The objects and natural elements that surround us each day connect us to our lives and the people we share them with. My work is an ongoing exploration of my fascination with our ever-changing skies, the native plants and landscape below them, and still life that shows how we experience these natural elements on a more intimate level by incorporating them into our private spaces. I paint in oil using a mixture of application materials including synthetic and hog hair brushes, dry rags, and a range of palette knives.
I like to travel the Streets of Houston, The Backroads & Main Streets of Texas, and the roads, highways, and scenic byways beyond to find inspiration for my paintings.
“I create art glass décor using stained glass lead came, German leaded crystal and recycled American glass. I incorporate various elements, such as seashells, mirrors, color, & sacred geometry to achieve uniquely quirky and creative pieces.”
A Houston-based artist, I work primarily in watercolor on cotton paper. In 2015, I began creating detailed watercolor paintings of insects, arachnids, and small mammals, collectively called the Bugs Under Glass series. A common theme throughout my portfolio is that life itself depends on the small things we often take for granted. Take insects, for example: we often fear creatures that crawl, scuttle, or suddenly sprout wings and fly. However, once you see their beauty, you can begin to understand them, and fear fades as a clearer picture emerges. PaulAtwell.com
I create remarkable jewelry from antique and vintage architectural elements, including hinges, keyholes, chandelier parts and doorbells. I also repurpose musical instruments, clock-parts, vintage tools and postage stamps. I search high and low for castoff pieces of the past, then reinvent them. I frame them in classical jewelry settings, to highlight their hidden and often unintended beauty. The result is a striking and adventurous synthesis of industrial strength, history and glamour.
I’m an old hippie whose jewelry making began 20 years ago when on a dare my wife signed me up for a beginner beading class at a local bead shop. I was hooked pretty quickly and began making women’s jewelry using silver, stone and crystal beads and constantly learning techniques to make better pieces. While beading is still a passion, most of my work now is with chain and wire wrap.
Five years ago on yet another dare, I began making rings from old silver coins. I don’t cut or solder the coins. One coin makes one ring and the detail from both sides of the coin is preserved and visible. I fell in love with working metal, and am constantly learning new techniques and exploring the boundaries of turning old coins into cool jewelry. Taking something like a 100-year-old coin and turning it into something it was never intended to be has been an unbelievably rewarding journey, and I love that the possibilities are endless.
David Mercado, an Austin-based artist, first captivated audiences with his hummingbird series, a celebration of beauty, strength, and movement that earned national acclaim. As his career evolved, Mercado’s work expanded into bold abstract compositions, showcasing his growing depth and versatility. His “Virgen de Guadalupe” series offers an intimate reflection of his faith and heritage, transforming traditional iconography into striking, contemporary abstractions on board, paper, and furniture. Mercado’s art seamlessly blends tradition and innovation, creating vivid, soulful pieces that resonate deeply.
