I know….back to back posts on art!  But, we love art and haven’t written about it enough lately.  And the H’Art for Haiti show is too good a cause to overlook! Plus, who couldn’t benefit from looking at good local art for a couple minutes?

Called by the cries from Haiti, the owners of Spruce Living in Brentwood are having an art show, showcasing local artists and benefiting Haiti on March 4th from 5-7. Spruce will donate 15% of the proceeds from the art sold during this two hour show to the Haitian relief effort.  So, if you are in the market for art, this is your destination for Thursday evening – consider it a true happy hour since munchies and drinks will be served!  You might even win a door prize….some of which are art! Spruce is one of our favorite gift shops around (gifts, art, furniture, pj’s, jewelry…).  And, everyone who works here is super sweet and helpful….we love that!

Spruce is located at 7028 Church Street East, Brentwood (near the Church Street/Franklin Rd intersection)

Check out these pictures of the affordable (yes, affordable! $100-$900) art being sold:

I have many friends who have a Streater Odom Spencer piece of art in their home. From her website: She has been the Featured Artist in the Harding Art Show, The Brentwood Fine Arts Show and The Art Event at Lipscomb.  After a trip to Tuscany, she started painting in a more relaxed style which has been received with great enthusiasm. These new works were featured in a one woman show at Cottonlandia Museum in Greenwood, MS which set all time sales records for that show. Streater is currently showing in galleries throughout the Southeast:

Painting by Streater Odom Spencer

Dana Kahan is a Contemporary Artist and Graphic Designer who calls Franklin home. From her website:  Known for her striking technique with gloss black paint, she paints vibrant, abstract backgrounds and literally squirts black gloss acrylic paint (from a mustard bottle) in various interpretations of tangible objects and scenes. The black paint dries raised and cracked on top of the backgrounds adding texture and dimension to her pieces. Whether the subject is a flower, a chandelier or a carousel, Dana’s work is expressive and colorful.  Her work is enjoyed and collected by people from coast to coast. Her paintings also hang in a number of Nashville area galleries and stores.

Painting by Dana Kahan

Emily Martinez grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. She graduated with a Fine Art Degree in 2005 
from Harding University and finished her Masters in Art Education in 2008.  



Emily taught art in Little Rock, AR until she and her husband Alex moved to Franklin, TN where 
she opened her studio in The Factory at Franklin.

  She has participated in several art shows including The Independent International New York 
Art Festival where she was a featured artist.

Paintings by Emily Martinez

Julia Carter Hansen is a self-taught artist who has been painting her whole life. Her art has been seen at various local art shows in the Nashville area. Julia’s use of vibrant colors and palette knife makes her works of art truly original. She resides in Franklin with her family.

painting by Julia Carter Hansen

Elizabeth Castleman has evolved from a nurturing art teacher, to an interior designer, to a sought after artist.  She has been fortunate to have studied under several of the top artists in the country.  Locally, Elizabeth studied under Dawn Whitelaw, Roger Brown and Lori Putnam.  While spending her winters in Naples Florida, she has been privileged to study under New York portrait painter, Angelo Grado, Indiana artist David Slonam and California’s, Camille Prowodek. Her goal in painting is much the same as her designed interiors:  both must have a balance of color and light and both must be inviting.  She wants the viewer to want to walk into the space and become a part of it.

Painting by Elizabeth Castleman

Stephen Graham, a Nashville native, was immersed in the arts at an early age.   Both parents, musicians and educators in the Nashville community, encouraged him to embrace an artistic path.  He spent several years as a musician, but was left searching for his niche.  With the inheritance of art supplies from his beloved and talented grandfather, his painting talents evolved.  Later, he experimented with using wood as a creative medium and ultimately found wood carving to be his true sentiment.  Stephen is now known for his large, impressive carvings….but as you can see below, he still finds time to paint large and impressive works of art!

Painting by Stephen Graham

I can be really cheap sometimes.  I’ve actually taken a black sharpie to the pink stripes on some sister-grown-out-cleats in order for my son to wear them.  Yet, I also bit the bullet and had an oil portrait commissioned of all three of my children.  I’d rather not say how much it cost, but I think it’s fair to say “a slightly used Honda.”  Yep, this means I’ll be driving my own very used Honda minivan until it is at least 10 years old and putting the sharpie on many a cleat in my future.  It’s a balancing act and one I’m glad to be in.

Our portrait of our three children. I have this hanging above my family room fireplace

Hands down, our portrait is the best purchase of my life.  Really.  I’m thrilled with it.  I will keep this portrait forever and I love knowing that future generations will continue to enjoy it.  If I could change anything, it might be to have supported a local artist instead of looking out of state.

Today, we are thrilled to introduce you to Mark Alan Burnett and Ann Cowden, two admired portrait artists who live right here, in Nashville.

Mark Alan Burnett is known for his way of capturing the essence of his subjects.  I asked Mark about why he thought people continue to seek out painted portraits when photography is so available and abundant. He compared the differences to food: you can get a lot of great fast food today, but a slow cooked home meal will leave you more satisfied in the end.  The love, care and time that a portrait takes is amazing.  Most people wait between 6 months to 12 months for their portrait.   During that time you want to 1) like the artist you are working with and 2) know that your money is being spent in a way that will leave you completely satisfied.  One of Mark’s clients grabbed their portrait when their house was on fire.  I concur that as far as possessions go, that is what I, too, would grab.  Mark has painted portraits of several generations within the same family.  They come back because, yes, they love the outcome, but they also like working with Mark, the attention he gives his clients, and the obvious joy he takes in his work.  I also just found out the Mark is about to be published in Volume 1 of the World Wide Best Artist series.  See, I knew I was impressed!

Milt Ellis

Leslin

The length to which Mark goes to assure he understands his subjects shines through in the finished portrait.  Before picking up a paint brush Mark enjoys getting to know the person he will be painting.  For example, Mark sits in on the classes of each Professor he has been commissioned to paint.  He wants to watch them in action.  Their public personae is being honored and needs to be portrayed, but he also is interested in their interests and stories.  It’s not about painting from a single session of photos, although the experience is augmented by photographs.  His approach is about capturing a personality, an essence, a completeness in the moment that is beyond the scope from what I have seen with other artists.  If you are looking for someone who will approach a painting beyond capturing the physical, then I highly suggest calling Mark Allen Burnett.  Mark will only paint a few paintings a year and he has won numerous awards for his portraits, both in oil and pastel.  STYLEBLUEPRINT READERS: Just for you Mark is offering 10% off any portrait commissioned before the end of March.  Since I’ve never known Mark to work through a portrait broker, advertise or offer a discount, this is a rare opportunity.  To read more about Mark, click here.  Also, I love that additional figures are just 50% additional in his pricing.  Many artists do not discount additional figures at all.

Dr. Harry & Jan Jacobson

Hunter

Ann Cowden is an amazing portrait, landscape and pet portraiture artist- she’s also just a nice person with whom you will enjoy your time spent.  Her energy is infectious and she really feels that it is a gift to be able to paint a portrait for a family.  I love this quote from Ann, “I am truly in love with painting, and I get excited about every project I begin.  I strive to grow as an artist and to continue to learn and improve each day, each year, forever more!”

Ann works both through individual contacts as well as through Portrait Artists of America.  Her latest portrait is of the Mary Hartong’s daughter, Mary Liza.  I bring this up as Mary Hartong is the Nashville rep for Portrait Artists of America and thus the fact that she choose Ann to paint her daughter speaks very highly of Ann’s talent.  Ann recognizes that the economy is not good right now and is giving significant discounts on portraits.  Depending on what it is that you want, you might be able to get up to 25% off. Call her and her joy for working with you will be felt.  See her website and her talent will have you hooked.

If you have ever thought about having a portrait commissioned, now is the time! www.markalanburnettportraits.com www.anncowden.com

Mary Hartong's daughter, Mary Liza

Polly Bass

John

The heart tree on Leonard Avenue made from 100% love

As I walked down Leonard Avenue the Saturday January 30th, aka Saturday-of-the-big-snow, Valentines Day was on my mind. Liza and I decided to devote an entire week to this celebrated day of Love since we both ADORE the holiday.  Hey, what’s not to love about Valentines Day:  chocolates, flowers, sexy lingerie (hopefully!)  (OK – Liza is rolling her eyes right now; She hates the word sexy.) and jewelry.  Ahhh, the jewelry…… Contemplating all the things we could write about was mind-boggling. Just then I saw it  – a Valentine’s tree.  Handmade hearts nestled in the boughs of the snow laden tree; it was simply beautiful.  Don’t you agree?   I had a camera in my back pack and took a quick picture.  Those aren’t plastic; those are homemade works of art.

On the hills of Montgomery Bell Academy, where all the sledding was happening, I ran into the trees’ owner, Martha Ivester.  “Hope you don’t mind but I took a picture of your heart tree for the blog.”   She smiled and said, “You know there’s a great story behind the heart tree.”  My heart raced: Yipee! There’s nothing better to me than a blog idea with a good story attached.

Martha Ivester surrounded by hearts

The tree of hearts originated out of a woman’s love for her friend who was battling breast cancer. She thought it would be fun to offer her a handmade gift, so she “hearted” her warrior friend’s trees in the middle of the night for an early morning surprise.  The heart trees were so popular in the small town of Winchester, MA that they began showing up all over town.  Women would gather on January 31 and sneak around to friends’ homes to “heart” them.  Smart women that they were, they had their husbands drive the get-a-way cars.  It seems the “hearts” really livened up the streets of New England during the dreary winter.  Certain streets became detours because the heart trees were so dramatic.  Helen Cabour, another Winchester gal, said that she started out “hearting” her tree about seven years ago.  She started out with 100 hearts and no one noticed.  Determined to get some attention, she then added a couple of hundred more and now, can taut a dogwood filled with over 1500 hearts!

Realizing the trend was here to stay, the local church, Parish of the Epiphany, began to sell “heart kits” to benefit their favorite charity. Each kits had fabric, a template for the 4 inch heart patterns and one important stipulation:  the purchaser had to make the hearts themselves, not just buy a kit. Woman all over town had “heart” parties where they would gather, drink wine, socialize and craft hearts together.  Since stuffing and sewing a heart is relatively low tech, I think the vino may have added panache to the hearts.

What a fabulous idea for Nashville. I can think of dozens of charities who can benefit from selling heart kits.  Nashville’s kits could have special Titan hearts or celebrity hearts donated by song writers and country music stars.  Before you know it,  Nashville could become the “heart” capital of the US.  I mean, I know Northern women can sew, but in what region does a child’s smocked dress meet the phrase “Did you make that?” most often?  Not the North.  I was always filled with shame while fessing up to buying my daughters dresses- the horror! It’s true: Southern girls can use a needle! You know we are going to see smocked and monogrammed hearts.  That’s OK- I say “BRING IT ON!”

Right now I have a person in mind that I want to “heart” in the middle of the night. I bet you do too.  If you like this idea, pass it on, or better yet, have a “heart” party this week.

Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester, MA