Crochet Week: (Friday) Etsy Finds

I've an eclectic collection of crochet finds from Etsy for you today – the final installment in Crochet Week! There are so many talented people out and about making the most exquisite things with crochet, aren't there? Here are just some: Lichen Crochet Lariat Necklace - Bodhitree;  a selection of pieces from Elin Art; a fab iPod / phone holder by Valentine Arts; a medley of crochet gorgeousness by Astash; and the cutest of little crocheted animals from Handmade Awards. There were so many more fabulous finds on Etsy, but I'm sure you know this :) Hope you enjoy these + Happy Crochet Week!

Crochet Week: (Thursday) Carol Hummel + Outi Martikainen

I won't be participating in My Creative Space today... it's been a week of administrivia and I really don't have much to show for my labours I'm afraid... some weeks are like that :| 

Instead, I have two very talented people to showcase – both of whom are artists with a thing for decorating trees with crochet...

Just about everyone has heard of Carol Hummel. Her sculptural public art is her own vividly eye-catching telegraph which fuels her fame. She calls them Tree Cozies to highlight the soft encasing of a solid object. In fact, her work is all about dichotomies – the masculine and the feminine, surface and substance, concealment and protection. All culminate to connote the message that "things are not always as they appear to be and making choices independently of external determining forces is essential to living". Love a good message with a bit of crochet!

Outi Martikainen is a Finnish textile artist who also works with crochet. Again, her work is sculptural, but Outi is more interested in the design process; how forms take shape in space. That is, the most important thing for her is not the finished product but how she got there. She says that when crocheting her pieces she thinks about her grandmother and how she + her friends used to crochet blankets by sewing all their smaller pieces together. It's such a beautiful idea and gives hope that skills are not being lost around the world, don't you think? I found her via here.

Crochet Week: (Wednesday) Joana Vasconcelos

The work of Joana Vasconcelos is laden with crochet – if you look through her portfolio, it's like she wants to crochet the world! Statues, mannequins, furniture, everyday objects and even buildings and bridges have been the recipients of her crocheting attention. From what I can gather, though, her focus isn't on the craft itself. She sees crochet as an artistic tool to change the way people view objects by playing with what she calls the "fragile tension between high and low culture". Her work is basically about democratising objects and the crochet functions to draw the viewer in to contemplate the piece as a whole. Well, she certainly drew me in! I'm fascinated by her arts practice and totally in love with her divine crochet! 

I found her via here.

Crochet Week: (Tuesday) Arielle de Pinto

Now this is what I call creative anarchy – the divine crochet jewellery of Arielle de Pinto! The first time I saw these I knew I had to learn how to do it. Visions of anarchic crochet on my brooches filled my head! I wonder if that's how it is for everyone? You see something you like; a skill you admire, and after devouring it with your eyes all you can see is how you would do it your own way...? ;) Hmm, anyway, back to Arielle...

The reason these pieces are so breathtaking is that they have  such a raw, strong presence and yet are incredibly delicate and fine. These hand-crocheted pieces are made from sterling silver and vermeil metal. [French word originally for silver gilt but now means a combination of sterling silver, gold and other metals!]. The incredible colour variations are achieved through experimental oxidation techniques. You can find her exquisite work here. I found her via here.

Crochet Week: (Monday) Resurrection Fern

When I said I was learning to crochet "soon" there actually is no set time to that quest... So, to get myself motivated, I've decided to have a week of crochet posts. I'll be featuring artists and artisans who inspire me. No exhaustive research has been done to compile any sort of list I'm afraid – it's just work that I've stumbled upon and loved...

First up, Resurrection Fern. As much as I love the minute detailing of crochet (structure + discipline!) I also love the chaotic anarchy that can be achieved with it as well. Margie Oomen of Resurrection Fern seems to embrace both styles in her work. Nature plays a big part in inspiring her, with a lot of her work being crochet-covered sea stones. She actually sees her arts practice as a way of motivating people to get out there and be inspired by nature themselves; to appreciate just what we have that is worth saving. Her favourite quote is a Frank Lloyd Wright one... "Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." 

Visit Resurrection Fern Blog or Etsy Store to read more about Margie's process and works, or view her Flickr set. I first found her via Working Title.