I thought I’d start today by bringing a burst of exotic colour to your monitor in the form of these stunning flowers by glass-blowing artist Dale Chihuly.

These works were exhibited at the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory of Tacoma in Washington, USA.

Who’s your favourite glass artist? Feel free to share pics of gorgeous glass. :-)

Glass flowers by Dale Chihuly

Photo: Michael D. Martin

Glass flowers by Dale Chihuly

Photo: Michael D. Martin

Glass flowers by Dale Chihuly

Photo: Michael D. Martin

Glass flowers by Dale Chihuly

Photo: Michael D. Martin

Jayne Leighton Herd is a professional abstract artist. Visit her online galleries to find out more and to view her vibrant textile-like abstract art paintings.

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Let’s get Monday off to a great start with something amusing!

If you’re a car-mad footwear fan then this could be the vehicle for you!

Electric shoe car

Electric shoe car by AoKang

Chinese footwear company AoKang is behind this electric two-seater car as a promo for their shoes. Capable of speeds up to 30 kmh (18 mph), the aerodynamic mens dress shoe boasts a 400 km (186 m) range from a single charge.

AoKang has plans to make 40 of these hush puppies and to sell them for $6,500 each!

It’s certainly original, but I’m not sure that it’s going to be ideal for the weekly trip to the supermarket! ;-)

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No Woman, No Cry by Chris Ofili

No Woman, No Cry by Chris Ofili. Courtesy of Google Art Project

These are exciting times for perusing and for purchasing art online as a new wave of digital art ventures hits.

The recent VIP Art Fair, a virtual fair for top-end galleries and high-price artworks, which was unfortunately plagued by technical glitches, relaunched the question of whether fine art really can be successfully sold online?

The latest online art venture in the news is the newly launched Google Art Project. This is a collaborative partnership  between Google and 17 of the world’s leading arts organisations, such as the Tate Britain,  the National Gallery and the Met in New York.

Google’s project enables anyone with access to sufficiently speedy Internet to take a virtual 360 degree tour of the participating galleries. Alternatively, choose to enjoy selected invidual artworks in high resolution, zooming in to view minute details.

Those of you who know and like Google Street View will be comfortable with navigating round these galleries online.

This evening I tried out Google Art Project from the comfort of my office. I took a trip to Museum Kampa in the Czech Republic and took a very close look at ‘The Cathedral’ by František Kupka. Then I popped into Tate Britain to see ‘No Woman, No Cry’ by Chris Ofili.  And wow, the detail is amazing! Plus, no queues, no crowds and no tired feet.

Of course, this online viewing is no substitute for visiting the galleries and experiencing all that superb art in person. But as I am unlikely to physically visit Museum Kampa anytime soon, now at least I have an opportunity to discover  some of its treasures, if only from a virtual distance.

Visit Google Art Project

Let me know what you think about Google Art Project.

Have fun
Jayne  :-)

Jayne Leighton Herd is a professional visual artist based in Berkshire in the UK. Her high impact abstract paintings are vivid experiences that satisfy both sight and touch.

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Mini Paintings by Jayne Leighton HerdStill looking for an original Christmas present?

Well look no further! I’ve just opened my new online gallery shop for my gorgeous mini paintings.

These fabulous little original paintings come giftwrapped in cellophane, and the very affordable price includes postage to a UK address.

So there is every reason to give someone you love the very unique gift of an original work of art. Or to simply treat yourself!

You can order online too, so no need to go out in the cold or to brave the Christmas crowds – perfect!

Take a look round my mini painting gallery now and choose your favourite. :-)

Mini Painting Gallery - original art by Jayne Leighton Herd

Buy original mini paintings by Jayne Leighton Herd online now

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Considering all the snow that’s been falling in the UK in the last week or so, I thought it only right to add a post that is snow-related! ;-)

A friend shared one of the images below with me and after a bit of investigation it turns out that this snow sculpture is apparently by sculptor G. Augustine Lynas. He created the two feet in front of his building on West 83rd Street in New York City.

So now every time that someone tells me that they have two feet of snow outside their house I shall think of this fab snow sculpture and smile.

Two Feet of Snow by G. Augustine Lynas

Two Feet of Snow by G. Augustine Lynas

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Just wanted to share images of two large paintings I recently completed. I love working  large scale and am so pleased with these paintings.

Let me know what you think?

The Thaw - abstract painting by Jayne Leighton Herd

'The Thaw', original abstract painting by Jayne Leighton Herd. © Jayne Leighton Herd. All rights reserved.

