It's the unique gift that makes the biggest impact. Americans are always looking for it - that mysterious something we know is the perfect gift for the right person to celebrate a special occasion. However, finding a truly different gift can turn into a futile fishing expedition, especially if you don't know where to cast the line. There are untapped sources for unusual gifts. Try looking around on and off-line for local artists and artisans.
Using just one state (Virginia) as an example, artists hone their crafts all over the state, creating paintings, jewelry, toys, and wood carvings. In Virginia alone, you'll find a wealth of ideas for uncovering exquisitely handmade art - perfect for making the impact you want and perfect for creating lasting memories. Think of the wealth of surprises you can find by searching the local art world. Visiting the state of Virginia, you will find fascinating artists steeped in their crafts who have won national and international acclaim. Their creations make extraordinary gifts.
Peter Chapman is an award winning Blue Ridge Mountain artist and woodworker who can astonish us with his handmade art, three dimensional interlocking puzzle animals that stand alone as impressive art or as challenging puzzles for adults or clever children. New to the collection is the Stock Market Bull, destined for the investor's desk. When taken apart this puzzle yields a little bear inside. Chapman animal puzzles include a wide array of selections including a Labrador Retriever hiding a duck inside, a Golden Retriever with a Frisbee, and more - alot more.
Mary Myers is a famed folk artist who has recently hand carved her 6,000th wooden nutcracker. Commissioned by the White House to design ornaments for the nation's Christmas tree, she has taken a love of toys, antiques and woodcarving to transform blocks of wood into magical nutcrackers. She is licensed by the Museum of American Folk Art Collection and her creations have been featured in dozens of magazines. One of her latest is the George Washington Nutcracker, and the Thomas Jefferson Nutcracker, both intriguing toy likenesses of important figures in American history. Myers' whimsical nutcrackers have become collectors' items that will either add interest to home décor or actually work to crack nuts!
Patricia Palermino is a contemporary folk artist who uses imagination, imagery and genius to depict famous places and history. Taken from one of her original paintings, the print, Holiday at Mount Vernon depicts George Washington's home brought to life in a wintry holiday scene. Her whimsical commemoration of colonial history is called Williamsburg Illumination. Fireworks brilliantly illuminate a crisp wintry scene in a delightful celebration of life and the independence of our nation. On a more contemporary note, nothing exemplifies the spirit of the holidays like her painting of the huge, brightly lit Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. Palermino prints are limited editions, signed and numbered, mounted under glass and presented in hand-painted frames.
James O. Phelps, a Lexington, Virginia photographer, has perfected the art of the panoramic photograph. His Harper's Ferry Panorama features that little town at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, the strategic location that changed hands between the Union and Confederate armies no fewer than 12 times during the Civil War. Photographed on Henry Hill, The Manassas Battlefield shows the site of the first major battle of the Civil War, and Panoramic Appomattox depicts where our nation was reunited at the conclusion of that war. Rendered in stunning sepia tones, these are samples of his many panoramic photographs offering amazing 360 degree views. They are matted and framed in brushed bronze with a walnut hue, and signed and numbered by the artist.
Greg Sandage is a renowned Lexington, Virginia artist who offers handmade collections of sterling silver jewelry that have been dubbed masterpieces and shown in art galleries around the world. His collar (handmade necklace) and slide/pendant creations feature geometric shapes and fine swirls of silver as represented in Eternity Circle Earrings, the classic Zigzag Bracelet, and Multi Shape Slide. New for his 2009 collection is "Strands of Silver" - a slide and matching earring set featuring the finest threads of silver wound into a double-circled pendant in a completely new look. Sandage creations are truly unique additions to any jewelry collection.
Sylvan Spirit artisans of Lexington, Virginia, are known for their designs of bridal tiaras for Vera Wang and their creations have been showcased in Brides Magazine. Inspired by nature and all hand crafted, the Sylvan Spirit White Rose, Peach Cherry Blossom and Blue Trillium jewelry sets feature exquisite porcelain flower pendants with hand sculpted petals. Of special interest, the Coin Pearl Necklace and matching earrings sets, named for the similarity to round or oval coins or flat discs which give them an intense depth to make them even more lustrous than ordinary fresh water pearls. Sylvan Spirit creations are classic examples of fine jewelry originals.
Mary Ann Vessey is an acclaimed Virginia artist offering limited edition, signed and numbered prints of her wondrous paintings. Her beautiful farm scenes and depictions of home leave the viewer feeling oddly tranquil. Her Dash Away All print features a snow-covered fantasy world and the wonders of the night before Christmas at the family farm. And her Heavenly Peace print of a country church is a dreamy image of a silent night before Christmas. Much of her inspiration comes from the sweeping grandeur of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and her paintings are personalized with ordinary people, creatures, and bucolic scenes. Her works have been featured in a series at the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia. Vessey prints are limited editions, signed and numbered.
These artists are only a sampling of the many talented individuals working and residing in Virginia. Each of their products are handmade or duplications of their own original works. If you are looking for unusual gifts, keepsake gifts, handmade gifts, or gift accessories for home décor, begin your search with a look at local artists, wherever they are, and examine what they have to offer. You'll find something new, exciting, and best of all - guaranteed to please the person who has everything.
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