Paul Nosa is like the Johnny Appleseed of creativity, eco-friendliness and edgy artistry. His national “sewing tour”—soon underway—cuts an ambitious swath that he hopes will inspire people’s creativity, provide a tangible patch for their ideas (literally), and teach them to use alternative energy sources. Nosa seeds ingenuity and delight wherever he sews.

“I’m an artist who draws with a sewing machine. My designs aren’t pre-drawn and I don’t use a computer or template. This is a non-traditional method of using a conventional sewing machine. I’m totally self-taught.”

Nosa, who has been sewing for the past eight years, asks people to think of a scenario in “five words or less,” and sews his interpretation on the spot onto a piece of fabric or “patch.” He’s put people’s ideas in stitches more than 5,000 times.

For the sake of sustainability, the sewing machine is mounted to his Solar Sewing Rover, a portable table powered by a solar panel and a bicycle electric generator (you’ve got to see it to believe it). People ride the bicycle and generate electricity to make their own patch.

With support from friends and well-wishers, Sewing Tour 2012 will begin from Nosa’s hometown of Tucson, Arizona, in May and finish in October. The tour will follow cities along the west coast including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and then head eastward to Chicago, Pittsburgh, Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C.—with many more cities to be included.

“By supporting the project, you will be helping to cover the cost of my solar-powered drive around the country. As well as receiving a piece of my artwork with your pledge, you will be helping people use their imaginations, understand how to use solar energy, and build a bicycle electric generator.”

Nosa will exhibit his fiber with function at Artexpo New York from March 22-25. He’s currently raising funds for the tour on his Kickstarter page.

Paul Nosa’s previous sewing installations include: San Francisco’s Exploratorium 2010 and 2011, Bay Area and New York Maker Faire 2010 and 2011, Pittsburgh Children’s Museum 2011, Oregon Country Fair 2010 and 2011, Harmony Festival 2010 and 2011, Bumbershoot 2010, Oakland Art MurMur 2010 and 2011, Sustainable Living Roadshow 2011, Treasure Island Music Festival 2010 and 2011, Philadelphia Folk Festival 2011, San Francisco and Chicago Renegade Craft Fair 2010, West Coast Art and Frame 2011, and New York Artexpo 2011.

I’ll close this post with a fun video about Paul’s work. He did the music and photography as well!

The sewing art of Paul Nosa — creative craftsman and Artexpo New York 2012 exhibitor — was just featured in Haute Living magazine! Here’s a link to the full article.

Stay tuned for a complete Artexpo blog post about Paul Nosa today…

“Go Big! Selling Art and Framing Services to the Healthcare, Corporate and Hospitality Industries”
Seminar by Litsa Spanos, 3-4 pm, March 22
Sponsored by Société Perrier — the source for art, nightlife and culture.

Ever noticed the art on the walls of banks, hospitals, corporate offices and hotels? Have you wondered how to get these institutions — and the designers who work with them — to buy art from you? Litsa Spanos, President of ADC (Art Design Consultants) has landed corporate accounts large and small throughout her 18 years in the business. In a seminar entitled “Go Big! Selling Art and Framing Services to the Healthcare, Corporate and Hospitality Industries,” Litsa will share proven methods that have helped win those clients — and she’ll show you how to do it, too.

If you want to generate new business, you won’t want to miss it —3:00-4:00PM on Thursday, March 22. Visit our Education & Events page for the full schedule of classes.

Who better to help us go big than Société Perrier, the pulse of intelligent culture worldwide? Curating the best in art, nightlife, music, fashion, travel, mixology and cocktail culture, Société Perrier is the trusted arbiter of what’s hot around the world. Whether you’re in New York, Miami, London, São Paolo or beyond — when you see the Sociéte Perrier seal, you know you are in the right place.

Société Perrier is the global enthusiast’s source for engaging content and great events and a valued sponsor of Artexpo New York. Pay them a visit at www.societeperrier.com. And remember: wherever you’re enjoying the finer things in life, be sure to include Perrier as your libation of choice — as a refreshing stand-alone or the perfect mixer!

