Paper was originally made in China in the first century and was brought to Japan in 610 AD by Buddhist monks who produced it for writing sutras. In the year 800 Japan’s skills in paper making was already producing a wide range of papers with unbelievable range of color, texture and design. One of these fantastic papers is what we call Chiyogami. Originally Chiyogami is a term created to refer to paper – gami means paper and to describe the graphic, repetitive designs applied to it.

Chiyogami was one of those papers produced during the Edo era as woodblock prints based on kimono textiles by paper makers during the farming season for use as accessories in the house to enliven the interiors, use in paper dolls and accessory making.

Many patterns are based on traditional designs, including birds, flowers, plants, butterflies, geometric motifs or text.  The range of Chiyogami patterns is endless, and Japanese designers today are tireless in their development of new fascinating patterns.

Today these wonderfully decorative patterns on paper can be found on the website www.mihosuzuki.com. These are beautifully presented and provided by a young Japanese entrepreneur Miho Suzuki. The striking pigment colors, careful registration of screens and wide range of designs make these papers ideal for picture mats, books and box making. Chiyogami is perfect for origami, embellishments for stamping, scrap booking, card making, making layered handmade invitations, accents or envelope linings and other paper projects.

Take a look at the powerful designs available. The “Bamboo and Fans Chiyogami”, with bold earth tones suit the bamboo pattern, while the sensu (folding fans) and splashes of white add a delicate touch. The bamboo represents strength and endurance while the sensu is a symbol of grace and growth. The sensu’s shape (suehirogari) is an example of how everything has a starting point (like the base of the fan), and continually grows upward and outward.

How about the beautifully printed “Blue and Red Flowers.” The arrangement of blue, red, and white flowers on a sky blue background creates a feeling of happiness and growth. There is an artistic “sprayed” effect of gold intertwined with the flowers that are stretching out from the branches.

And the enticing design of the “Dreaming in Silver Chiyogami”. This exquisite chiyogami has an array of pinks and purples mixed with a pale grey. The overlay is an intricate silver pattern with patches of “sprayed” gold throughout. The main pattern seems dreamlike with the colors mixing as clouds.

Artists, craftspeople and hobbyists have vastly expanded the range of applications for Chiyogami and these include collage, lampshades, iris folding, origami, decorative packaging, framing and hanging as art.

For art enthusiasts out there who are dreaming of incorporating a Japanese theme in their Chiyogami creations please browse through Miho’s site at www.mihosuzuki.com.  She offers free worldwide shipping on orders over $50, so make the most of it – and you’ll own a part of Japanese culture before you know it!

Since we launched https://artworkwebsite.com/, many customers have visited our discount painting website and enjoyed the savings.  Our site that features discount oil paintings so that you can buy oil paintings on sale like our wholesale oil paintings that we sell to customers that visit our warehouse.

With a little hard work and a little know-how, you can take what you have, add a little to it and make it look like an interior designer came in and did a small makeover, especially with the assistance of some discount paintings.

In our opinion, always start by re-using existing items in your home. This is one place where you might save a lot of money.  Maybe the nature photography on the wall is from a trip 15 years ago when we could update with last summer’s trip through Yellowstone part and the nature artwork that you’ve created.  Try moving things around, give them a good cleaning and find them a new home.  Once this is done, consider open spaces or walls that might benefit from the addition of a painting on sale.

Speaking of discount paintings, paint itself can be your best friend when you are trying to do interior design on a budget. A little change in paint color can totally change the look of a room.  Consider accenting the new wall paint with oil paintings for sale since artwork websites offer opportunities for wholesale artwork prices.  Again, an excellent way to save money is to move your discount artwork from one room to another because those discount paintings might completely change how your home looks in a different room.

Please visit https://artworkwebsite.com/ and sign up for our email newsletter for the chance to win free nature photos as well as taking a look at our breathtaking discount paintings.

New York, NY, February 1, 2010 – Kitty Zucco, contemporary American Impressionist artist, celebrated her 60th wedding anniversary with beloved husband Raymond A. Zucco and family members in an intimate and magical day  only New York City  could provide at Christmas time.

The day’s events comprised of taking in Broadway show “Billy Elliott”, visiting the traditional New York City sights Rockefeller Center and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, and a truly delectable and picturesque dinner at the River Café located just below the Brooklyn Bridge.  There is no doubt, the nighttime view of New York from this enchanting restaurant is an American treasure.

In attendance for this celebration was daughter Janet Zucco Karabin, owner of the Zucco Fine Art Gallery, husband Christ Karabin, daughter Jacqueline Karabin and son David Karabin. In addition, Kitty and Ray’s son Jack Zucco, his wife Deborah Zucco, daughter Allison Zucco and son John Zucco completed the entourage for the festivities.

