Wire Works at the Gallery

Wire Art from The Heart

Dancing in the streets....

Peggy McKeever-Wire Works

One of many of Peggy's fabulous wire sculptured faces

In 2001, shortly after discovering her passion for creating 3 dimensional, mixed media sculpture in wire, Peggy McKeever also discovered that there was a women's artist co-op gallery on Abbot Kinney in Venice.  

It was shortly after Ten Women opened their second location that they were seeking new and exciting artists to join them.  At the time, Abbot Kinney was not "the place to be seen" that it is today.  In fact, it was pretty run down and was truly in need of TLC.  In spite of this and because of the original Ten Women on Main Street, Santa Monica, they drew destination customers to the new location.  So, after being juried in as a full member of the new Ten Women Venice Gallery, it was clear that Peggy's passion and incredible creations came together and were destined to be a success.

Peggy's delightful and collectible shoes

Wouldn't these hot mamma's look fantastic sitting on a shelf?

Peggy McKeever was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the eldest of six children.  She moved across country in 1970 settling in Los Angeles.  The mother of two sons, she now calls Santa Monica her home.

Peggy always had an affinity towards the arts.  She didn’t do more than dabble here and there until, after a life changing transition, her creativity blossomed from a spool of wire and yarn that was given to her as part of a gift.  A rapid evolution of 3 dimensional forms sprang from her wonderful imagination after that. 

Peggy started combining the wire, yarn, fabric, vintage beads, jewelry findings, polymer clay and lots of ephemera to create a fabulous range of characters, figures, shoes, clothing and anything that could come alive just by twisting yards of wire.  It doesn’t take much to fuel her inspiration when sitting with her “stuff” and a couple of pair of pliers.  She is definitely influenced by feminine energy and the fashion that women love to wear.  Her incredibly constructed miniature shoes adorned with glitz and glitter are a collector’s item for sure. 

There is an incredibly flare to her work that is admired and sort after.  You can’t overlook her wonderfully expressive faces that are outlined in wire and ready to hang on your wall.

Or, the energy that she brings to her little women that, altogether on the shelf, seem to be dancing to music only they can hear.  You just can’t choose which one to take home with you, each one of a kind and unique.

Being a self taught artist, Peggy considers her, late in life found passion, a gift and a powerful healing experience that she feels blessed to experience and share with the world. 

A perfect gift for mom

Peggy's imagination is endless...

 

Jewelry Designs - Phyllis Eagle Kalionzes, a Founding Member

Phyllis Eagle Kalionzes was born and raised in Santa Monica, CA.  She began making jewelry in the sixties and selling it in "Head Shops" on Venice Beach.  After an education in art and photography, she has worked for an Environmental Graphics Design firm for 30 years, stopping only for a brief film career, Props and Art Department...and child bearing two great kids.

Most of the pieces used are vintage glass beads from the 1920's, 30's and 40's from Czechoslovakia, Italy and Bohemia.  Freshwater pearls, semi-precious stones and sterling silver sire have been incorporated in many pieces.  One series of earrings incorporates tumbled, broken glass collected from the January 17th, 1994 Los Angeles earthquake, including her mother's shattered wedding crystals.

Glass earrings, rings with glass and sterling silver bands

Beaded necklaces and bracelets

Phyllis attracts customers young and old to purchase these wonderful guitar pick earrings

A collection of Vintage earrings

New designs include multiple metals stamped, cold connected and layered together to compliment each other

An old standard of Phyllis'...baby harmonicas made into earrings.  A very popular item at the gallery

Multiple metals coordinated beautifully together to create earrings and necklaces

Multiple metals fused/cold connected together in stunning necklace and earring designs

A FYI about Phyllis - her bond and connection to Ten Women Gallery...

Phyllis is one of the original founding members of our gallery and we are proud and grateful to still have her with us.  Her tireless dedication to our uniqueness and desire to keep Ten Women of quality and integrity is what contributes to the success of our wholeness as a co-operative gallery.  The vision remains in tack because she is a part of our originality and the continued steps forward to bring Ten Women into the next decade. 

In Phyllis' own words...
"Ten Women Gallery on Montana Avenue is the fourth Ten Women Gallery that I have had the privilege to help make happen.  We started on Main Street in Santa Monica in 1994, two art teachers at SMASH, 2 parents and 6 others had access to a small space that fit exactly ten women artists (hence the name).  When we started, we had no idea what we were doing and made it up as we went along.  Two years later we were approached by many local artists who wanted to join our co-op, so we opened a second gallery on 17th and Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica.  In time we outgrew that space and moved to Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice.  We were at that space for 11 years before our move to Montana Avenue in November, 2011.  We are very happy to be in our new community.

