Her single focal beads are luscious. The one on the top is aptly titled "Solitude", and I can't get enough of it. The colors brilliantly suggest a walk on the beach at night, and I love the swirl of color in the "sand". The touches of dark blue and white in the ocean are as well done as a watercolor painting. I love how she left the "stars" as dots and didn't melt them in; it gives a 3-D feel to the piece.
The bead on the bottom is just awesome. That Murrini alone is worth an article! Artwithheart is fantastic when it comes to swirling colors together, and she does it again with the purple and "sand", generating kaleidoscopes of color. For some reason I find swirls soothing, and this bead does make me think of "A Walk on the Beach". That's another point - her titles are perfect for her products. They draw the viewer in, giving them another chance to do that all-important double-take of the work. I also like how she put sealer on the copper bead caps to preserve color. It shows that she takes her work seriously and is willing to go the extra mile for her customer.
I LOVE these! I saw them and my mouth literally fell open. The etched colors are gorgeous and better than solid for getting the "sea" effect, and the "sand" color at the bottom pops. They look like little candy nuggets. The wave effect on the bottom is still making me smile and I've been looking at them for an hour! Adding that final touch of the Murrini takes them to the next level. The idea of photographing them on a sand dollar is ingenious. If you are going to the beach this summer, this is MUST have item!
Her diamond shape is great because not many artist have it, and she does it so well. I've made a few beads in this shape, and it was not easy. And another mark of a great bead artist: her ends are perfectly flat. As a new glass artist, that was one of (and still is) the hardest things to master. Beyond that, the colors are once again beautiful. The "sand" is so lovely paired with any color. And the delicate lacing of the dots over top cinches the piece together nicely. The overall effect is very pleasing to the eye.
I learned something new from Artwithheart: silver looks great threaded through ivory. In all of her pieces she uses silver mixed with ivory for the "sand", and I think it looks fabulous. I had not thought of that before, and now I seriously want to try it. I know some glass artists have a "thing" about using sparkle to attract attention, but these beads have it embedded so subtly that one would think its a natural effect from the ivory. And that's the overarching theme of this artist; natural. All of her items have that effortless feel, like the glass flowed together in just those colors and shapes with no intervention from the artist. That's the effect I find most enticing, and one that takes skill and ability. The more effortless it looks, the more skilled the artist (and the harder the technique!).
Artwithheart also has great descriptions for her items. She uses words like "dusty lavender" and "ruby red" instead of plain old red and purple, and I know that has an effect on people. Her descriptions help create a story for the piece, brightening up the image they have in their head and making it more enticing. I also enjoy how she has "time" and "love" as two of her materials :) I know that makes me feel more in tune with her work, and a customer will sense that devotion to her craft and feel more favorably toward a purchase.
Her profile is short and to the point, with a friendly, open voice. A customer senses that she is easygoing, loves her work, and will do all she can to help them have a great experience. So everyone go on over and check out Artwithheart, an artist who is true to her name!
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