Looking forward to our Valentine Tea event next Sunday afternoon. We will have a variety of teas and homemade cookies and I've heard rumor that Susan Haskell will be making some of her delicious homemade fudge. This alone is worth coming for but our artists have been busy making beautiful art and cards for Valentine's Day at very reasonable prices. Come and enjoy tea and cookies and shop for gifts.

Art Glass by Susan Haskell

 Cityscape Silhouette Vase in indigo and black by artist Susan Haskell

 Cityscape Silhouette Vase of a Moscow skyline by artist Susan Haskell

 

Susan Haskell is our featured artist at Ten Women on Montana Ave for January 2013. Her beautiful glass vases of cityscapes and Matisse inspired nudes can be seen in the window until January 31st. Susan has been working in glass for 29 years. She first joined Ten Women nine years ago and is a teaching assistant for glass making at Santa Monica College as well as an art teacher at Canyon Elementary school. Her artistic skill is evident in all her work but especially in these silhouette vases that were created by cutting away the top layer of black glass to reveal the lighter colored glass underneath. I think you will agree that the effect is striking and the vases are heirloom quality and would make a wonderful wedding present or anniversary gift.

The Holiday Walk and Party at Ten Women Gallery.

 Kathy Holquin Black in her Santa hat at the sales desk at our holiday party.

 Isabelle Bryant with our newest member, artist Karyn Raz.

 A customer admires an art glass lamp shade by Susan Haskell.

 Kathy Leonardo and her band made the Holiday Walk into a party on Friday night.

Kathy and her band sang a holiday song about Christmas in Santa Monica.

We celebrated our first anniversary on Montana Ave at the Holiday Walk last Friday evening. Lots of old friends and customers came to the party - some were visiting our new location for the first time. Several old customers from Abbott Kinney came to tell us how beautiful they thought the new gallery looked. The street was thronged with visitors for the Montana Ave Holiday Walk. Some were just looking for a glass of wine and a snack but many were holiday shopping and our sales desk was busy from 5 to 10 pm. Our holiday window with all the beautiful handmade ornaments by Ten Women artists was a big draw. We sold quite a few ornaments at the party and over the weekend.
At around 8pm Kathy Leonardo and her band arrived and got everyone into the holiday spirit with their festive costumes and Christmas songs.

 2012 Holiday Window designed by Kathy Holquin Black featuring our artists' handmade ornaments.

 A selection of handmade ornaments for sale at the gallery.

More holiday ornaments by Ten Women artists.

Kathy spent all day Saturday designing our Holiday window. The center piece is an angel with feather wings and a floating silk organza dress. The angel's face is a framed photographic artwork by Fae Horowitz. In front of the angel hang beautiful handmade ornaments by our Ten Women artists. 

Each artist has created ornaments in her own style and medium. Susan Haskell's glass ornaments are a perennial favorite and Kathy Holquin Black and Betsy Weston also make lovely glass ornaments. Linda Fenster specializes in hand painted decorations, including her fun Frida Kahlo ornament and Mannig Gurekian has added gold and silver leaf to her delicately painted pieces. Caroline Vidal has made porcelain ringing bells, each with a different sound and pitch. Outi Harma has also made some pretty ceramic ornaments. Bibi Davidson's painted faces will make you smile and Anthea Brown has papier mache ornaments featuring linoblock prints of animals and birds. Peggy McKeever and Cola Smith-Adabachi add wire art and ethnic textile stars and balls to our collection. Karen Saviskas's gourd ornaments are a big hit with our customers as are Phyllis Kalionzes and Joann Libolt's whimsical pieces, all of which will be on sale until Christmas Eve. New ones will be added weekly.
I think we have something for everyone!

Join us at Ten Women for the Montana Ave Holiday Walk.

Group Holiday Window

Linda Fenster's Window at Ten Women

Linda Fenster is our featured artists at Ten Women Gallery for the first two weeks of November. Her colorful bead work and smashing mosaics are very popular with Ten Women customers. She is especially well known for her peace signs and beaded telephones which are both fun and functional. A fabulous addition to Linda's window is her mosaic flying pig which is getting a lot of attention from passersby on Montana Ave.

 Linda's amazing flying pig, can be seen from November 1st to 15th in the window at Ten Women

 See Linda's window then come inside and enjoy the beautiful art from all the talented artists in our gallery.