And here’s a little more about Litsa Spanos:

Litsa Spanos

Litsa Spanos started ADC, Art Design Consultants, Inc. in 1991 with only two customers. Since then, she has increased her customer base to over 2000. Her award-winning, retail/wholesale art gallery specializes in corporate and residential art consulting. She joins the Artexpo seminar/education team to share the many ideas she has implemented throughout the years to help increase revenues and profit for her business.

For more about Litsa, you can visit her website at: www.adcfineart.com. She also has a fantastic blog about design and decor at www.adcfineart.com/blog.

Today’s Artwork of the Day is “Miami Magenta” by Artexpo New York 2012 exhibitor Hans Petersen.

"Miami Magenta" by Hans Petersen

Hans Petersen’s vibrant, large-scale paintings show the influence of the CoBrA Movement, a collective of Northern European artists dedicated to complete freedom in color and form. In the bright colors, aggressive brushwork and compositional excitement of “Miami Magenta” — part of Hans’ most recent body of work, ART-I-TECTURE — you can see how the Danish-American painter abstracts his environment into patterns and textures that seem to dance on the canvas.

“I process different aspects of architecture and environment and translate them into abstract, graphic, expressionistic paintings. As the title [ART-I-TECTURE] suggests, I rely on my knowledge of architecture and color to create visions of real and imagined images.”

Trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen, Hans settled into a successful career as a graphic designer. His work brought him to the USA; first New York City, then Charlotte, NC, where he created marketing materials for the American furniture industry. In 2005, Hans took up his brushes again as a full-time painter, yet his graphic design background still informs the visual logic and bold compositional sense of his canvases:

Barbara Koller, Scott Birnbaum, Hans Petersen at Miami SOLO

“Paintings with impact bring me pleasure. I strive to infuse a distinctive energy and character into my work to achieve excitement for myself and for others. If it goes unnoticed, it simply wasn’t worthwhile painting.”

Hans Petersen’s vivid paintings are sought after by discriminating collectors. Represented by galleries in Stamford, CT, Charlotte, NC and Copenhagen, and featured in private collections throughout the United States and Denmark, Hans is also making his work available to a wider audience via museum-quality reproductions as a Charter Member of Artexpo Studio.

Learn more about Hans Petersen at www.hanspetersenart.com — or meet him and view his canvases during Artexpo New York 2012, March 22-25 at Pier 92. And look for his online gallery, launching soon at ArtexpoStudio.com.

Are chocolate and fine art marketing high on your list of passions? If so, you won’t want to miss Your ‘No Excuses’ Daily Top 10 for Art Sales Success, a free seminar by art industry experts Linda Mariano and Rick Barnett, from 10:30-11:30 am on Thursday, March 22 in the Education Pavilion at Artexpo New York 2012. Sponsored by Heavenly Organics, this talk will equip you with the tools you need to stay motivated in today’s fine art market.

While you learn about the fine art of merchandising, you’ll be invited to sample delectable organic chocolates by Heavenly Organics. Crafted from Italian slow-roast dark chocolate and sweetened with 100% raw organic honey only, these sumptuous treats are works of art in themselves! 100% sustainable, 100% fairly-traded and 100% humane, all of Heavenly Organic’s products are produced by a cooperative of hundreds of organic farms in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains and throughout Northern and Central India. You’ll find both Chocolate Mint and Chocolate Pomegranate patties at Artexpo. For more info, visit www.heavenlyorganics.com.

Here’s a sneak preview of what you can expect from this lecture:

Your “No Excuses” Daily Top 10 for Sales Success!

Each of us is selling every day—whether it is our artwork, in a gallery, at the gym. Wherever we go, we are selling. Every day, we should have a goal and it is our job is to hit or surpass the target. Have you thought about it? Are you prepared? Everyone is counting on the salesperson to get the job done, but is it the salesperson’s job alone? It takes the whole team to get the job done and meet the sales goals. Without sales, companies go out of business. With sales, companies grow, people get promoted, get raises, artists are smiling and success is felt by everyone! Learn the critical “No Excuses” Top 10 Selling Tips and make them part of your daily “Checklist for Success.” Urgency, Product Knowledge, Organization, Merchandising and Dressing for Success are just some of the elements that will be covered during this session. It’s a great session, whether you are an artist, gallery owner or sales consultant.

