A New Year, A New Decade !!

Chinese Lunar New Year of the 2020 Metal Rat

(25 Jan. 2020 - 11 Feb. 2021)

The year of the Metal Rat 2020 will be a year of new beginnings. Give yourself and your loved ones an extra pinch of luck in the new year with this good luck card, individually hand-made just for you using the lucky colors of the Yang Metal Rat. Simply write your wish on the back of the card and put it up in a place where you can see it, to remind yourself of your goals, wishes and dreams. Let 2020 be a prosperous year!

2020 New Year Rat Tamiko Braun.jpg

Limited to 100 prints //

On Sales as of January 25, 2020

// Worldwide shipping. DM me for details

About our cards: Printed on high quality linoprintpapier, 120g/m2. Each card is individually hand pulled original unique print, using high quality Schminke Linoprint color and is limited to 100 for this Series. Cards are numbered, signed and professionally mounted on 130g/m2 soft ridged card with matching envelope. Over 50 pcs now have already found new homes! If you are interested in purchasing an original TAM!K0 Art Card, please send me a message.

! Lang Leve Rembrandt ! at the Rijksmuseum →

I’m excited to announce my submission to a juried competition for a Rembrandt-themed exhibition at the Rijksmuseum! The main condition to be selected for the exhibition Long Live Rembrandt is that one’s work should be inspired by Rembrandt.  This summer, selected artists are going to have the opportunity to present their artwork in the Rijksmuseum!  An expert panel of judges will select the artworks for exhibition in the Rijksmuseum’s Philips Wing from July 15 (Rembrandt’s birthday) - Sept 15, 2019.  Wish me Luck!

After an intensive independent study of the 17th Century’s most prolific self-portrait artist over the last few months, I combined my love for textured art with my curiosity of realism to produce my first ever self-portrait, using oil paints and a variety of unconventional materials (including coffee, marble dust, and quartz-sand). 

At first glance this painting may appear to be just a self-portrait, but, inspired by some of Rembrandt’s iconic techniques, there’s more than meets the eye.  Here’s my concept on how Rembrandt inspired my work of art:

TamikoBraun Self-Portrait with Gorget

Self-portrait with Gorget

CONCEPT

As an artist, I explore ways to create paintings that speak to me and others about intellectual and philosophical ideas. The textured canvas of my mixed media self-portrait is constructed using available modern and natural materials, including coffee, sand, and marble dust, to visually communicate Rembrandt’s distinct use of pigment manipulation and texture application. His light-guiding and depth of field inspired me to limit my colour palette and test numerous glazing techniques, creating an atmospheric setting in the piece.

My work offers classical and modern interpretations juxtaposed in one painting. In what looks like a selfie, I’m donning modern day objects, such as sunglasses and headphones; however, I am immortalised by the wearing of a gorget, symbolising my acceptance as a female artist with similar status. Rather than portraying myself as a beautiful woman, I chose to dress myself in masculine clothes to transcend the gender barriers that existed during Rembrandt’s time.

Rembrandt’s face displayed in the background symbolises how a new reality has emerged from the past, but how despite this transition, his techniques continue to influence all types of art today. My artwork thus speaks not only for me, but for artists of all mediums that Rembrandt inspires.

PROCESS/MATERIALS:  To give you a general idea of just some of the materials I used during my scumbling and numerous layering process and how I created my textures on background and on face to reflect age appropriate, scratches in hair and overall depth, lost and found edges and playing with light capture.  I had to do an initial sketch from an quick iphone selfie I took of myself because otherwise I couldn’t see well enough with my shades on to paint via a mirror during daylight nor especially at nights!  If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a note.  (click on an image to enlarge)

  • 100% Linen, 350g/m2, 2cm depth professional quality “di lino Classico” 30x40cm stretched canvas, gesso and sanded.

  • Pencil/Charcoal sketch.

