New Collages

Two new collages, the one above is called: "Underwater Happiness Machine" ~

The collage above is called: " Rock and Roll Intrigue" ~ I was so inspired by all my cool art and fashion magazines around the house and decided to sacrifice them and cut them up and I think it turned out fabulous. These two originals are available, $175 each. Comment or email me if interested at: swartzkopf@yahoo.com

New seaglass creations coming soon!

 

 My happy studio and some NEW seaglass from Rhode Island  - much of it is vintage, and I plan to make pendants and other cool things with it.

 

 The patterns are really unique, I think this glass is from long ago and from someone's glass bowls and dishes. Interesting to wonder where it came from originally? Stay tuned to see my finished creations, very excited!

Four New Psychedelic Waterfall Prints~

 I decided to make some new digital art with the psychedelic waterfall pictures we took in Kauai in March and came up with four, fabulous new digital art prints available through fine Art America ~ ALOHA!
 

  

"Blue Lava Waterfall"  This one has an oriental tone about it maybe because of the dark accents in the tree branch at the top and in the waterfall itself~ Prints here:http://fineartamerica.com/featured/blue-lava-waterfall-erika-swartzkopf.html

Above: "Green and Purple Waterfall" prints here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/green-and-purple-waterfall-erika-swartzkopf.html

"Antique Waterfall" ~ I love how the yellow effect makes it look antique and gives it a surreal but warm glow.
Prints available here:http://fineartamerica.com/featured/antique-waterfall-erika-swartzkopf.html

"Green and Red Nightfall"  A close-up on the crashing waves of the waterfall~ http://fineartamerica.com/featured/green-and-red-nightfall-erika-swartzkopf.html

Martini Madness~ The Martini Series!

My latest work is a trilogy of Psychedelic Martini Paintings ~ all three originals are available, as well as prints. I was inspired by 1950s martini art and decided to give it a psychedelic 1960s spin:

This one is called "Psychedelic Martini Glass"

Buy a print here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/psychedelic-underwater-martini-glass-erika-swartzkopf.html

This one above is my favorite: "Martini Parfait", it looks like a martini ice-cream sundae! I've tried to include more detail work in this one. Buy a print here:http://fineartamerica.com/featured/martini-parfait-erika-swartzkopf.html

This one is called "Martini Olive Garden", it inspired the trilogy originally and looks like a martini tree with 3 olives attached by threads.

Buy a print here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/martini-olive-garden-erika-swartzkopf.html

Pendants and Mini-Paintings Sale!

Post updated with new pics! Fabulous, Vintage Seaglass Pendants for sale only $20, wrapped in copper-core, silver wire and also used glass beads, Jobe's tears seeds (found here on Oahu) and puka shells. I've been experimenting with different techniques and awesome vintage beach glass from the east coast and have reached a point where I am very happy with my latest creations. Shipping is free for now and each pendant comes with a 24", sterling silver chain. These seven pendants are not yet in my Etsy store, but they will be very soon, and i will add shipping at that point so buy now~

I will number them 1-7 from left to right, leave a comment if interested or email: swartzkopf@yahoo.com

Four, framed Mini-Paintings $22 each. From left to right: "Abstract flower Vase", "Shimmer Fish", "Golden Mangos" and "Electric Rendezvous".  Here's the link to my Etsy store, you can buy these directly here if you like: http://www.etsy.co/shop/PsychedelicWaterfall?ref=si_shop

The Makua Mermaid~

A Psychedelic Mermaid showed up at Makua!  I made sure that I photographed her ;)

Prints available for purchase here: http://www.fineartamerica.com/featured/blue-green-psychedelic-makua-mermaid-erika-swartzkopf.html

and another color, buy prints here: http://www.fineartamerica.com/featured/psychedelic-makua-mermaid-erika-swartzkopf.html

Makua Campout 2011

Joe and I set out to go, car all packed with tent and sleeping bags, cooler filled with drinks and food and Joe's surfboard (ya never know if there's gonna be surf!)

The valley was SO green when we got there from recent, heavy rains, it seemed like wintertime 

Pretty soon the gang got there and started to play music and get settled and put up tents.

Cocktail time!

 The big picture!
then
sunset!

Fortunately, someone left us some wood! (and others in our group brought some, too).

