GIVEAWAY: Gorgeous Syrendell Postcards!

Fairytale Scene

Well today is a very exciting day! One of my very favorite artisans is offering a gorgeous giveaway of two of Rick Tan's original wet on wet watercolor postcards - perfect for display on your nature or seasonal table! There will be two winners - one for the Fairytale Scene postcard shown above, and the other will win the Creation Scene postcard shown below! What a great way to kick off the weekend!

I was fortunate enough to attend two of Syrendell Academy's amazing classes this past spring and got to watch Rick paint a gorgeous scene right before my very eyes. It was as if the normally difficult to control watercolor paints just followed him blindly, emerging into a stunning piece of artwork! I was absolutlely amazed how easy he manipulated the colors and *tamed the beast*, so to speak! Rick has a mini tutorial on how to paint using wet on wet watercoloring that can be found through his inspirational blog here.

This gorgeous creation scene in large format will be the second print given away to a second lucky winner! Speaking of creation, I thought it would be fun to learn how Syrendell got started!

Creation Scene

How did Syrendell get started?

Syrendell started when we created our own homeschooling environment. We decided to call our homeschool space Syrendell, and also our business. We started an Etsy shop and a blog that featured handwork supplies and items that we used for Waldorf-inspired homeschooling. Workshops and consulting were added based on requests.

Where did you and Rick come up with the name? We love it!

As a family, we made a list of words that we love, like "symphony", "dell", "synchronicity", and many more. We played around with letters and sounds until it sounded just right! We always felt like our home and homeschooling spaces were truly a "dell".

What is the inspiration for these gorgeous prints?

The original wet-on-wet watercolors were made by Rick to show a fairy tale scene, and a creation scene. Both pieces of artwork relate to Waldorf curriculum, as well as the wet-on-wet technique. We love featuring postcards on nature tables and homeschooling nooks or themed areas of the house. Twelve of Rick's paintings are also featured in a calendar. More prints coming!

What is Rick's background in art and waldorf?

Rick has been an artist all of his life. He has sold his artwork, done graphic design and custom artwork for businesses and families, and was an artist in residence for a school years ago. Rick is a trained Waldorf teacher and currently teaches Grade 6 at Davis Waldorf School in Davis, California. He enjoys sharing his artwork with the children in his class, as well as our own children at home. His DVD and downloadable video on how to do the wet-on-wet watercoloring technique is available through the Bearth Institute. www.bearthinstitute.com.

Do you have any suggestions on how to encourage artistic expression in our children?

Be an excellent role model! If we say, "I can't paint well", then our children pick up on this. Paint, draw, sculpt, carve wood, sew, knit...the more you do around your children, the more they will be inspired and will want to do it along with you! Art should be a part of our everyday lives and not just something "extra". Take children to art exhibits. When they are old enough, support with ceramics, knitting lessons and workshops. Learn along with them! As they get older, discuss how music, art, architecture, math and science interrelate. Find beauty and artistry in everything around you.


I know several families (including mine) that would love the opportunity to enhance our home and nature tables with seasonal postcards from Rick. Any plans for those in the future?

Yes! The Four Seasons are coming out in 2011. Requests for other postcard themes are welcome!

Please see these additional links to the Syrendell endeavors:

www.syrendellacademy.com Workshops & Consulting
www.syrendell.etsy.com Postcards, Calendars, Yarns, and more!
www.syrendell.blogspot.com www.thewaldorfway.blogspot.com Our blogs
www.facebook.com/syrendell "Like" our Facebook page to see upcoming events, products and sales

For those who have been with my blog for a while now, you will already know how much I adore this creative family. They have beautiful hearts and spirits - always kind and trying to help others. I have come to both of them on several occassions and have received wonderful advice. Both have been featured in The Waldorf Connection, as well as Kristie Burns' BEarth Institute site. My home is filled with syrendell treasures - from their gorgeous hand dyed silks to their beautiful wooden creations. And I am now so excited to include Rick's stunning artwork in my home, gracing my nature table! I am thrilled that two lucky winners will have an opportunity to enhance their homes with one of Rick's stunning prints! They are also available through their Syrendell Etsy site, along with a lovely calendar for 2011 which comes in both desk size or full size!

To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment below. To be entered a second time, please join their blogs (if you are already a member, let me know, and I will enter you a second time), and if you'd like to be entered a third time, join them on facebook by liking their site! The links can be found above. The winners will be announced in one week - on Friday, December 24th - just in time for Christmas! One winner will win the Fairy Tale postcard and the other winner will win the Creation postcard.

Best of luck and THANK YOU, Syrendell!