Today we made our annual trip to the Bellevue Artsfair. It’s a summer highlight for us – we love to discover new artists and collect their work. I’ve been going to the Artsfair for four years and make a point to visit and purchase from my favorite artists each year, discovering new ones along the way.
I’ve been wanting to write a post on these artists for a long time. Maybe now I’ll actually get all the way through it!
HITOMI JOHNSON
To start off, this year’s discovered artist is Hitomi Johnson and her company is Washi Craft. She makes incredible paper boxes and wall decor from handmade Japanese papers. She doesn’t have a website but her phone number is 509-334-3135.
The colors and detail in her pieces are arresting – literally stopped me in my tracks! I bought a set of two boxes, one nested inside the other, for $29.00. I just adore the bright colors and patterns and that the top of the box looks like a beautiful mosaic. And so cute – inside the small box were two tiny origami tsuru (Japanese cranes). A lovely touch. (Not too prominent in my bio but when I was growing up we spent three years in a small coastal village in Japan. As I move toward more simplicity in life, the influences from that time resonate more now than ever.)
DANIELLE DESPLANS
Danielle is a French mixed media artist from New York. I’ve been visiting her booth and buying her work for three or four years and it’s a special treat to see her each year – she’s such a lovely person. Her work is rich and evocative, with the colors and feel of a faded medieval tapestry. I just LOVE it. I’ve purchased quite a few of her pieces and if I was wealthy, I would buy everything! Here are some which I own:
Although I didn’t buy anything today, she made a gift to me of one of her early pieces which I find absolutely charming, called Paris:
MARINA TERAUDS
I am in awe of this artist. She is from Latvia and now lives on a four acre farm in Michigan. She is a master craftsman in the truest and oldest sense of the word. I’ve already written about her in my January post about my birthday gift, and today purchased two more pieces. The detail and character in her etchings are phenomenal, and although I mostly collect her nature pieces, she does fabulous fantasy, fairy and mythological work as well. Here is what I got today:
That’s my art news for now. More to come!
::
Badminton update: D: 18 matches G: 18 matches
::
– g
Located you through attempting to find a web site for Hitomi Johnson. I purchased a beautiful box from her in Scottsdale this past winter. I would love to follow your art news.
Thank you,
Ann