Artists with Pizzazz!

When I ran across Karen Hatzigeorgiou's website, I felt like a little girl who had discovered buried treasure in the backyard. Her interests are so varied, it's extraordinary that all that works springs from one mind. She's overflowing with rich ideas, each filled with colors and textures that point to an insatiable passion. I imagine she keeps a notepad nearby 24/7 to capture new ideas as they hatch.

I especially appreciate the stories behind her projects. "In my altered books and collage art, my primary goal is to intertwine text and imagery in an interesting way. I find myself drawn to themes involving people and nature. My work integrates the written word with textured surfaces containing vintage images and layers of paper, paints, and embellishments."

She also includes "Musings," a section of her poignant writings. One of my favorites is about her search for a couple whose photo she found in an antique store. She took time to phone someone who sounded like they might be the gentleman in the photo--all the way from California to New Zealand.
Read Somebody's Family. Another story details a special neighbor she'd grown to love. After fifteen years, she learns that the woman is moving away.

Ms. Hatzigeorgiou's art is remarkable, and her writing unforgettable. Visit Karen's Whimsy and see why I admired her work at first glance.

Here's an image from her ongoing Altered Book project, "The Art of Happiness." The Art of Happiness.
Written by John Cowper Powys ~ 1935
Altered by Karen Hatzigeorgiou ~ 2004 - 2008

I first came across Martin Waugh's incredible Liquid Sculpture website while searching for information on smoke art. I forgot the smoke in a hurry as one photo led to another. How a person perfects the art of capturing water in motion--and does so remarkably--is beyond my comprehension.

Martin's basement is his studio, as you'll see in the video below. "Fluids in motion fascinate my senses," he explains. "I feel their smooth and effortless curves: structures reflecting a perfect balance of dynamic forces. They tickle some faint physical memory, like a scent evoking a forgotten mix of feelings."

His website's "About the Artist" section reads, in part:

Martin's creative uses of high-speed photography make it possible to capture the smooth and effortless curves of liquid, eliciting a childlike sense of fun and whimsy. Interpretations of his work often reveal as much about the viewer as the artist. His images are engaging metaphors for life and are as intriguing to the eye as they are thought provoking.

By varying the size, speed and position of drops, as well as the color, viscosity, and surface tension, Martin creates a panorama of color, movement and intrigue.

Waugh's art makes me stare. It's like watching a splash happen in microseconds, with brilliant displays of color and light. Some of his photos appear to be jewels. One looks like a ruby pendant. Others take on a shape almost like a glass bowl. As you can imagine, no two photographs are alike. Like snowflakes, each mesmerizes with its one-of-a-kind beauty.

I can't imagine an artist ever tiring of work he loves. That's apparently the case with Martin Waugh, Liquid Sculptor. Read about his techniques and other musings at his blog, Martin Waugh: Father, Engineer, Artist.

One of New Zealand's leading hot glass artists, Peter Raos has been working with glass since 1979. Stating nature as his primary inspiration, Raos translates imagery from famous paintings into crystal, in much of his recent work.


Peter Raos' work because is a breath of fresh air--floral-scented air. Not only does he experiment with different shapes in his glass art, I love his use of the natural. His unique interpretations have been presented to many important dignitaries, including former President Clinton and the Prime Minister of New Zealand. Peter Raos' unique and beautiful designs radiate extraordinary creativity and imagination. In each design, one sees the passion of a man who has devoted his life to glass. Visit his gallery online.

"My objects reflect archetypal ideas about art and nature, such as color harmony, flow, and symmetry," Raos explains. "His goal is to present an art piece that excited the imagination of its owner in the same way he was inspired while in the process of creating it.

His imagination and sense of adventure has been credited with helping him to become one of New Zealand's leading hot glass artists.
He loves color and the organic nature of his work. This paperweight caught my eye immediately because I love details found in nature.

As a modern master craftsman, with the admitted advantages of computerized kilns and torches, Peter Raos still melts his own glass and mixes his own colors. He says he approaches glass as a painter would approach a painting. His formula for success is his own, but he's researched historic techniques and mastered them.

Raos has also developed certain types of imagery in his collections, which point to the influences of painters such as Monet (his lovely gardens), and Georgia O'Keefe, for her beautiful closeups of flowers.

Yet, in spite of his admiration for their work, his compositions are "distinctive, not derivative," says Raos.

"First I interpret my ideas as an image on paper, then I try to translate that image and maximize it into glass."