Brookhaven Arts Alliance is hosting a special event this Saturday, Dec 10 from 11 a.m.  – 4 p.m. featuring discounted prices on fine art, pottery, jewelry and more. Over the years, BAA has collected donated art and will be selling the work to raise money for future BAA community events.This is a great opportunity to find some unique holiday gifts for friends and family or find the perfect item for that empty spot in your home. The event will feature a large range of work, not only fine art pieces, but also things like household items, crafts, and even home-made foods. Gretchen Roberts, …

Oglethorpe University Museum of Art (OUMA) hosts a new exhibition featuring the work of the Russian-born 20th century painter and printmaker, Marc Chagall. The exhibition named Chagall: The Early Etchings of the 1920s examines 65 monochromatic etchings and 6 colored lithographs. Museum Director, Lloyd Nick, walks us through the show, first hand. “This is a special collection unlike any other we’ve seen at OUMA. It was owned by one of the most important historians of the 20th century, Lionello Venturi, and gifted to Albert Skira's widow," Nick said. After the opening last Saturday, Sept. 24, …

Have you always been interested in art and wanted to start collecting art, but didn't know how to get started? There are a few things to consider when buying art that will ensure a good purchase that is right for you and that you will love in your home. This article provides some tips and tricks on how to get started on your art buying journey as well as things to look into and understand that will provide comfort and confidence in your purchase decisions.    Where to look: Art Festivals vs. Galleries Buying art can be intimidating, especially if you are not sure where to start. In my …

It's not easy being a new artist, and for Christy Murry juggling her day job as an administrative assistant and her passion for capturing daily life though her lens, is hardly a cakewalk. But she loves it. Featuring mostly traditional scenes from nature and objects in a guerrilla-style manner, she rarely stages scenes or edit photos. What's interesting about her work is that she finds most of her subject matter during her regular daily routines. She focuses on capturing interesting colors and textures that attract the eye, sometimes even finding unique and rare objects in the process. …

Brookhaven Art Alliance (BAA) will open a temporary art gallery in Town Brookhaven on Sept. 23. The Brookhaven Art Gallery will present the photography exhibition, On Edge: Beyond Editorial, curated by Denise Jackson and in combination with Atlanta Celebrates Photography.  Although only temporary, the opening of this new gallery in Brookhaven is a huge step for BAA. Successfully achieving this goal could bring the community closer to obtaining a permanent gallery for patrons. This would bump up programming for BAA from two annual events to year-round exhibitions. It would also provide art …

After reviewing last year’s art festival submissions, Brookhaven Arts Alliance (BAA) chose the finalist poster winner to represent the 2011 art festival. Deona Fish, an artist from North Carolina, won first prize for her 2D artwork in painting that displays energetic and colorful designs that mimic the whimsical nature of childhood nostalgia. The artwork selected by BAA will be premiered to the public in September and will be featured across all Brookhaven Arts Festival promotional gear for this coming Festival scheduled for October 15 and 16. The Commemorative Poster winner is chosen by an …

Is your summer style in dire need of revamping but you don’t have the funds to buy a whole new wardrobe? Try enhancing your wardrobe by adding new jewelry into the mix and make your own to custom pieces without spending your entire savings. Making your own jewelry is fun and is low cost with the right tools and supplies to get you started.  You can create many new designs for all your outfits that will surely bring your wardrobe up to speed. Begin by designing your new jeweled pieces. Think about styles of jewelry that inspire you and may also match that new tank hanging in your closet. If …

Opening this weekend is Georgia Shakespeare production of Antony and Cleopatra, a first ever performed piece for the company. The premier show is the second of four productions of this year’s 26th season Summer Festival. The festival opened just three weeks ago on June 8 with the classic Shakespearean tragedy, The Tempest. Playing alongside these two Shakespeare pieces is the hilarious comedy, Noises Off and the family musical, The Jungle Book. Richard Garner, Producing Artistic Director and co-founder of Georgia Shakespeare Company, talks about this season’s summer lineup. The Tempest is a …

Oil painting is a wonderful activity for the ambitious art connoisseur who wants to expand their knowledge and understanding of art practices. The ancient old craft of oil painting has existed for centuries and continues to be a wide spread passion and hobby among many. There are many benefits of painting that range from learning new skills to stress relief techniques. Painting can be beneficial for all levels and perspectives, whether you choose to join a class or experiment at home on your own time. Oil painting originated sometime in the eighth and ninth centuries, but did not reach …

As the school year comes to a close and summer approaches, resist the urge to go to the pool and check out the exciting summer art events in the neighborhood. This year’s 2011 schedule is full of fun art activities, festivals, and shows for the whole family - and they're local. First, if you missed the Oglethorpe Museum of Art (OUMA) exhibit, Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest: Modern & Contemporary Indian Art, do not worry. The popular exhibition has been extended to Sept. 4. In addition to the exhibition, OUMA will also offer art education lectures and programs for adults and children this …

