chiang Ray and its nearby villages. The only difference between these beautiful flowers and natural flowers that they will never fade. Made of ordinary soap these carved exotic flowers are very realistic to their originals – roses, orchids, tulips, daffodils and their smell is also amazing. Such unusual souvenirs sold on the Thai market near Chiang Rai. Tourists and locals may try their hand in carving a flower from soap.
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Krakazyabra Art by Maryana Kopylova

Krakazyabra Art by Maryana Kopylova

Amazing Krakazyabra Art by Maryana Kopylova, Kharkov based artist

Krakazyabra Art by Maryana Kopylova

Young Ukrainian artist Maryana Kopylova, who obviously has her own space channel, creates strange, not like anything and absolutely charming toys. She calls her crafts “Krakazyabra Art”. Krakazyabras are lively and emotional, they are not from this world, and they bring light. According to Maryana, they come into this world, using her as a mediator. Mariana was born and lives in the city of Kharkov, Ukraine. She graduated from the Kharkov Pedagogical University, majoring in fine arts and advertising design. Maryana Kopylova draws pictures, engaged in sand animation, and creates colorful “monsters.”
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Georgian cloisonne enamel Minankari

Georgian cloisonne enamel Minankari

Icon made in the technique of Georgian cloisonne enamel Minankari

Georgian cloisonne enamel Minankari
Georgia is famous for its art of color and boundless energy. For many centuries it was amazing symbiosis of Georgian, European and Oriental influences. At the XIX century was the recovery and development of Georgian culture with the recreation of unique technology of the past and developing new. This happened with the famous jewelry – Georgian cloisonne enamel Minankari. This jewelry of amazing beauty hits with incredible subtlety of color solutions. Besides, the method itself remains unchanged for twelve centuries. And its cost is not less than jewelry made of precious metals and stones. Cloisonne – labor-intensive and complicated technique of enameling, not amenable to mechanization.
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Realistic Paper birds by Diana Beltran Herrera

Paper birds by Diana Beltran Herrera

Paper birds by Diana Beltran Herrera

Realistic Paper birds by Diana Beltran Herrera is a truly piece of art. Inspired by the filigree beauty of bird wings, their exquisite grace, Colombian paper artist Diana Beltran Herrera has created a collection of paper birds. The collection consists of more than 100 species of birds made from intricate hand-cut layers of painted paper. The bird sculptures, among them – pink flamingo, white crane, woodpecker, red heron, and many more, are startlingly realistic, and could be a good teaching material at schools. Her works are based on the photographs of real birds, which she first draws to get dimensions and details. The sketch and photograph help her in all the working process. She has been working over the past years with paper as the primary medium.
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French painter Achille Lauge

Bouquet de fleurs, 1913. Painting by French artist Achille Lauge

Bouquet de fleurs, 1913. Painting by French artist Achille Lauge

French painter Achille Lauge (August 29, 1861 – June 2, 1944) was neo-impressionist and pointillist. He was born into a peasant family who intended to become a pharmacist. Achille Lauge was a trainee in a city pharmacy while attended the Fine Arts school in Toulouse from 1876 to 1881. This is where he made ​​the acquaintance of French sculptors and painters Antoine Bourdelle, Henri Jean Guillaume Martin and Henri Marre. He remained in relationship with them all his life. In 1882, Achille Lauge came to Paris where he joined the National School of Fine Arts.
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Antique European embroidery art

Garden of Eden, last quarter of 16th century. England

Garden of Eden, last quarter of 16th century. England

The Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibits a unique collection of Antique European embroidery art of 15-19 centuries. The most striking sample of antique embroidery art is “Garden of Eden”, made in the 16th century in England. This panel is decorated with small elements—fruits, flowers, and leaves, worked in tent stitch on canvas and then applied to the dark velvet foundation on which was worked the river in the Garden of Eden, the figures of Adam and Eve, and God the Father, in polychrome silk and metal threads. The garden is monumental, almost overwhelming the figures.
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