Newly Added One of A Kind Items

image from reciprocityimages

We are so excited to have a collection of one of a kind items from the Shipibo tribe of the Peruvian rain forest. The ritual process of embroidery is considered sacred among the tribe and these handmade pieces showcase the beautiful work and vision of these talented individuals.

This gorgeous sacred cloth full of intricate embroidery could be used as a table cover or wall hanging...it's perfect to place sacred items upon.

We've got several amazing bags full of colorful and fun embroidery work, this slouchy shoulder bag being one of our very favorites.

How could you not feel groovy wearing this awesome tank top?

Check out all of the new items at the One of A Kind Collection section of our website.
 

Much love from your friends at Blue Sky <3

Amazon Dream

Blue Sky is pleased to partner with ACEER on our Amazon Dream line of handmade jewelry. We are now offering this line of products produced by Shipibo artisans in the central Peruvian rainforest, where ACEER has been working since 2008. 

One of our favorite pieces in the collection, this bracelet is comprised of hand painted shicapa seeds that are sustainably gathered in the Amazon. The painting represents worms nurturing the soil of the Earth.

With each item purchased through Blue Sky, you are making a real difference in the lives of the Shipibo-Conibo peoples of Amazonia.  Each piece is unique, hand-made, and reflecting the sacred wisdom and symbols of these native peoples.  Every item represents a part of the rich traditions of the Shipibo that go back thousands of years, demonstrating in a powerful way that the culture and natural resources of the Amazon can be protected. Not only that, but the jewelry is super groovy!  Proceeds from your purchases will allow ACEER to supply badly needed educational materials for Amazonian children, essential teacher training in conservation education, and funds for sustainable community development projects.  Thank you for making a difference!

This gorgeous necklace is a staple in our wardrobe! Made out of acai seeds that are sustainably gathered and hand dyed by the Shipibo, the colors match almost everything and at 52" it is plenty long to wrap around your neck more than once.

We love to wrap the necklace around our wrist to get get that chunky bracelet look.

The Art of Amanda Sage

Here at Blue Sky we are artists and students. We study truth and its' deep meaningful effect on our souls as well as the universe. Amanda Sage shares that same sentiment. Her visionary pieces focus on the feminine mystique and collective unconsciousness of our world. Amanda hails from Denver, CO but has spent time all over the globe, currently practicing in Vienna. Though her main studio is based in Los Angeles, Amanda can be seen at live painting at music festivals and exhibiting her work in galleries with other visionary artists.

image from amandasage.com

'Mars' is a beautiful display of a fierce goddess. The color and line work in the piece keep the eye moving throughout the image. This piece seems simple compared to Amanda's later work, yet still has the fundamental pieces that make 'Mars' very much her own.

image from amandasage.com

'Illuminance' is an impressionist piece that so beautifully captures the essence of a goddess. Her cascading rows of color once again keep the eye moving throughout the entire piece, constantly intrigued.

image from amandasage.com

 2010's 'Daughter of the Divine Flow' marks an exciting time. The previous two images (the first from 2008 and second from 2009) display beautiful craftsmanship and technique, but around the era of 'Daughter of the Divine Flow' it seems that Amanda really began combining and layering the techniques that make her so unique, in turn creating a much more resolved and mature body of work that we just can't get enough of.

image from amandasage.com

'Limbic Resonance' is a beautiful display of the force fields connecting us to ourselves, each other, and the universe. From the background of the planet all the way to the flowers in the woman's hair, every element is so carefully executed, making not only a piece that is aesthetically pleasing, but conceptually stimulating as well.

image from amandasage.com

2012's 'Spirit' brings us to Amanda's most recent collection. We are reminded of so many different things when we view this piece. Most notably would be the Egyptian collar reference on the neck of the spirit, as well as the Black Rock City, Nevada landscape.


We encourage you to check out her website here to view some more of her work. Make Art Not War!

Throw Down Your Heart

We've always loved the way Béla Fleck plays the banjo, but after seeing his film, Throw Down Your Heart, we are taken aback by the beauty of Béla's trip to Africa. In the documentary, Béla brings the banjo back to its' birthplace. It's so funny that we usually associate the banjo with a southern, country music sound when it's roots are in Africa. Once we heard the banjo accompanied by some of the best musicians in Africa, we could hear how well it fit in with these instruments that it's not typically played with in America. Béla even found a young man who plays the instrument that the banjo is believed to be derived from. Watching the reaction of the locals to Béla's playing, as well as his reaction to the different instrumentation and vocal range of the locals was so fun. The collaborations Béla has with musicians around the continent are jaw dropping. We were so moved by Béla's collaboration with Oumou Sangare that we were brought to tears. Watching 2 people communicate so clearly through music is so powerful! Check out a clip from the documentary above where Béla plays with Ruth, the only female thumb piano player in Jinja.

Andy Goldsworthy

image from morning-earth

The Earth Art of Andy Goldsworthy continues to blow our mind. Andy doesn't use elements that aren't found in nature, and often time his work lasts only a few hours before naturally ceasing to exist. The temporary beauty of impermanent structures produced in and by nature is a concept that resonates. The question of 'is it worth it?' is often raised in conjunction with Goldsworthy's work and our response is yes!

image from morning-earth

 image from morning-earth

The ice star pictured above is made from icicles and saliva. Andy mentions how he can't use gloves while working with ice because he can't control the ice correctly. We can only imagine how cold his fingers were after creating this piece of work.

 image from morning-earth

The floating piece above combines palm leaves with berries for a stunning combination of colors. We love the idea of a water canvas that floats down the river.

 image from morning-earth

The arrangement of leaves of different stages of life is stunning to look at. But beyond the visual beauty of Andy Goldsworthy's work we have a yogic sense of 'Be Here Now' which is what really draws us to Andy's work. We challenge you to think not about the end product and what you will have to show in life, but about the journey of getting there and how sometimes the impermanence of things is what makes them special.

Click here to visit a visual catalog of all of Andy's work.

Experience Emily Kell

 image from emkell

We can't get enough of Emily Kell! Her work is so much more than just something groovy to look at. Emily is inspired by ancient ideologies, cultures, patterns, and philosophies. Through Emily's work we are transported to a place that makes us feel closer to our human family.

image from emkell

We have seen a lot of Emily's work in person and are here to tell you that pictures can't convey the magic of seeing her originals. Emily often times constructs 2 layer canvases (as seen in the 2 images above) that have cut-outs that allow a back layer to peek through with sacred imagery.

image from emkell

Emily is an avid live painter and can be seem painting at musical festivals and concerts all over the south. The piece feature above, "Fibonacci Goddess," was painted at Archnemisis, EP3, Sir Charles, and Ployd.

 

image from emkell

Emily has participated in countless exhibitions and currently has work being shown in Richmond Hill, Georgia where she is practicing reiki.

 

image from emkell

 To check out an awesome flip book of the creative process of the piece above, click here.   To purchase a print of Emily's work and see a whole lot more of her art, click here.