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, don’t get overwhelmed this year choosing gifts for mom. Check out your local Baskets of Love and Embroidery shop, owned by Brookhaven resident, Vickie Riley. This one-of-a-kind online shop offers custom embroidered and monogrammed gifts at reasonable prices that would make wonderful gifts for mom this year. I stumbled across this shop by word-of-mouth and was immediately drawn into its creativity and unique approach to gift giving. Fareeza Mohammed, local business owner of The Little House of Art mentions, “Mrs. Vickie is a very loving person; she …

Spring is here and Easter has finally arrived! What better way to spend your weekend than to design custom decorated Easter eggs? This tradition of egg decoration has been a long-time enjoyed pastime for children and adults alike for years. Not only is it a fun and creative arts and crafts project but it is also a great way to spend quality time with your loved ones. And, the good news is there is no need to go out and buy egg dye kits and spend a lot of money in order to participate in this activity. This article will show you my top 5 everyday household items to create customized designs …

Janice Schmidt, a Brookhaven resident and local artist, began experimenting with mosaics about 15 years ago when a friend suggested she try it. Growing up in Cleveland, she was always creative and her mother and grandmother taught her the joy of working with her hands. Fast-forward to today and Schmidt’s art has matured into an impressive and prolific portfolio that includes figurative fine art, wearable mosaics and home furnishing. In a world of mass produced, cookie cutter merchandise, this local artist is convinced that “our hearts long for a connection with something that’s created by …

The Oglethorpe University Museum of Art is hosting a new and exciting exhibit, Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest, featuring modern and contemporary Indian art. The exhibition shows work from the mid-20th century to present, and ranges from portraiture, genre scenes, rural and urban landscape to historical content. Much of the art has a strong "modern-esque" abstract expressionist influence. Curator, Rebecca M. Brown said, “The paintings in Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest all date after 1947, the year India gained its independence after two centuries of British colonial rule.” The work selected …

If you are interested in changing up your evening routine while staying close to home, you should check out Creatively Yours (formerly known as Cocktails and Canvas) on Dresden Drive for a fun night of painting and conversing with friends. The studio offers adult art classes in a lively environment to Brookhaven patrons and visitors. The teachers are well-trained and provide a general framework for each class. Patrons are encouraged to ask questions, make alterations, but mostly, just to have fun and get creative. Taryn Reed, artist and owner of the Brookhaven location, opened Creatively …

As the art columnist for Brookhaven Patch, I’ve made it my main concern to seek out all art-related events, activities, and performances in and around the neighborhood. So far, I have found small businesses that encourage art education, non-profit organizations that plan festivals and performances, and a wonderful museum at Oglethorpe University. Although these are great finds, I still can’t help but feel shorted with the amount of art offered in Brookhaven. Speaking with Gretchen Roberts, executive director of Brookhaven Arts Alliance, she agrees. Brookhaven should offer more art to its …

As an artist and an educator in Atlanta, I am so happy to see an organization that specializes in the education of young artists in Brookhaven.  The Little House of Art is one such place - a studio that concentrates on the creative growth of children ages 2 and up.  The studio provides multiple services including free style art, art classes, birthday parties and special events, in a fun, educational, and safe environment. Intrigued by the little art studio’s reputation, I was thrilled to visit the space and speak with co-owner and Chief Operating Officer, Fareeza Mohammed. We sat down (in …

After spending so much time away in holiday mode, I was feeling a bit disconnected with the art scene in Brookhaven. With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to begin the New Year with a quick tour of the local art hot spots to get a feel for this year's offerings in Brookhaven. My journey took me to Dresden Drive - the home of two very hip art studios with two very different missions. The very cute Little House of Art, located at 1418 Dresden Drive Suite 110 is an art studio for children ages 2 and up. Although the studio is for children only, parents are sometimes allowed to participate…

If you decide to leave Brookhaven to ring in the New Year, and your trip requires airplane travel, schedule extra time in your trip to peruse the art at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. This airport space is adorned with local art work in and around terminals, baggage claim, between concourses, and in the main atrium gallery by the food court. These pieces are part of the Atlanta Airport Art Program which according to its website, is responsible for "commissioning artists for site-specific work, presenting rotating exhibitions, and scheduling performing art series."  Atlanta'…

In the spirit of the season, what better way to get into the holidays than to make home-made ornaments with family and friends? Ornament-making will surely keep adults and children of all ages occupied at the crafts table and will make this year's holiday a fun experience for all. Last weekend, I visited my local arts and crafts store  to buy "do-it-yourself" ornaments, ribbons, glitter and glue to make my own decorative ornaments. I made some for myself and some for gifts to give to others this season. For 30 ornaments plan to spend about $60 for supplies. If you decide not to spend that …