Holiday Hours

Dancing Eye Gallery of Northville
December 24th - Christmas Eve - 10am to 3pm
December 25th - Christmas Day - Closed
December 26th - Closed
December 31st - New Years Eve - 10am to 3pm
January 1st - Happy New Year! - Closed

Dancing Eye Gallery of Walled Lake
December 23rd - Last day to shop in Walled Lake before Christmas! - 10am to 5pm
December 24th - Christmas Eve - Closed
December 25th - Christmas Day - Closed
December 26th - Closed
December 31st - New Years Eve - Closed
January 1st - Happy New Year! - Closed

Northville is Open Late!

Tis the season for holiday shopping!

Snagging unique gifts from downtown Northville just got a little easier on Thursday and Friday nights. Several shops, including the Dancing Eye Gallery, have extended their hours until 8pm.

Participating stores include -

As the Page Turns - 149 N. Center
Bees Knees - 141 E. Main
Broughton Music - 145 N. Center
Dancing Eye Gallery - 101 N. Center
Epiphany Kitchens - 107 N. Center
Fine Threads - 105 E. Main
Goody Two Shoes - 124 E. Main
Christina's Home Sweet Home - 410 E. Main
Gardenviews - 202 W. Main
Lorla's Shoes & Accessories - 142 N. Center
Northville Candle, Gifts and Cards - 124 N. Center
Northville Gallery - 123 E. Main
Northville Nail Salon - 103 E. Main
Paws Total Pet Studio - 102 E. Main
Pear-aphernalia - 184 E. Main
Rock on Main Clothing Company - 134 E. Main
Scottie's Kitchen - 149 N. Center
Simply Wine - 109 N. Center
Stampeddler - 145 N. Center
Starring The Gallery - 118 W. Main
Uniquely Yours Flower Shop - 156 N. Center
Your Michigan Connection - 136 N. Center
Van Dam's Boutique - 111 E. Main

Brightly Twisted Event - Nov. 7th

Brightly Twisted is bringing their fun and funk to the Dancing Eye Gallery.


A little bit about Brightly Twisted
Created by artists Greg Stemas and Tammy Bourque, Brightly Twisted is a unique clothing line. They specialize in hand-dyed garments, commonly referred to as “tie-dye.” Using fiber-reactive dye on trend-conscious garments, Tammy and Greg personally design every piece, resulting in a completely original, one-of-a-kind article of clothing.

For the past few years, Brightly Twisted has functioned mostly within the Art Fair Circuit. During the summer season (May-September) they travel across Michigan and throughout parts of the country selling and promoting their work at dozens of art fairs and festivals. Their gypsy like path has taken them in many directions. For those of you who have seen their work, you realize the effect it seems to have. They don’t know if it is the vivid colors, or the intricate designs, perhaps its the style of the clothing they use, but whatever it is, a piece of Brightly Twisted has the ability to bring out the best in people. How could anyone be in a bad mood wearing something so colorful and fun?


On Friday, November 7th, come to Northville for an evening of fun and funky fashions. The folks at Brightly Twisted will be unveiling their new garments for sale at the Dancing Eye Gallery starting at 7pm.

Print out the card below and save 15% off your Brightly Twisted purchase. Come to the gallery Friday night decked out in your favorite Brightly Twisted original and save an additional 10%!


For more information on Brightly Twisted.

The Dancing Eye Gallery of Northville is located downtown at 101 N. Center Street.

Hope to see you there!

New David Ellison Tiles

Both galleries just received large shipments of tile work from St. Clair Shores artist David Ellison. How can I sum these tiles up in one word? Easy. STUNNING!

David works with the natural color of the clay and applies his glaze in a way that lets it show through. This effect lends an aged and softer look to his work. His tiles are like something you'd find buried amongst ancient ruins. His attention to detail is meticulous. These tiles have to be seen and touched in person to really be appreciated.

Gifts for the wine lover in your life

Need a gift for the wine connoisseur in your life? Or one for someone who simply loves endless glasses of Arbor Mist? Either way the Dancing Eye Gallery has you covered. Check out these groovy wine related gifts we currently have in stock.



Cheese and cracker tray made from a recycled wine bottle by Barb Yerrace



Stunning glass bottle toppers also by Barb Yerrace



Fun and Funky wine charms from Fred. One set says things like Opulent, Overpriced and Formidable while the other takes a jab at the slightly intoxicated with words like Woozy, Boisterous and Light-Headed.



Ok so this last one is more for the beer drinker in your life, but how fun is this frog bottle opener by Fred! The Hop & Pop opener pops off bottle caps with his mouth, gets twist off caps open with his legs and uses his eyes to loosen lids.