Halloween At Ten Women Gallery.

We had hundreds of children in the gallery for trick-or-treat this Halloween. There was a steady stream or witches, fairies, elephants, cows, dogs, Mary Poppins, Dr Spock, Spacemen and little mermaids. Ten women artists Kara Taub, Susan Haskell, Mannig Gurekian, Linda Fenster and Anthea Brown were on hand to give out the candy. Kara as a kindly witch and Linda in her Blackbird Singing in the Dead of Night Halloween costume, complete with a very realistic blackbird on her shoulder. The stream of children never ceased and  Susan had to run out for four more big bags of candy to meet the rush. It was a lot of fun but by quarter of six we were completely out of candy and were forced to give out black plastic spiders and balloons, to the relief of many of the parents. Next year we will be ready for the onslaught!

Witches, ghosts and ghouls get on your broomsticks and fly over to Ten Women Gallery for the Montana Ave Halloween celebration on October 31st. We will be giving out candy between 3pm and 7pm for all kids who are wearing costumes. Adults with or without costumes are also welcome. We have a wonderful selection of masks for sale in our window. They are hand-painted and decorated by Ten Women artists and can be worn at masquerade parties throughout the year.
Come in and see our the Day of the Dead art, including paintings by Bibi Davidson and Isabelle Bryer and photographic art by Fae Horowitz and Ronna Schary. We have glass pumpkins by Susan Haskell and for your Thanksgiving celebrations beautiful ceramics, glass and gourds by Kathy Holquin-Black, Betsy Weston, Joann  Libolt, Caroline Vidal, Linda Fenster and Karen Saviskas. Rebecca has created potted planets with Day of the Dead themes to use as decoration or give as gifts. 

See you there!

Mosaics and Beaded Functional Art by Linda Fenster

Linda Fenster is the one and only mosaic artist at Ten Women Montana.  Her fantastic work is attractive, talked about, collected and desired by many who want unique and high quality art in and around their home.  It's clearly functional art that has a purpose, not to mention it's uniqueness and high quality construction. Those of her pieces that are displayed outside bring that special touch of creativeness to the owners property which let guests know that they take pride in their home.

Linda was born in Cape Town, South Africa, a vibrantly colorful place which could explain some of her playful personality.  Linda has been doing art since a very young age.  She mostly dabbled in painting and drawing but since arriving in California in 1977, she ventured into hand painted furniture, murals, creating art with school kids and working with abused kids.  She believes that art heals and is drawn to working with the children.

Ever since Linda encountered Gaudi's mosaics in Barcelona, she was driven to teach herself mosaics to include in her reportoire of skills.  Some of her most collectable pieces are her beaded functional phones, mirrors, frames and tables all collaged with beads, found objects and charms.

Linda's father was a manufacturing jeweler and diamond merchant originally from Berlin, Germany.  He was her biggest influence, admiring his eye for color, design and detail.

Linda's work has been in several galleries and has been bought by collectors and notable celebrities such as Diana Ross, Forrest Whitaker, Stacey Keach, Michael Richards, Lou Adler, Roseanne Barr, to name just a few.

Linda thinks of herself as a tinkerer, a collector, a devotee of the bead and plate smasher.  She loves to create art for all to enjoy.

A large, colorful mosaic vase to use indoors or out.

A mosaic wooden box to keep a multitude of treasures

One of my favorites, as I collect birds and would love to have this anywhere in my home

Duck, duck, whose got the duck!

A lovely hand painted heart plaque, mosaic mirror (that's me foolishly trying to take the photo)  and painted heart box....

Linda's famous beaded collaged functional phones.  What fun!

Linda's ever famous beaded Peace Signs for those Flower Power children from the 60-70's and peace loving folk nowadays

Linda's new creations attract a distinctive new audience.  I just love the romantic wall hanging mosaic delight where a small plant,  or, use your imagination, can be displayed in a halfed tea cup.  How unique!  I love it!

Don't underestimate the power of the animal...  Her mosaic dogs (top shelf) is sort after by so many.  It's hard to keep them stocked.  If interested, just ask if one is not available in her space.  Orders can be taken...

 

 

 Linda is truly an amazing artist and person.  She always brings humor, realness, and joy to everything she does and we are blessed to have her happy person as part of the Ten Women team of artists.