  • Marble dust (Self prepared mixture with water and synthetic-resin dispersion from Guardi) which was applied to canvas in predesigned areas and dried with hair dryer sprayed with water to create textures for the look of weather worn panel and cracks.

  • Coffee glazes set with universal-fixative from Schminke.

  • Quartz-sand from Guardi, 0,2-0,6mm grain dried by fire.

  • Nitram Charcoal grounds mixed with white oil paint.

  • Numerous layers of glazing.

  • Rembrandt artist quality extra fine oil paints from Royal Talen's (Titanium White 105, burnt umber 409, yellow orchard hell 228, ivory black 701, cadmium red light 303, ultramarine light 505, very minimal Indian red 347, Payne’s grey 708 and very few touches of Boesner’s Zinnoberrot 506 oil paint to kiss the lips).

  • Frame was custom-made specifically for the artwork by Boesner’s framing workshop in Forstinning, Muenchen. Thanks Mr. Matthias Mayr!

Hand-Pulled Art Cards ???

What does my limited original "hand pulled" linoprint art cards means? 

Take a look at my process (see photos below).  After I design and carve out my block, I begin measuring and cutting my linoprint papier.  As I receive orders, I begin hand printing and hand pulling each block prints using high quality Schminke Linoprint color on high quality paper.  When the prints dry and set, I number and sign each print (both in English and with my Japanese HANKO - my signature) and then professionally mount the artwork on either large or small cards and put them together with a soft ridged matching envelope in a protected clear plastic sleeve. After the determined limited amount of print has been reached, I stop any post creation for this particular art piece and will destroy the blocks making the art piece limited and collectables.

click on image to enlarge

Available in 3 sizes: Large Cards (14x19cm), NEW! Small Cards (11x17cm) and Postcards 12x16cm.

ACTION !  ACTION ! ACTION !

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the "New Year of the Brown Earth Dog" characteristic word is ACTION!  So true that this year, my New Years Cards were here early!  This year I've limited them to only 80 prints.  The orders came and went and I now only have 4 left.  THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH for sharing my love with yourselves, your family and friends! 

Year of the Brown Earth Dog Cards/Glückbringer

(February 16, 2018-February 04, 2019)

FACT: According to the Chinese 12-animal zodiac system, 2018 is the Year of the Dog - succeeding the Year of the Rooster and preceding the Year of the Pig. Chinese New Year takes place on different dates each year because it is based on the lunar calendar. It is said that as the year ends with an eight, it's been considered an especially lucky year by the Chinese people. This is because in certain Chinese dialects, the sound of the word 'eight' is similar to the sound of the word 'fortune'. The Chinese regard dogs as an auspicious animal with a very keen sense of understanding humans. The Chinese believe that if a dog happens to come to your home, it symbolizes the coming of fortune. Maybe because the characteristics of Dogs are persistence, meticulously attentive, responsible workers and seem to have good fortune in wealth.

#YearOfTheRooster - Celebration has begun around the world!

Clinking on the image will enlarge the image into a Lightbox.

Collect, Send and Share them throughout the year to celebrate your Special Birthdays, Weddings, Anniversaries, Birth announcements and commemorative events. 

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HERE'S HOW

Email or call me direct anytime.
Details can be discussed for Large volume orders over 50 or more.
Samples are available for Corporate Interests.
(first 100 pc are already gone)

Email:  info@tamikobraun.com
Cell:     +49.171.55.23.928

Good luck and great fortune


THE  FIRE ROOSTER  2017

 

So awesome hearing from both private collectors and corporate interests again this year!  You've made my limited Chinese New Years linocut prints an annual ritual.  Thanks everyone for letting me be a part of your festivities!

 

2017 Fire Rooster "Henriette" Debuts

Taking a break from my canvas painting this week to print my linocards.  How are you spending your first weeks of the new year?  

Now accepting orders for my limited edition hand pulled original linoprints. Today, the second shipment orders were dispatched and tomorrow I continue to be busy printing, signing and shipping the next order. Please don't wait too long to get yours as they are moving out fast. Thanks so much everyone! 

