Eye on Art (and a shabby apple winner)

First up, we have a winner for the Shabby Apple dress!  Kelly of Coastal Cottage Dreams is the winner and how lucky was she on a Friday the 13th no less!  Thank you all who entered, and congratulations to Kelly who will be totally stylin' in her cute new dress.

Eye On Art
Not sure you've noticed, but I've had art on the brain lately.  So, I've decided to start a new series entitled "Eye on Art" where I'll be featuring artists who hopefully will be a new discovery for you.

 First up in the series, Allison Brown.  Last week, I got to visit with Allison here in Birmingham and see her amazing work.  Many of you in Birmingham may know Allison.  She and her husband, Mike, have known my husband for longer than I have!  As long as I can remember, she's always been incredibly creative; but took a break from painting to raise their four children.  Now they're all a bit older, and she's rediscovered her love for painting.

Since Allison grew up in Fairhope, AL (which is truly a mecca for great art and artists), her painting style reflects that South Alabama flavor.  Here are a few examples of her work.

This one is my favorite.  If you are interested in adding a hint of eclectic fun to a more traditional space, this is the perfect piece.

The inspiration for this abstract piece came from the family's new puppy, Colt. 

Here's a close up. Don't you love the effect the mixed medium adds - that's newspaper print!  

If I tried this, you would not be impressed.

Owls are a very hot trend right now (and not just for Chi Omegas)!

This piece would work on a small wall near a chair/side table vignette or tucked it into a bookshelf for a funky focal point.

This piece was created using wax (crayons, if you can believe it), and I just love the saturated color, sheen and depth the wax creates.  I did not know this; but, Allison mentioned wax was one of the first mediums used to create art.  Very cool.

If you've ever spent any time on the Gulf coast, this piece really reminds me of the style you often see in that area. 

We once stayed at Watercolor near Seaside and the fabulous place we rented was filled with this style of artwork. Notice the bottle caps!  So fun.

If you live in the Birmingham area and would like to see more examples of Allison's work, you can zip over to the Scribbler in Crestline Village (this is a cute shop with lots of great gift ideas and custom stationary).  

 For those of you not in Birmingham, you can contact Allison to learn more about pricing and availability by clicking here - Allison Brown Art.  M.