My work has been evolving in the 18 years I've been involved with the co-op experience.  I've done earthquake glass from the 1994 LA quake, wire work and fused glass.  My latest adventure is with copper, brass and silver - texturing, embossing and laying have resulted in new combinations that excite and inspire me to do more.

We invite you to stop in to visit and see what makes Ten Women the success that it is. Looking forward to sharing our passion with you....

Welcoming Back...

Ten Women is proud and excited to welcomed back, Debbi Green (oil painter) and Denise Bledsoe (art dolls) to our new location on Montana.  These fabulous artists were members of our gallery on Abbot Kinney and have decided to join us again.  They have brought back their unique talents to our all ready fantastic atmosphere and will add a new dimension to the array of diverse and interesting art that we are so famous for.

Debbi Green, Oil Painter Extraordiniare

Debbi does commission work for pet portraits.  I don't thing the chicken is a pet however, lol.

Denise Bledsoe is a fantastic art doll artist with her unique expressions and stories behind her characters.

I've been collecting Denise's dolls for nearly 20 years and I'm not the only one who collects her work.  

Both of these wonderful artists have a following of fans who collect their work.  We are honored to have them as members of our gallery.  Stop by and see their work up close and personal.

I also wanted to show Summer's new display and location at the gallery.  It's looks fantastic!

Summer's new location and display for her wonderful jewelry

Congratulations Summer on a successful endeavor.

Ten Women Montana is having a TEA PARTY!

Our post card image

Please join us for a 

Valentine Art and Tea 

Reception

Sunday, February 12, 2012

2:00pm until 5:00pm

Ten Women

1128 Montana Ave.

Santa Monica, CA  90403

310 393-6254

www.tenwomengallery.com

Visit Our Blog

tenwomenonmontana.blogspot.com

Like Us On Facebook

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Open Daily 10am-6pm

What's In Ten Women Window?

Kara Taub, hand weaver extraordinaire has full attention in our window 

 

Kara has been an active member with Ten Women for quite a long time.  Her sweaters, scarves, hats and baby sets are sought after by faithful fans who purchase new designs for personal use and gift giving.
I witnessed a customer come in at Christmas one year and purchase a scarf for the 8 women in his office and one for his wife as well.  Made of quality materials and delicious color combinations, these items wear and last forever and never go out of style.  A sure bet gift for most on your list any time of the year.

Kara Taub received her training at the Middlesex University in England. After receiving her degree in Constructed Textiles in 1996 she established her own studio based weaving practice in London, which was then her home. Having moved back her native Los Angeles in November 2002, she continues to develop new ideas in fabric. In addition to producing her own ranges of wearable accessories and fabrics for the home, she undertakes commissions of woven art, ceremonial pieces, and industrial fabrics for private and commercial clients.
She has exhibited internationally including at Indigo in Paris, The Jewish Museum, New Designers, and Decorex in London, and The Whitworth Gallery in Manchester, UK. Her work has received recognition from Country Living magazine and she was a winner of the Liberty "One Off" craft competition sponsored by the UK retailer.

Kara's wonderful display inside the gallery

Choose between several styles of scarves and some with matching caps in a variety of color combinations

A lovely display ensemble

Our Second 2012 Featured Artist

Trace Palmer joined Ten Women when we were still located on Abbot Kinney.  We were about to close our doors at that location but she agreed to continue on with us whenever we found our new home and we are so glad she did.
Ten Women on Montana does not have a lot of jewelry artists and Trace's incredible hand blown glass jewelry with her special design and technique makes it that much easier to know we have a very special select few.

Without further ado, I introduce Trace Palmer in her own words...

About KarmaKulture

KarmaKulture Glass Jewelry is made by Irish designer and artist Trace Palmer.

Trace Palmer immigrated to the United States in 1996 from Belfast, Ireland. While living in Eugene, Oregon, she became inspired by the art of glass blowing. Trace began experimenting with the glass medium creating her own self-taught style. Her original handmade glass jewelry is combined with designed necklaces crafted with materials such as suede and leather, sterling silver, and semi-precious stone beaded necklaces.
Her KarmaKulture line also includes enchanting glass rings, glass earrings and glass bracelets. Palmer's unique contemporary glass jewelry is her interpretation of traditional Celtic mysticism.
Her glass jewelry designs have been worn by Sharon Stone in Cold Creek Manor and Lisa Kudrow's Phoebe characters in Friends. Other KarmaKulture-wearing celebrities include Hilary Duff, Pamela Anderson, Liza Minelli and Farah Fawcett.

