Ancient Art Technique

"White Lily" - Ancient Rock Art Technique

Aya Fu of Beijing specializes in ancient rock art paintings, a technique she has helped to revive in her homeland of China.

"When I was child I was interested in painting. I often copied pictures from books with an iconograph," she says. "I was not trained until I began to specialize in my studies at college. I went on to follow the master, Gaoxishun. I created some ink color paintings. I favoured ink and rich color in more fluid to come singularity change on paper. Later I tried rock color art, a kind of old art in China. I painted some pictures in the rock color on cotton paper.

(c) 2008 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Black Friday

Hand Dyed Silk Rayon Scarf - Sharon Lewis

In a bleak economy, Black Friday as the day after Thanksgiving has become known, is a bright light in an otherwise dark economic time. In the spirit to support our artists, we are offering at buyoutsidethebox.com a special one day 10 percent discount on any sale made on this upcoming Black Friday, November, 28th. Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to purchase or gift art, hand crafted jewelry, hand made accessories, decorative items, or even hand made toys. Just make your purchase as usual, and anything purchased on this date will receive 10 percent off the ticket price. Happy Thanksgiving to all--Ruth Mitchell

(c) 2008 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Sarong Yourself with Silk

I'm not sure what the heck a sarong really is so I looked it up on Wikipedia. (See below), but I imagine it being worn by svelte women who live or visit Hawaii frequently. Or it could be taken poolside to coyly begarb yourself, if you want to visit the bar for a coconut and pineapple concoction with a little umbrella adornment. I do associate the word with a feminine gesture of poise and elegance. This colorful sarong, hand painted by artist Sharon Lewis, is beautiful enough to hang on the wall, and I wasn't too far off if you see the reference below. You just might need a sarong for the holidays, and a prettier one you'll not find anywhere.////Ruth Mitchell

A sarong or sarung (pronounced [ˈsaɾoŋ] in Malay, and IPA: /səˈrɒŋ/ in English) is a large sheet of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn as a skirt by men and women throughout much of south Asia and southeast Asia, the Horn of Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric is often brightly coloured or printed with intricate patterns, often depicting animals or plants, checkered or geometric patterns, or resembling the results of tie dying. Sarongs are also used as wall hangings and other forms of clothing, such as shawls, baby carriers, complete dresses or upper body clothing.

(c) 2008 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Corporate Gifts through Creative Consumerism™

"Who Let the Dogs Out" - Ellen Hobgood

With the economy in the dumps, everyone is looking at creative ways to spend their money wisely. Many people have recently lost their jobs, and while the election's culmination can give us hope, we are all looking around at how to stretch our dollars to the max right now.

Here at buyoutsidethebox.com we have coined the phrase Creative Consumerism™, which is the art and science of bringing art and fine, handmade things to the doorstep of buyers who enjoy thinking, and thus buying, outside-the-box. We suggest to you that if your company is in the process of choosing gifts for your employees this holiday season, then stretch your dollars buy purchasing handmade items, made with the passion and soul of an artist. You will be surprised at how much more meaningful your gift will impact your dedicated employees. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the value of a handmade gift far exceeds the value of something from an assembly line in a far away land.

With this said, we suggest the following items that could truly put a smile upon many faces!--Ruth Mitchell

Top Left: Hand Thrown Pottery Storage Jar
Top Right: African Fish - Inlaid Wood Cutting Board
Middle: Hand Painted Silk Throw Pillow
Lower Left: RoZark Coffees
Lower Right: Hand Blown Glass Ornaments

New Art Just in from Artist Ildikó Kalapács

Spokane, Washington artist Ildikó Kalapács has been with us almost from the very start. Her level of achievement in the art world outshines the modesty she always employs, and we love her boldness and the edginess of her art. Not shirking from political statement, Ildikó's command of the human form is explored in almost everything she does, from her mixed media paintings to her unique sculptures. She is always about "the statement" of her work. Always "pushing the envelope," we are so pleased to share with you her latest "bodies of work."--Ruth Mitchell






Above: "Waiting for the Sun" - Part of the identity series, incorporating images and words related to cultural and biological identity. 18"x24"

Right: "Bittersweet" - Ceramic figurative sculpture, 7"x4"x5".

(c) 2008 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Featured Artist Jeri Burzin

Half Dome #1 Winter - Jeri Burzin

This month we feature photographer Jeri Burzin of Visalia, California who got her start a number of years ago when a Caribbean sailing trip sparked her interest in photography. "I enlarged and displayed images that I liked, and attended a variety of photography workshops in Yosemite, the White Mountains, Sequoia National Park, and Pt. Reyes. These experiences inspired me to learn about the camera, and see what was special about nature, and “ordinary” things. “Literacy through Photography” workshops at the Center for Documentary Studies taught me about photography as a medium of communication that is exciting to children, which I have integrated into my work as an educational therapist.

"My work has been shown at the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite, the Yosemite Museum, the Business of Art Center in Colorado, the Clark Center for Japanese Culture, Arts Visalia, Tulare County Historical Museum, Visalia Convention Center, Brandon-Mitchell Gallery, Café 225, Gallery 25, the Visalia Art Studio Tour, First Arts Market, Designs by Arenas Gallery, and the Artists’ Union in Ventura.

The desire to capture and celebrate special moments and places has continued to motivate me. “Designs in Nature” are what often capture my attention. My images are an attempt to share experiences which I hope you enjoy.

(c) 2008 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved