molly cranch paintings

these softly styled acrylic bird paintings by chicago artist molly cranch are the perfect way to ease into your workweek, don’t you think? i love the gentle color choices and the light in each piece, and i can definitely relate to molly, an urban dweller, when she says that is quite enchanted by the idea of exploring nature through her work.

see more from molly and purchase her work here.

share this story

whimsical ceramics by nancy gardner

feast your eyes on these fabulous handbuilt and painted earthenware pieces by illinois artists (and husband-and-wife team) nancy gardner and burt isenstein. i knew nancy and burt since we sold their things at the shop years ago, but after we closed, i lost track of them. imagine my surprise and delight to discover them at the bucktown arts festival this past weekend!

nancy and burt are inspired by the history of decorative arts, global cultures, vintage paintings, fabric patterns and dishware. they use a pinch and coil method to create their pieces, and purposely underwork the clay for their signature look. each piece is formed, decorated with underglazes, covered with a final glaze and clearly one of a kind!

having seen (and sold out of!) nancy and burt’s prior collections, i can honestly say i am thrilled by the artistic evolution i am seeing. the consistently charming, handmade quality and energy in these pieces has been enhanced even more by the outstanding paint details in the current collection. to me, the work tells a enveloping, inspiring, complete story.

it is that kind of painstaking, loving attention to detail that sets their work apart from so many others in the same medium. and the cherry on the cake is that the pieces are functional as well as beautiful.

when they aren’t in their studio, nancy and burt sell their wares at select retail fairs around the country.

(please) go to their website for other designs, show schedule and contact info!

share this story