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| Necklace Monet. Begona Rentero |
Yes, this is definitely the kind of cool green we were craving! Created by
the incomparable Begona Rentero of Spain from paper she makes from various fibers,
this gorgeous, lightweight necklace with its suggestion of lily pads and blossoms
would be perfect to wear lounging beside a gentle stream or your koi pond.
Or wherever.
To slightly misquote one of our customers, "If I owned that I'd wear it to vacuum!"
We're behind you one hundred percent.
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| Fingertip Pocket Tunic. Carol Lee Shanks |
Cool and breezy, this is one of those perfect white summer tops.
Comfortable linen with pockets and interesting tab detailing will
take you right through the hottest months of the year in style.
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| Walnut and Koa Rocking Chair |
Beauty and comfort make this rocking chair a terrific addition
to any home. The classic styling is timeless yet infused with
a contemporary vibe, especially evident in its combination of
spectacular woods, fine leather, and a smooth-as-silk finish.
Koa, an interesting and increasingly rare exotic wood, is the
strong-grained red-orange wood used on the backrest or
splat portion of the chair. Here's a little about it:
Koa is part of the Acacia family of trees and is recognized as one of the finest
textured woods in the world. This native of Hawaii is truly a monarch of the
forest, growing to heights of 100 feet. The best Koa can be found
specifically on higher elevations of the Big Island
years to mature. Different parts of the island lend their own distinctive hue to
the color of the wood, from dark red to orange-brown to a lighter brown.
In ancient Hawaii , Koa wood was harvested exclusively for the
alii class, or royalty. The huge logs were crafted into sculpted images of
gods, personal containers and canoes for royalty.
By the turn of the century, koa was called the Hawaiian Mahogany and
used extensively by the upper class and in government buildings for furniture,
staircases and other woodwork. Beautiful examples can still be viewed in
such places as the Iolani Palace
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| Shiloh Pass. Jen Till |
Shiloh Pass from our delightful Bainbridge Island artist Jen Till certainly fits our mood.
We love the moody greens and vibrant light of this oil landscape.
Jen comments on her approach and process:
I am inspired by the many ways light casts itself on our earth.
Moments in my life when I behold such beauty inspires me to create its
memory in my work. Nature provides me with a foundation upon which
I can build paintings to express a wide range of feeling.
The process I use is meditation with my brush in hand. This enables my
creative energy to flow, uninterrupted and fueled by intuition. By creating
layers with glazes I try to explore the inherent aspects of paint itself
while keeping my mind focused on a feeling and place.
My painting experience grounds me and reminds me to be aware of the
presence of spirit in all of life's moments.
I search for this essence and mystery as I dwell on a place filled with light.
My hope is to engage the viewer and to share the mystery and calm I so cherish.
My work reminds me that by painting the experience of the material world around me
I can move toward the intangible, ethereal mystery of life.
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| Bowls. Dave Berfield |
Our newest ceramic artist, Dave Berfield of Bainbridge Island, is a well-known
artist who has specialized in porcelain enamels for many years. He has now turned his
attention to wood-fired ceramics, and recently brought us a selection of wondrous little
vessels that remind us of Navajo seed bowls of the Southwest. They're perfect for
housing a pretty stem of something-or-other from the garden, but not too many -
these holes are tiny! Dave's various glazes and their effects complement each other
so they look great in a grouping. In other words, they play well together.
You are encouraged to adopt a few at a time!
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| Lodalite and Roman Glass Earrings. Virginia Paquette |
These were a bit of a challenge to photograph successfully, but we hope
this gets the idea across! The opalescence of the ancient Roman glass is
quite stunning, changing in different lighting; the mossy faceted lodalite
nuggets are just lovely, and in Virginia's inimitable fashion are the perfect
color match for the glass.
A little about the Roman glass:
The ancient Roman glass that we're currently seeing pop up in contemporary
jewelry designs is coming out of Afghanistan . These beads were originally
traded into the Middle East from Roman glass makers, and were likely once bowls,
cups or storage implements. Their age is not precisely known but they
are likely greater than 1,000 years old.
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| Silk Chiffon Topper. Sandra Holzman |
Some things are simply timeless, like this, for instance.
Sandra Holzman creates her own style in these
kimono-influenced jackets that make any outfit special.
Soft and gauzy silk chiffon hand-dyed by the artist, it travels
well across the seasons and is perfect when you need a pop of color
to dress up a plain dress or, say, long black flowing pants.
They come in a variety of rich colors; in fact, there's a perfect
one for autumn right here.
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| Black and Red Rose Neoprene Necklace. NEO |
Last, but definitely not least, is this charmer of a necklace
from NEO of Italy. It's quite long at 35 inches; you can see the
way it drapes when worn here, where it's displayed with
the Carol Lee Shanks white linen fingertip tunic, or scroll back up
to view on this page. The red rose is actually a brooch, and the soft,
squishy qualities of neoprene are pleasing both to the touch and to the eye.
to view on this page. The red rose is actually a brooch, and the soft,
squishy qualities of neoprene are pleasing both to the touch and to the eye.
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