Art Kaleidoscope

Between art and craft

Prayer Nut wood carving art

Prayer Nut wood carving art

A small boxwood orb decorated inside and outside with carving on religious themes – Prayer Nut wood carving art

Prayer Nut wood carving art
First of all, to produce such a prayer nut required considerable skill. Within the scope of the concave a skillful master carved miniature stories about the life of Christ and his apostles. Noteworthy, the width of a “nut” was no more than 3-5 cm in diameter. And to add flavor to patterns the artist added leaves of spice plants or aromatic oil. Undoybtedly, every Prayer Nut is a true work of art. Only the very rich could afford to order such a pocket-like altar. Therefore, possession of “prayer nuts” underlines the high social status. Designed to be worn on a rosary or belt these orbs could be used for private devotion. In particular, when its wealthy owner traveled. Therefore, they were known as rosary beads or prayer nuts.
The skill of medieval craftsmen still amazes. Every detail of the composition conceived and executed with maximum precision. These exquisite Prayer nuts adorn exposures of the world’s leading museums. Among them the British Museum in London and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Louvre. A few years ago at an auction one such nut was sold for 133,250 pounds.

Read more »

Mark Oliver and Julie Alice Chappell Techno-Entomology art

Techno-Entomology art - tiny insects from waste made by British artist Julie Alice Chappell

Tiny insects from waste made by British artist. Julie Alice Chappell Techno-Entomology art

Julie Alice Chappell Techno-Entomology art
British artists Mark Oliver and Julie Alice Chappell turn the old printed circuit boards into the light-winged fine butterflies, moths, and flies. It looks like a fairy-tale transformation of Cinderella into a princess. Teir so-called Techno-Entomology art works from waste are delicate and airy. It seems that the butterfly is about to wave its wings and fly to a blossoming lawn.
Noteworthy is Julie’s Art project called «Computer Component Bugs». The word «bug» has a double meaning – “bug” and “bug in a computer program.” Meanwhile, creating her works the artist wanted to draw attention to the problem of waste disposal, and generally to environmental protection.
Read more »

Painting by Maria Pavlova

Cornflowers. Oil on canvas. Painting by Maria Pavlova

Cornflowers. Oil on canvas. Painting by Maria Pavlova

Painting by Maria Pavlova – beautiful still life of bouquets of wild flowers, cats, and birds. According to the artist, she creates paintings which would decorate any wall. St. Petersburg based artist Maria Pavlova graduated from the Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after Repin of the Academy of Fine Arts. Besides, she has been a member of the Union of Artists of St. Petersburg since 2005. Her art credo: “Art should cause only positive emotions”. Maria Pavlova participated in the exhibition “Impressionisme Russe” in the Russian Center in Paris in 2001. Then, followed her numerous solo exhibitions in Paris. In particular, “Festival D’Art Slave”, “La siecle dor”, “VI Festival of Slavic Culture, and “Rencontres de printemps” in 2002-2003, 2013, and 2014. She has been a permanent participant of art exhibitions in her native St. Petersburg (2003 – 2015).
Read more »

Lacquer miniature by Svetlana Belovodova

Lacquer miniature by Svetlana Belovodova. Selena - Mistress of the night sky, the Goddess of the Moon

Selena – Mistress of the night sky, the Goddess of the Moon. Lacquer miniature by Svetlana Belovodova

Lacquer miniature by Svetlana Belovodova
Having graduated from the famous Fedoskino art school with honors in 1996, Russian artist Svetlana Belovodova became engaged in lacquer miniature painting professionally. By the way, she considers herself a happy person. Indeed, isn’t it just a dream when your passion for art becomes your favorite work for life? Meanwhile, the artist creates stories, embodied in the author’s jewelry and exclusive gifts, such as miniature lacquer caskets and small panels. And while painting portraits, she uses unique technique, in particular, lacquer combined with stones and beading.
Svetlana lives and works in the city of Dmitrov of Moscow region. She is a member of the Artists’ Union of arts and crafts of Russia (2004).
Read more »

Russian painter Nikolai Fedyaev

A girl in a flower wreath. Russian painter Nikolai Fedyaev

A girl in a flower wreath. Russian painter Nikolai Fedyaev

Russian painter Nikolai Fedyaev
Born May 4, 1967 in the city of Lyskovo of Nizhny Novgorod region, Fedyaev spent his childhood in the ancient village of Isady on the picturesque banks of the Volga. Vivid memories of childhood about Russian nature, and, in particular, a magnificent view of the Macarius Monastery, reflected in his first drawings.
Meanwhile, in the 1970s the family moved to the city of Izmail, Odessa region. There in 1984 Nikolai graduated from the children’s art school and wanted to devote himself to art. But a year later, he was drafted into the army – the Black Sea Fleet. First it was the navy, then a civilian, he wanted to see distant lands, and get a romantic adventure. It seemed not for long, but as many as two decades the profession of a sailor, which he shared with creativity, has become a significant part of his life.
Read more »

Surreal photo art by Ben Goossens

Surreal photo art by Ben Goossens

Umbrellas. Surreal photo art by Ben Goossens

Surreal photo art by Ben Goossens
Often called the Salvador Dali or Rene Magritte of photography, Belgian photo artist Goossens is happy with this fact. Undoubtedly, his photo pictures in composition and style reminiscent of the features of the famous artists. But the difference is that the work of Goossens undergo computer processing and retouching in Photoshop, and then quite difficult to understand, where actually passes the fine line between reality and fiction. Ben Goossens is a former Art Director, who has been influenced by surrealism during his professional live.
Read more »

Most expensive sculpture Pointing Man

Detail of the Most expensive sculpture Pointing Man

Detail of the Most expensive sculpture Pointing Man

Most expensive sculpture Pointing Man
Art work by Alberto Giacometti has become the most expensive sculpture ever sold at auction. The New York auction dealers sold the work of the Swiss master for 141.3 million dollars, according to Russian Information Agency Novosti. Accordingly, 180-centimeter bronze sculpture, created in 1947, has become one of the most expensive lots in the auction Christie’s “Forward to the past.” Its estimated cost was $ 130 million. More expensive at this auction was estimated a Picasso painting “Women of Algiers (version O).”
Read more »