Artist Spotlight - VanArtLife

Scale models and miniatures have always interested me. I appreciate the skill involved in reproducing something many times smaller than the original. I suspect this interest is part of the reason I appreciate the miniature paintings of VanArtLife so much. Sometimes people don't have a lot of space to bring home new artwork and display it. It is easy for wall space to run out, especially in dorm rooms or nursing homes. Van's mini art pieces are a perfect way to be able to bring home some wonderful art that is a pleasure to look at and does not take up much room.

I first met Van at a local craft show. She was showing her paintings on very small canvases, placed on mini art easels. While the subject matter was rendered in tiny detail, it was accurate and visually pleasing. I let her know about a show I was putting together later that year and invited her to be a vendor. She took me up on my offer and she has participated in several of my 817ArtsAlliance produced shows since then. Van has also opened an Etsy shop so that when she is not at a show, you can find at least some of her work online. She will be participating this year in the 817ArtsAlliance Happy Holidays Hut at Christkindl for the duration, unless she sells out before the show is over.

If someone asked me what type of images I was most likely to seek out, pictures of fruit would not be my first answer. I'm not sure I would even think of that response. However, for some reason I was very drawn to Van's cherry paintings. Van also paints lovely things on clothes pins. These become functional pieces of art. They can be clipped on a lapel instead of a pin, or with a magnet attached to the back of the clothespin, they become a fridge magnet for holding lists, messages, etc..

To see more of Van's work, check out her Etsy shop and mark your calendars so you can stop by the Texas Christkindl Market this year to see her work in person.