The Process of creating Glass Jewelry

All glass pendants are made from PYREX glass, a very strong glass. They are melted on a torch and manipulated using the natural force of gravity without the use of moulds. Each pendant is individually, free-hand sculpted from a solid rod of clear glass.
The color glass is melted on the back to create the design and a background color is layered on last. The color glass is made from natural minerals including copper, silver, gold and cobalt.
When each piece is complete it is placed in the kiln overnight to anneal, which increases the strength of the glass by adhering the molecules together.

A fabulous featured look for one of Trace's popular hand blown glass shapes

Another sort after shape and design

An assortment of colors and designs in her wonderful line of necklaces

Beautiful bracelets and necklaces

Trace by her space at our Grand Opening Celebration

New Year Featured Artist

Caroline Vidal is one of three new artists that have joined Ten Women on Montana since reopening in our new home.   I wanted to start the new year featuring someone new and because I do not know much about her art, I'll let Caroline tell about herself and what she creates in her own words...

ARTIST STATEMENT

Porcelain is synonymous of purity, softness, sensitivity and solidity. It requires precise technique and rigor in the elaboration of shapes. I throw my pots on an electric wheel, trim each pot several times in order to obtain thin delicate walls. I then bisque fire in an electric kiln followed by hand glazing of each pot with homemade glazes. The pots are stacked and high-fire in a gas kiln which is manually controlled allowing a lot of variations in the outcome of glazes. I look for refined and feminine shapes so that my cups, bowls, tea pots are both delicate and strong thanks to the solidity of high-fired porcelain clay. The noble whiteness of this clay allows me to elaborate a whole range of glazes that I mix with raw materials. As this “made in the USA” experience started less than a year ago, many new shapes and colors are emerging everyday.

I was born in France and was brought up in South East Asia. After graduating with a BS in Boston , I worked for 10 years in Japan and France in Industry. Ceramics started off as a hobby and it soon turned into a passion. So one day I decided to turn this passion into a career.

After a year of ceramic schooling at La Maison de la Ceramique in Mulhouse France, I set up my own studio in the Burgundy countryside in France. I elaborated and produced functional ware in red high-fired stoneware from 2001 to 2005.

In 2003 I opened a second studio in Paris France and thus shared my time between countryside and city life.

In 2005 I closed my 2 studios to follow my husband to Berlin Germany where I discovered porcelain.

In 2006 my husband and I moved to Santa Monica where we “made” our “masterpiece”: our son. I thus spent the next four years bringing him up as a full time Mum.

In January 2011 I set up my new studio in Venice. I decided to start where I left off in Berlin, namely with the magic of porcelain.

Caroline's space filled with her gorgeous porcelain creations

I'm sure Caroline's artistry can be appreciated through photos, but it is worth coming by the gallery to see her display up close and personal.  Each piece is very special indeed and make wonderful gifts.

The Old and The New

Since opening on Montana the latter part of the year, Ten Women on Montana Gallery has made huge strides in establishing ourselves in our new neighborhood.
Due to the holidays there were so many people out and about seeing what was available in the stores for possible gift giving.  We had people who were walking there dogs up the avenue or strolling with baby carriages who stopped and peeked in to see what we were all about.  Our long time customers came by that were happy to find us again and new clients that knew of us but didn't have a chance to get down to Venice to see our art.  It has been delightful to receive so many welcoming words to encourage us and assure us that we made the right move.

Here are just some creations from a few of our talented artists that were on display for sale throughout the holidays.  Some of these items will still be available if they haven't already been purchased and lots of new things coming in for the New Year.

Caroline's beautiful porcelain pottery

Elaine's unique and popular fabric purses

Fa

Elaine's small purses to insert in her wonderful larger purses or to use alone

Clay sculpture by Joann

Expressive clay creations by Joann

Who could resist this comical clay creation by Joann to use for decoration or trivet

Beautifully decorated gourds by Karen

Peggys fun and whimsical wire creations

Stunning hand fused glass by Betsy

Bibi's wonderful world of the imagination on wood and canvas

Bring nature inside with Mannig's sculptures and mobiles made from all things natural

A variety of fabulous paintings, prints, cards by Isabelle

Peggy's wonderfully imaginative figures and faces in wire

Summer's unique hand stamped meal jewelry

Trace's hand blown glass drops

Beautifully designed hand blown glass pendents by Trace

Summers one of a kind jewelry that makes a statement

Endless Tomorrows by Renee

Renee's abstract mixed media painting

Renee's expressive mixed media jewelry

Now that 2011 is hours away from being over, all of us at Ten Women on Montana want to wish all of you, our old and new friends, Peace of Mind, Perfect Health, Time to Celebrate exciting and wonderful things, Prosperity and Good Will and lots of Love throughout the New Year.  God Bless us all.  Happy New Year!