Monday Morning Mosaic

I've personally explored a wide variety of different art forms and crafts. Some of them I enjoyed and others I didn't. Some, I wanted badly to be good at but wasn't and others I was good at and yet not quite good enough.

In today's mosaic, I'd love to introduce you to four talented artists that I personally admire beyond words and whose creativity, imagination and talent take my breath away.

Nature Mandalas - Nature Photography Prints

Rocky Top Studio from Belfast, Maine

A published, award winning professional photographer based in Midcoast Maine, the artist that runs this ship has been photographing full time for over 10 years and it shows in the quality of the work you will find there. With an eye for beauty and a talent for sharing it through photo prints and note cards, this shop is a breathtaking display of nature's beauty. Currently, they are also having a "Buy One Print, Get One Free" sale as well!

Black Sketchbook - Original Paintings by International Artist Claire Elan

Claire Elan from Los Angeles, California

Original one-of-a-kind oil paintings and drawings by international artist, Clair Elan. These paintings have a soul reaching melancholy to them and a life breathing quality that draws the eye and speaks to the soul. Each painting includes a detailed certificate of authenticity from the artist. The gallery of paintings in the Black Sketchbook is a small one, but well worth an admiring eye and some deep contemplation as well.

The Dancing Brush - Contemporary Organic Abstract Art

The Dancing Brush from Nashville, Tennessee

Specialty plasters, metals and glazes combine in the creation of this new body of work with a unique flair and one of a kind texture reminiscent of mother nature herself. Every piece has a birth and life of its own and every one come out different and I'm so enraptured with the artist's trees that I've been dying to buy one of her pieces for myself. This artist has an eye for beauty and a way of communicating her vision that reflects her love for her work.

Studio Rayyan - The Fairy Tale and Fantasy Art of Omar Rayyan

Omar Rayyan from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

When I saw the Squid Contessa, I knew this was an artist I had to introduce to my readers. The detail and imagination in the works by Omar Rayyan are more than breathtaking but awe inspiring and rich with fantasy and imagination. Fantasy art, fairy tales, folklore and flights of fancy fill this shop and are available in both original art and art prints as well as mini prints.

The handmade marketplace and the talented artisans you'll find there are a terrific alternative to commercial products and with the added bonus of personalized care and an attention to detail and quality that commercial products lack.

When shopping for artwork, prints and other items to add to your home decor, don't forget to browse through artisan works and see what you can find, you'll be surprised at just how much creativity, originality and quality is out there!

Licoricewits - I'm glad you're weird...

Do you have that one friend that marches to a different drummer and is almost impossible to shop for because their... well, just a little weird or even slightly odd?

Okay well I have more than one of those. I have a barrage of them! And all year round, I hunt for "the perfect gift" for each of these individuals on my list. Something little, something cute, something perfect and just for them.

Today's shop is filled with just these perfect gifts! And I wanted to make sure I introduced you to them just in time for the beginning of the holiday shopping season too, so maybe you can find that perfect something for someone on your list (or, let's admit it, maybe a little something for yourself too!)

Licoricewits on Etsy is filled with zombies, monsters, aliens and other things cute for the "slightly odd" in life. They have aliens and robots, Sasquatch and goblins mixed along side perfect little cake toppers and nerd girl gifts. I am in love with their little wooden Kokeshi dolls, but they also have bookmarks and art prints, magnets and even original paintings!

Terry, the artist behind Licoricewits, is based in Vancouver, BC and has a love for horror, sci-fi and most things cute and has done an amazing job of incorporating all of that together into a terrific shop filled with wonderful items to tempt you with.

This extremely talented artist also does animal artwork in their second shop, SavageArtwork on Etsy, which is filled with owls, penguins and a variety of bunnies, ducks, wolves and other animals on prints, magnets and more.

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO VISIT LICORICEWITS OR SAVAGEARTWORK ON ETSY AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN CLICK RIGHT HERE FOR LICORICEWITS... OR RIGHT HERE FOR SAVAGEARTWORK!