Kitty And Ray Zucco fell in love while in college at the University of Connecticut.  They have built their family and professional lives as long time residents of New Canaan and Wilton Connecticut.

Kitty Zucco is not only an admired contemporary artist, but also co-owner and President of the Silvermine Golf Club located in Norwalk, CT.  Kitty is an active member of both the Silvermine Guild Arts Center of New Canaan, CT and the United Arts Council of Collier County located in Naples, Florida.

Please visit the fine art gallery to discover Kitty Zucco’s complete collection of artwork created over a lifetime or email them at sales@zuccofineartgallery.com

For more information, Please Contact
Janet Zucco Karabin, Owner & Daughter
Company : Zucco Fine Art Gallery
Address : 37 Old Nursery Drive
Wilton, CT
USA  28862
Phone No: 203-210-5460
Fax No. : 203-210-5460
Email : sales@zuccofineartgallery.com
Website: www.zuccofineartgallery.com

Daybreak Web Designs has announced a project which serves the nautical art community. The site provides listings of online nautical art websites and articles by category.

Craig Banks of www.nautical-art.org remarked, “While working on several of our projects, it became obvious that there is tremendous interest in nautical art. We decided to put together this site which is a one stop resource for nautical and marine artwork – basically any art related to tidal water or oceans.”

For artists the site has a variety of services. Basic features include press release and article submissions, as well as standard listings in the site’s directory. In addition to basic free tools, the site offers paid advertising and an array of other promotional tools. For businesses that lack a website but want to get listed in the directory, special pricing is available for custom websites. This service enables small businesses to have an online presence and full use of the directory’s features.

New to the site for 2009 is an online store which includes an extensive collection of commercial fishing, seafood and saltwater fish T shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, raglans, jerseys, golf shirts and other apparel.

The site uses a software platform that allows for simple navigation, user friendliness and offers advertisers more options. ”We use a proven design which works well for both art enthusiasts as well as the artists that need to promote their work” explained Craig Banks of Daybreak Web Designs. The site owner went on to explain: “Our goal is to provide an easy to use resource that brings together artists and art lovers. This site has the tools ”

These improvements to the site come at an important time for many artists. According to the site owner, “The nautical art community is feeling the pinch of the economy, worldwide and here in the USA.” Banks explained why this is so important, stating “Our family of related sites are an asset to the artists that list their businesses with us. We provide a unique service as our site allows artists to get exposed to traffic from specific market niches.”

WHO: Ken Smith, Historical Artist

WHAT: Ken’s Smith’s Limited Edition Prints At Shelby’s Custom Framing

WHEN: June 2008

WHERE: Shelby’s Custom Framing and the Turning leaf Gallery

Leonardtown, Maryland. Their eyes say it all – frustration, fear, victory, contemplation; unwavering courage in the face of enemy fire. Ken Smith’s historical art preserves the legacy of those who fought for their beliefs. His prints feature the remarkable moments of history, those that may have passed unnoticed but changed the lives of many. These can now be seen at Shelby’s Custom Framing and the Turning Leaf Gallery in Leonardtown, Maryland.

Smith is locally known for his poster LCVP Blues, which was commissioned by the Calvert Marine Museum’s Cradle of Invasion event in Solomons, Maryland in 2004. In this, three young sailors prepare for going over seas during WWII at the Solomons Amphibious Training Base. His other WWII prints show different sides of this war. Included are the US Army’s 29th Division’s drive on St. Lo, the British First Airborne defense of Primosole Bridge in Sicily, the Scottish Division’s 15th Recce Regiment in Normandy, the Deutsche Afrika Korps at Alam Halfa, and the Red Army at Borodino. The Finnish Army in the Winter War of 1939 is also a subject.

Among the prints, there are two depicting the French and Indian War. Both are part of a five year commission for the Fort Loudoun State Historic Area in Vonore, Tennessee. In total there will be five prints depicting each year of the Independent Company of South Carolina’s history at Fort Loudoun. The first print depicts the British with their Cherokee advisor discussing where the fort should be built. The second print shows the strain of humanity as the fort is being built.

For fans of the University of Tennessee, there is a print presenting the college football team, the Volunteers, in their fighting glory.

“The goal of my painting is to put the viewer right into the historical event, up close and personal. I try to show a little of what it’s like to patrol the trenchworks outside Moscow during the early days of World War 2, or to stand near a 29th Division Captain in Normandy while his unit takes fire from hidden German snipers. My interest is in the common soldier–as an individual–in an uncommon situation.”

Smith is the Creative Director for Media South, a full-service communications company in Knoxville, Tennessee. He holds a BFA from the University of Tennessee, an MA from Syracuse University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Hartford.