You can see our full calendar of courses on our Education & Events page. Don’t have tickets to the show yet? Reserve yours online and we’ll send you a complimentary 1-year subscription to Art Business News magazine.

"Dogwood Bloom V" by Kristen Ray Naugle

Today’s Artwork of the Day is “Dogwood Bloom V,” a 32″ x 48″ mixed media work by Artexpo New York 2012 exhibitor Kristen Ray Naugle.

When asked what inspired this particular work, Kristen offered the following:

“The Dogwood is one of the first signs of Spring in Missouri. When you see it blooming, it’s hard not to be excited from the Dogwood’s promise of color. In the studio, the depth of color came alive with a Mixed Media treatment.”

Kristen’s luminous, vintage-inspired florals have been attracting media attention across the country. Her work was recently featured in a St. Louis Magazine spread, and she was named “One of 50 Artists to Watch” in the Nov/Dec issue of Art Business News Magazine. She’s also a Charter Member at Artexpo Studio, where you can find museum-quality reproductions of her original work. You’ll find her online gallery here: www.artexpostudio.com/kristen-ray-naugle

Based in Nixa, Missouri, Kristen grew up in a household of photographers and went on to obtain a BFA in graphic design from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Today, she gains inspiration for her work through her surroundings, often focusing on “the simplest and most basic objects.” Florals and nature are strong themes for Kristen, and she says her work is “a search for poetry in nature.”

Like good poetry, her mixed media works feature varying layers and subtleties. She carefully crafts each piece through layering color, texture, artistically influenced photography and hand embellishments.

In Nov/Dec of last year, Kristen showed her work at Miami [SOLO], where it was very well received. Here’s a photo of her booth:

Kristen Ray Naugle's booth at Miami SOLO last Nov/Dec.

We’re certain Kristen’s elegant florals will be a big hit in NYC as well, during Artexpo New York 2012, March 22-25 at Pier 92. Get your tickets online now, if you haven’t yet!

Meanwhile, find Kristen online at her website www.kristenraynaugle.com and at Artexpo Studio: www.artexpostudio.com/kristen-ray-naugle

Click here to purchase giclee reproductions of Kristen's work.

Could your gallery use a little boost? Litsa Spanos of ADC, Art Design Consultants, has some great suggestions for livening things up and bringing in new buyers. At this year’s Artexpo, Litsa will be giving a talk entitled “Bringing Art Buyers in Your Door with Exciting Events” on Thursday, March 22, from noon-1 pm. (Visit our Education & Events page for the full schedule of classes.)

While you’re learning great ways to refresh your gallery, sit back and revitalize yourself with a complimentary, super-hydrating Vita Coco coconut water. Vita Coco is as delicious as it is good for you. It’s chock-full of nutrients, potassium and electrolytes, and it’s entirely fat-free and cholesterol-free. As far as taste goes, some say it’s like putting a straw in a coconut! To learn more about Artexpo sponsor Vita Coco, visit www.vitacoco.com

Here’s what you can look forward to learning about in this seminar:

Bringing Art Buyers in Your Door with Exciting Events

In a time when galleries are running leaner, it’s critical to find new ways to get existing and new customers to buy art. In this session, Litsa Spanos of ADC, Art Design Consultants, will share low-cost event ideas she has used to energize and renew her award-winning gallery. These inspirational and unique gallery experiences can ultimately help you increase your customer base and revenues.

And if you haven’t already heard the lovely and talented Litsa Spanos speak, here’s a little bit about her:

Litsa Spanos, President at ADC Fine Art

Litsa Spanos

Litsa Spanos started ADC, Art Design Consultants, Inc. in 1991 with only two customers. Since then, she has increased her customer base to over 2000. Her award-winning, retail/wholesale art gallery specializes in corporate and residential art consulting. She joins the Artexpo seminar/education team this year for the first time to share with you, her many ideas that she has implemented throughout the years to help increase revenues and profit for her business.

For more about Litsa, you can visit her website at: www.adcfineart.com. She also has a fantastic blog about design and decor at www.adcfineart.com/blog.

Independent artists and exhibitors in our [SOLO] pavilion: start the first day of Artexpo New York 2012 off right! Join us for a continental breakfast in the Education Pavilion for refreshments and a [SOLO] Q&A, 9-10 am, Thursday, March 22.

