I love to travel, whether it’s just venturing inside my state or further, I really love experiencing and seeing new things. For every place I go, I try to buy a piece of artwork, whether it be a sculpture, print, or a piece of jewelry. I try and find something unique and handmade to bring home with me, so now my collection has grown pretty big. I’ll show and discuss two of my favorite finds from my travels!

My first favorite is from my recent spring break trip to Italy, I wanted to find something truly beautiful to bring back home, as it was my first time in Europe! The first time in Venice, I noticed a lot of Glass was used in a lot of art pieces being sold. So on my last day there, I went into a jewelry shop and found a small handmade blue and yellow glass charm for a necklace. It’s beautiful and I wear it all the time.

My all time favorite piece of hand made art I have is a stunning hand carved leopard mask I got on my first trip to Los Angeles. I found it in a beautiful historic part of LA called Olvera Street. It was a beautiful Mexican marketplace filled with traditional Mexican food and lots of culture. Olvera Street is fondly known as the “Birthplace of Los Angeles”. Most of the vendors that work on Olvera Street are actually descended from the original vendors when the street opened up in the 1930’s! It was an amazing experience. I found the mask in a small shop, and it was hanging on the wall when it caught my eye. As soon as I saw it I fell in love with it. It now has a rightful place on a wall in my house for all to see.

I love appreciating and experiencing other cultures, and collecting beautiful art from around the world is a great way to do that!