About the cards:  they are printed on high quality linodruckpapier, 120g/qm, each hand printed, numbered, signed and professionally mounted on 14x19cm 130g/m2 soft ridged card with matching envelope andprotected in an individual clear plas…

About the cards:  they are printed on high quality linodruckpapier, 120g/qm, each hand printed, numbered, signed and professionally mounted on 14x19cm 130g/m2 soft ridged card with matching envelope andprotected in an individual clear plastic sleeve.   Each card is a hand pulled original print, using high quality Schminke Linoprint color and is limited to 300/300 - A/P2 - HC3.  

FACT:  Did you know that the last time in the Chinese Calendar the combination of the element FIRE and the animal ROOSTER was in 1957?  It is a fact that, such combinations reoccur only every 60 years!   This is because there are 12 animals in the Chinese calendar counting system:  Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.  To make the 60 unique color animal names, the Chinese have also added the Five Elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth and these Five Elements are connected to colors:  White, Black, Green, Red and Brown. Hence, this is why each Chinese year has a color animal name.  Because Red is connected to Fire, 2017 is also called the Red Rooster Year (some Chinese Stem system say that 2017 is a female year so actually 2017 is probably the year of the red chicken year for the strict astrologers).  The Chinese new year will begin on January 28, 2017 - February 15, 2018 to be followed by the Brown Earth Dog Year next.

Drop me a line (info@tamikobraun.com) if you'd like to have your own collectibles or cards for gift-giving and don't forget to take advantage of the 10% discount promotional campaign TAMIKO-2017 by subscribing to my newsletter! 

Commissions, Consulting - An Epic Journey

How ideas come about in abstract paintings by artist Tamiko Braun.  

This year has been an interesting year visiting various on-site locations and working closely with potential clients and on-going collectors.  

An Epic Journey - A Spark of Life  //  80 x 140cm ( 32 x 55") - mixed media on stretched canvas ©2016TamikoBraun

An Epic Journey - A Spark of Life  //  80 x 140cm ( 32 x 55") - mixed media on stretched canvas ©2016TamikoBraun

One of my favourite pieces completed was done for a client who had decided to make major changes in her life. I had visited her home a few times and based on the lay out of her home, her deco and hearing her life story, where she had been in her life, what she had experienced and where she wanted to be and where she wanted to go, "An Epic Journey" was born and created.  It was inspired by Michelangelo's Creation of Adam.   

If you have a personal story you want to have created and told,  I'd be happy to drop by and brain storm creative ideas on just how we can get that perfect individual artwork up on your walls.  Drop me a line at:  info@tamikobraun.com.

Lucy Monkey goes Banking !

YES! 👍🎉 A German bank called me last week after seeing my Fine Art 2016 New Year Linoprints and gave me a special order. How exciting to think that their clients will soon be greeted by my Lucky Monkey! All packed up and getting ready to ship! — feeling proud in Munich, Germany.

Solo Exhibition - Emotions - "Dear Diary" Artist Reception/Vernissage

Thanks to my family, friends, colleagues and collectors. What an awesome turnout of about 50 people, good resonance, good karma, and several of my works have found new homes! (more photos)

My solo exhibition runs till June 05, 2015 so if you couldn't make it last night, no worries, just drop on in at Galerie&Atelier Kunst-werkstatt, Steinstr. 59, 81669 München, during Mo-Fri 11am - 5pm. I'd be delighted to see you.

Solo ARTIST RECEPTION: Wed. May 13, 2015 at 7:00-9:00pm

Solo ARTIST RECEPTION: Wed. May 13, 2015 at 7:00-9:00pm

Hanging around...

Been busy gallery prep for my upcoming solo exhibition.  Looking forward to sharing my new works "Emotions - Dear Diary".  Stay tuned for the invites and see you all soon!