Sip on your delicious new coffee replacement, provided by Artexpo show sponsor Bai, while Artexpo CEO Eric Smith offers advice on marketing to wholesale buyers. Bai creates refreshing, all-natural infusions that blend coffee’s secret superfruit with fresh, exotic fruit flavors to fend off free radicals. Learn more at www.drinkbai.com

Here’s what you can look forward to at the [SOLO] Q&A:

SOLO Q&A with Eric Smith

A guide to pricing your work and preparing yourself for the wholesale market, for publishers, dealers, designers, consumers. This class is a comprehensive overview of the art industry and marketplace. You’ll learn pricing for publishers, art dealers, art galleries, designers and retail—what they expect and what you should expect.

View our 2012 Education Series schedule anytime for the full roster of courses!

Planning on heading to Artexpo this March, but not sure where to stay? We’re here to help! Artexpo exhibitors and attendees alike are invited to enjoy discounts on comfortable, luxurious lodging close to the show. Below, you’ll find a little info on our partnering hotels. Both are centrally located and beautifully appointed. (Ready to book? Visit our Hotel & Travel page now.)

Official Artexpo Partnering Hotels

Ink 48
Enjoy a stylish urban retreat in this upscale Kimpton hotel, complete with destination spa, breathtaking Hudson River and city skyline views and acclaimed dining.

Yotel
Positioned at the Midtown West neighborhood of the Big Apple, YOTEL New York at Times Square is located in the heart of the action.

To find out more information on pricing and booking, please visit our Hotel & Travel page.

"The Special Flower #36" by Artexpo New York 2012 exhibitor Tahline Toranian

Today’s Artwork of the Day is “The Special Flower #36″ by Artexpo New York 2012 Exhibitor Tahline Toranian. Tahline is also a Charter Member at ArtexpoStudio.com, where you can find museum-quality reproductions of her original artwork. Here’s a link to her profile page: www.artexpostudio.com/artists/tahline-toranian

Tahline will be joining us this year all the way from Sidney, Australia. We’re looking forward to welcoming her to the Big Apple and seeing her contemporary floral art in the gallery-style exhibition space of Pier 92!

Tahline’s striking florals—part of her signature “Special Flower” series—are at once abstract and representational. With their stylized shapes and arcing, artful lines, they invite interpretation. In this particular piece, the viewer might at first glance see a flower, then perhaps an exotic bird, and then perhaps an emotive exploration with color and form.

Art and color are “like air and water” for the artist, who says she does not feel fully present unless she is exploring both. As for her process, she says:

“I focus mainly on abstract[ions], heavy color and texture-based styles. I love unique color schemes, striking light features, and delicious, touchable textures. I am inspired foremost by flowers, and anything organic found in the most surprising and unconventional locations: the gutter, someone’s plate, underneath a tree. I love anything unconventional, the history of old-style pieces, elements positioned to defy the norm, fresh, gloriously traditional pattern, and luscious textures that make me want to enter into and merge as one with the medium.”

It is this marriage of both traditional “old-style” elements and bold, modern strokes that makes Tahline’s artwork an ideal choice for the contemporary collector. We’re confident her work will be a big hit in the New York market and beyond.

As for how Tahline was led to pursue a career in the arts, she says:

“Drawing and coloring were as natural to me as breathing, back to my earliest memories. I obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design, plus a Diploma in Design Fundamentals from both The University of Western Sydney and Enmore Design Centre. But something never felt right until, one day, I took a random glance at a box I had in the corner of my apartment. It contained drawings I had completed years earlier. I pulled the works out and said to myself, ‘There is no way I can make a career out of this.’ And then, within seconds, I thought again: ‘I am going to make a career out of this.’ I haven’t looked back since.”

While drawing and painting flowers is Tahline’s current passion, she’s not interested in just the average still life with daisies!

“I want to push and redefine this subject matter in ways no one has ever thought or dared to do so before, creating pieces that make the viewer question logic and convention from that point onward.”

If you’re interested in seeing more of Tahline’s contemporary florals, you can find her online at tahline.blogspot.com Also,be sure to click the image below and visit her online gallery at Artexpo Studio!