Bronze Bouquet
Bronze Bouquet, detail, by Amy Crook
Give your love a gift that will last forever! While traditional roses will wilt after a few days, this romantic bronze bouquet will last a lifetime. Handcrafted and one of a kind, this bouquet can help you create a powerfully unique experience for the special person in your life.
These roses were made with the lost wax casting method to create a unique art piece. Each one started life as a real dried rose, which was then dipped in wax and made ready for casting. Then four roses were tied together with waxed ribbon, and cast together to form this hauntingly lovely bouquet.
I left the bits of flash and other imperfections on them as part of their character, the human element intervening in nature long enough to create these haunting pieces. The element of randomness is one I enjoy exploring in my art, and you can really see how it gave these roses a new life.
They get their color from a chemical patina, another process involving water and fire that has slowly evolved over time thanks to exposure to the air and handling.
Bronze Bouquet by Amy Crook
Tags: bronze, etsy, for sale
Posted on February 10th, 2010 in Sculpture | No Comments »
Precious
Precious by Amy Crook
Hidden in the abstract red-orange background is the faint outline of a woman looking at her cupped hands. She’s curled around whatever it is she’s holding, the precious object that gives the painting its title. The painting itself is a rich blend of reds and oranges with a loosely painted ochre ‘frame’.
I painted this many years ago, and it’s currently residing above the antique desk in my bedroom. I decided to list it now because the sentiment fit with the holiday season for me, and I feel ready to let it go to a new home.
The stretched canvas is 18″x24″, painted in oils with unfinished edges. Free UPS shipping included for US orders.
Tags: etsy, for sale
Posted on February 4th, 2010 in Oil Paintings | No Comments »
My Funny Valentines – Unique Cards
4 Valentines by Amy Crook
I’m not a huge fan of all the hype surrounding Valentine’s Day. That said, I’ve always really liked the sentiment behind it. The idea of really appreciating the people that you love is a wonderful one, and a worthwhile effort. Also, it gives me the chance to design cards! This year I’ve designed four cards for four types of people: the art lover, the busy person, the geek, and the goth.
I get inspiration for these cards from the strangest places sometimes. The “Busy Valentine” card is based on a sticky note that went through the wash, an image that stayed with me even though the writing faded. The “Gothic Valentine” hearkens back to my old days of black lace and silver skulls. All of the cards represent a unique perspective on the holiday. Each card is blank on the inside, so you can write the perfect message for that person that you love.
Tags: cards, etsy, for sale, valentine
Posted on January 26th, 2010 in Crafts and Miscellany | No Comments »
Harvest Moon
This painting, like several others, was done for the cover of the Starcycles Calendar (in this case for 2004). We wanted something simple with rich colors, though later on we added in an image of Thoth as a shadow on the golden harvest moon.
As the paints have aged, the once deep blue has taken on a really interesting sheen that only shows in certain lights, adding a really nice violet depth to the sky that contrasts well with the matte, earthy golds.
10″x14″ oil painting on art board, $400.
Tags: for sale, starcycles
Posted on January 12th, 2010 in Oil Paintings | 2 Comments »
Commission: Mermaid
In the fall of 2008, my friend Jeff commissioned me to paint a gift for his wife, for a combination 5th anniversary and Christmas present. It was an interesting challenge keeping it a secret for two months, but the moment of presentation was a smashing success!
We wanted to take into account as many of her favorite things as possible, so not only does it have the mermaid as a central theme, we added in the sunken pirate ship, and of course a shark or two.
24″x30″, oil on canvas, not for sale (commission)
Click through to see the process, which was thoroughly documented to keep Jeff current on my progress. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: commission, not for sale, shark
Posted on January 5th, 2010 in Completed Commissions, Oil Paintings | No Comments »
Custom Tiny Paintings
4 tiny paintings by Amy Crook
Just like a commission, only really small, now you can get a tiny painting done to your specifications instead of waiting for me to paint what you like.
Each tiny painting comes with its own easel for display, and sizes are available from 2″ square up to 4″x6″. I use oils, so they do take a few weeks from start to shippable, but they don’t have nearly the lead time of a giant oil painting.
You can get anything you like, from your favorite flower to a zombie hand reaching up from the earth, just as long as it’ll fit on the tiny canvas. I suggest Muppets.
Tiny Painting commission – $60 with free shipping in the US
Contact me with your specifics, and I’ll send you a Paypal invoice when we’re all agreed on what, why and when.
Tags: commission, for sale, tiny painting
Posted on January 4th, 2010 in Oil Paintings | No Comments »
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