And Darryl and Malia's dog, Woof had fun looking for little crabs in the sand~

Great place to have a birthday!

A fabulous sunset, I like how the red reflects on the sand.

 Joe put together a crew that started the fire.

 SUCH a big moon, almost full and you could see many, many stars, too.

 So much awesome music was played: Scarlett Begonias/Fire on the Mountain, Dear Prudence, Dark Star, Wish you Were Here and the list goes on... five guitars, harmonica, cello, sitar, celtic harp, drums and ukulele were played and people were still playing as the sun came up!

Not your typical fireside instruments, but my friends are classy that way~

 About 60 people made it out this year, not every one stayed over but lots of people showed for the group shot the next morning~ The 2011 Erika and Cynthia's Birthday Makua official group shot. I couldn't have asked for better friends than these!

The ocean was so crisp and clear the next am. We saw dolphins from a distance but they left when a boat showed up, so we weren't able to swim with them this time - next year!

Til next year! (or maybe before that, hmmmmm)

Pakele Live at the Willows Restaurant~

So, before we head out to Makua for the weekend campout, Joe and I treated ourselves to some Hawaiian music at Pakele Live at the Willows restaurant to see the Kalama brothers play. They were awesome! I especially loved their "Oahu" song. We didn't take any pics of the band because they were filming it and we didn't want to disturb the filming with camera flashes. For those of you that don't know, the Willows has been around since the 1940s and has waterfall, bridges and a beautifully landscaped grounds - hard to believe it's actually in a heavily-populated neighborhood!

There is a stream that flows right throught the restaurant and a huge tree that grows in the middle of it.

One of the tables is actually on a "boat"!

And of course there are waterfalls

 The food was outstanding, everyone especially loved the Lup Cheong fried rice, so ono (yummy)!

One last waterfall before we went home!



Five Abstracts and a story~

Print available here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/makua-bonfire-2010-erika-swartzkopf.html?newartwork=true

I'm very excited! This weekend, hubby and I are going on a beach camping trip to Makua beach. The beach is on the less-populated, west side of the island of Oahu, very different from heavy-populated East Oahu, where we live and the views are absolutely stunning! It's great to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and if we're lucky, wild dolphins will come out in the morning and swim with us. One year they swam less than 25 yards from the beach!  We've been camping out at this specific beach for my birthday for over 15 years now. The most memorable campout has to be my 30th birthday, when over 100 people showed up to celebrate with me - what joy to call all of those people my friends! I hope to take lots of photos this year and share them with new and old blog and Facebook friends. We're hoping for good weather but will go in any case (weather in Hawaii is never too bad, lol).  This year friends from the mainland and from an outer island are flying in for the celebration, too. We usually have a bonfire after sunset and a native-American sweat lodge (that my friend builds out of tarps and hot rocks from the fire) for people to sweat it out and jump in the ocean afterwards. Sometimes we make s'mores, and there is always music: guitars, sitar, celtic harp and cello and I tootle along on my harmonica while watching the crackling campfire and drinking champagne and looking at all the brilliant stars in the sky. Stay tuned for pictures and a run-down on what happened this year!

______________________

Below are five of my pure abstract paintings. The color reflects the bright colors of the islands and the large dose of pure sunshine that we get in Hawaii every day. Hope you enjoy them! The originals are available as well as prints. Contact me here if you want to buy an original: swartzkopf@yahoo.com

 Aloha~

 An abstact take on an abstract pineapple, called "Psychedelic Pineapple". Buy a print here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/psychedelic-pineapple-erika-swartzkopf.html

 This one is called "Flowerfall", kinda a cross between a waterfall and a flower. Prints available here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-flowerfall-erika-swartzkopf.html

 The one above is called "Rainbow Spirals", I like how the composition has so much movement in it. Buy a print here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/rainbow-spirals-erika-swartzkopf.html

The painting above is called "Underwater Space Flowers". The flowers seem to take on sea creature forms, swimming around under the ocean with vibrant colors. Buy a print here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-underwater-space-flowers-erika-swartzkopf.html

The last one (above) is a painting called "Luscious Eyes", inspired by my cat's big, beautiful, feline eyes. It's an abstract take on cats' eyes and looks like a mask to me.

Buy a print here: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/2-luscious-eyes-erika-swartzkopf.html