Acrylic / mixed media on canvas
91 x 122 x 3.8cm

'Opening Up', original abstract painting by Jayne Leighton Herd‘Opening Up’, original abstract painting by Jayne Leighton Herd. © Jayne Leighton Herd. All rights reserved.

Acrylic / mixed media on canvas
122 x 91 x 3.8cm

For more information about my work please visit my online art galleries.

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Get creative with your Christmas decorationsI never need an excuse to get creative and neither do you. :-)

And at an expensive time of year, in a year where people are particularly cost-conscious due to the economic situation, this is a good opportunity to get creative with your Christmas decorations.

So here are a few ideas for simple Christmas tree and table decorations. Some of the ideas use natural materials, many of which you could find and gather while out for a walk. Have fun making these with the kids and ensure that your decorations are original, unique and have their own story to tell in future years.

  • Gather some brightly coloured leaves and ones with interesting shapes. Make sure the leaves are dry and then wax them. Or paint or spray them. Scatter a few as table ornaments, fill a bowl or decorative dish or add them to the Christmas tree with a ribbon tie.
  • Collect together pinecones, pine sprigs, acorns, nuts, twigs, small branches, pebbles, gravel, etc. See what you can find lying around while you’re out for a walk. Spray them in gold, silver, white, etc. Or use glittery paint. Add a brightly coloured or sparkly tie or bow. Hang them on the tree or make a decoration for a window or door. Create a table centrepiece adding a selection of items to a pretty bowl or dish. Or create place holders.
  • Tie bundles of cinnamon sticks together with pretty ribbon. You can add these around the house, hang them on the tree, or use them to create your table decoration.
  • Spray bare branches with white or silver paint and place in a large vase to create a lovely display. Or use spray-on snow. Removable spray-on snow can also be used with stencils to add snowflakes and icicles to windows.
  • Trim fresh evergreen branches from a tree and place them across the mantelpiece. Add some pinecones or other elements (see previous ideas) to the greenery. Entwine some gorgeous, textured ribbon or garland through the display. Add some height to the display by placing sprayed branches or twigs with red berries in vases or votives of different sizes. Or fill clear vases or  bowls with spray-painted nuts and pebbles or glass beads.
  • If you want to create a display that has a snow effect use white and silver. Line the mantelpiece or surface with scrunched tulle or other suitable white or silvery fabric. Add clear vases filled with silver glass ornaments and clear votives with white candles. Use glitter and paint to add the illusion of freshly fallen, sparking flakes.
  • And don’t forget to think about how to use fairy lights (safely) in your decorative creations.

I hope that these suggestions have sparked some creative ideas.

Feel free to add your own suggestions for homemade Christmas decorations in the comments section.

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What do you usually use a pencil for? Writing, doodling, sketching, chewing on the end?

What if the pencil itself was art?

Take a look at these intricate, miniature sculptures carved by Dalton Ghetti onto the tips of pencils.

Pencil sculpture by Dalton Ghetti

Pencil sculpture by Dalton Ghetti. Image from Best Design Tuts

Lead boot by Dalton Ghetti

Lead Boot by Dalton Ghetti. Image from Best Design Tuts

Who else creates unusual sculptures or uses unexpected materials?

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Taking full advantage of yesterday being a lovely, sunny Sunday, my other half and I decided to venture into London for the afternoon. We enjoyed a delicious al fresco lunch and followed that up with a dessert of contemporary art at the Saatchi Gallery. Don’t worry, I didn’t miss out on a real dessert: a yummy French patisserie was consumed later in the afternoon. ;-)

Anyway, I want to share with you an installation by John Wynne displayed in the Saatchi Gallery, which I found particularly intriguing: 300 speakers, progressing from random solo units seeming to form stepping stones towards the ceiling-high, obelisk-like pile in the corner of the gallery space. Speakers of varying shapes, sizes and vintage, some of which were conected to a pianola (and a vacuum cleaner!) nestled in amongst the pile, programmed to repeat an almost eerie series of notes at regularly spaced intervals.

As I stood gazing up to the top of the speaker spire, I wondered how long it took the artist to collect them all and how he went about it. I bet that some of those old speakers have a really interesting background story.

Speaker installation at the Saatchi Gallery

Installation for 300 speakers, Pianola and vacuum cleaner by John Wynne

Who else has seen this installation and what did you think?

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I really love this innovative sculpture made from recycled skateboards, by Japanese wood sculptor Haroshi.  He combines a much-loved hobby of skateboarding with recycling to create fun, colourful art – works for me! ;-)

'screaming my foot' | 2010 image © designboom

mad skull, 2009 | image © designboom

piles of skateboard decks in haroshi's studio | image courtesy of territory magazine

For more images of Haroshi’s fabulous sculpture, visit designboom

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