For Children

I’ve been gathering a list of Etsy artists for a few months now. Etsy has soooo many artists, and many of them are…well, not my taste. But some of them are quite talented and have lovely collections of work. This week and next I will post some of my favorites so that you can (perhaps) own these for the Holidays!

All of the artists featured here today have sold their original drawings or paintings, so these are all reproductions.

Joel Penkman (above): Liverpool, England. Fabulous colors and subject matter…so happy. Fabs, limited edition glicee print, 15.7″ x 19.7″, $90. Blackrock Pool, limited edition glicee print, 15.7″ x 19.7″, $90, Biscuits in a Line, limited edition glicee print, 15.7″ x 19.7″, $90.

Ashley Goldberg (below): Portland, Oregon. I love her use of muted colors and sparse Japenese style drawings…so dream-like. Love (Closeup), 8.5″ x 11″ print, $20, Lily, 8″ x 10″ print, $20. Laurel, 8.5″ x 11″ print, $20, Windy Day, 8.5″ x 11″ print, $20.

Paola Zakimi (above): Argentina. These illustrations are so sweet. The alphabet poster reminds me of Beatrix Potter. Alphabet Poster, 11.5″ x 16″, $35. Little Print, print, 8.5″ x 11.5″, $20, Sofi and the Fish, print, 11.5″ x 16.5″, $35.

Creative Thursday (below): Los Angeles. I love the storytelling nature of these whimsical prints. The Princess and the Pea, print, 8.5″ x 11″, $42, Baby Giraffe, print, 11″ x 17″, $75. Artists Thrive, print, 19″ x 13″, $95.

Blanca Gomez (above): Madrid, Spain. These graphic posters have a distinct retro feeling. In the Neighborhood, print, 8″ x 11.5″, $30, Rainy Night, print, 8″ x 11.5″, $30. Monsieur IV, print, 8″ x 11.5″, $30, In the Park, print, 8″ x 11.5″, $30.

Hint: I like my art big. But most Etsy artists work small. My suggestion is, since the prints are not expensive, that you cluster 2 or 3 or 4 works by the same artist in one spot on the wall. Avoid hanging a small piece of art on a giant wall. If you have just one small painting or print, then find a nook or a cozy spot to hang it up where it doesn’t feel out of proportion.

More to come!

3 Dec 2012By: Barbara Rucci Category: Artists, Featured, Inspire, Tips Tags: artists, Etsy, Etsy Artists, paintings

Wall of Sight Words

My son is six and learning to read. To learn his sight words, we use little cards and put about 10-15 in a baggie next to his bed. Once he knows them cold, we tape them to his wall. Now that we have so many up there, we can make full sentences!

Me: The old fly can look this way and that.

Him: People who find number two like each other. (Fits of laughter.)

Me: Many old people walk into each other. (Uncontrollable laughter.)

Him: You can just walk there to do number two. (Wetting his pants with laughter.)

As you can tell, every sentence for him involves ‘number two’ which I innocently taped next to each other. But I will take potty humor as long as there is laughter and learning!

Tip: Only put the words they know cold up on the wall, this way it makes playing the sentence game fun and not work. They are proud of their growing knowledge!

18 Oct 2012By: Barbara Rucci Category: Featured, For Moms, My Home, Read, Teach, Tips

The Art Room

Our art room at home.

It’s right off the kitchen with sliding glass doors to keep the mess contained. It’s bright and sunny and indestructible. For many years, we couldn’t have any of the supplies down low. We always had a little one crawling or toddling around. Now that my youngest is five, I am able to keep the supplies out and right at hand. My kids, the neighborhood kids, play dates, cousins…they are all allowed to help themselves to supplies whenever the mood strikes them. Sometimes a tray of white paper and a basket of markers is all they need!

Tip: Keep some art supplies hidden away, and rotate them in. Keep the shelves clean and on the bare side. Less choices are better for the little ones.