Walled Lake Pet Awareness Day

The City of Walled Lake is hosting it's Sixth Annual Pet Awareness Day on September 21, 2008. This event will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. The event is located off East West Maple Road in the City of Walled Lake,on the event field next to the Walled Lake Fire Department. The event will have a variety of vendors, pet rescue groups, food, games, contests and more!

For further information on this event please visit WalledLake.com

The Colors of Fall

More new Fall items have started arriving at the galleries. We have received our first wave of adorable Fall jackets from Tulle.


Shawl Collar Belted Jacket

Sure to be the coat of the season is Tulle's double breasted pea coat. We have it shown below in Evergreen, but are stocking the coat in the eye popping fuchsia color. Just because the leaves are turning brown doesn't mean your wardrobe has to do the same!


Double Breasted Pea Coat


Fuchsia!

Also new in the store are the Fall handbags from Melie Bianco. Deep jewel tones and a sleek matte finish make thes bags a must have for the Fall season.


Flap Over Bag w/ Turn Lock


Double Handled Bag w/ Pleats

Otis tiles now in stock!

We are very happy to announce that we just received a new batch of handmade tiles from Otis Pottery! Otis Pottery is made up of the dynamic duo of David and June Otis. With the help of their son they produce stunning handmade tiles and functional pottery from their East Jordan studio.
Their work is wood fired in a down-draft kiln and the surfaces show the natural deposits of ash along with shino and celadon glazes. The results are quite stunning and make each tile incredibly unique.



These tiles won't be in stock for long, so swing by the gallery today for the best selection!

Northville 20th Annual Victorian Festival

Dust off your top hats and lace parasols it's almost time for Northville's annual Victorian Festival. It all happens September 12th through the 14th in downtown Northville. Things kick off with the Victorian Festival parade on Friday the 12th at 6:30 pm. Festivities for the weekend include antique car displays, Victorian teas & fashion show, old fashioned games and rides, Victorian home tours, street entertainment, free horse and carriage rides, a Victorian saloon, crafters and much more!

Visit Northville.org for more information and festival times.

Getting to know Gretchen Kramp

Gretchen Kramp's tile work features striking relief images on boldly glazed backgrounds. Her themes deal with everything from fairy tales, everyday items and animals to geometric designs. Her tiles range from an adorable 2x2" to highly detailed 8x8". We wanted to shine the spotlight on Gretchen and let you know a little more about the woman behind the tiles.

Gretchen Kramp received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. After majoring in painting she apprenticed herself to a local ceramicist. In the middle of the 1990s, her tiles were represented in the ceramic collection at numerous local galleries. In Winter 1997, she started Gretchen Kramp Ceramic Tiles, a business that produces art works composed of one or more tiles, including murals (constructed of tiles of multiple sizes and shapes) and tile tables for the home.

Kramp's murals have become popular features at the Detroit Zoological Park. In 2000, she produced a mural for the entrance of the National Amphibian Conservation Center, located at the Detroit Zoo. In 2002, she installed a similar work at the entrance of the Nunavut Gallery in the Arctic Ring of Life exhibit. The eight-foot by ten-foot mural is constructed of more-than 650 iridescent and matte tiles. An immense polar bear stands under the motto NUNATSIAQ, which means "the beautiful land" in Inuit.

New Arrivals for Baby

Tumpette declares "Our socks rock!", and we couldn't agree more. We just got in three adorable styles of baby socks. Each style of sock comes in a gift box containing six pairs in a rainbow of colors. They are sized for little tykes 0 - 12 months and are made from a mix of cotton, nylon and spandex. We're stocking the princess design which comes in pastel colors and feature glittery gold crowns. We have another set that are designed to look like little sneakers and even have little laces sewn onto them! My personal favorite is the set thats designed to look like argyle socks. They're adorable and perfect for the little gentleman in your life.



Also new from Trumpette are these adorable onesies. They are 100% cotton and come in bold sky blue, pink, and lime green. Each onesie has "beyond fragile" screen printed across the chest and comes with a matching cap. They come in sizes 6 - 12 months and 12 - 18 months.

Nominated for best art gallery!

While we like to walk around and toot our own horn and often exclaim that we're the best gallery in the area (not to mention the funnest) it's always humbling to know that other people think the same.

Today we found out that we have been nominated for Best Art Galley for Local 4 News and Click on Detroit's "4 the Best" campaign. Yay!


Click on the photo to cast your vote for the
Dancing Eye Gallery!

We're reaching for that golden ring and you can help us snag the coveted title by clicking on the photo above and casting your vote. Or you can head on over to ClickonDetroit.com and vote for us under the Arts & Entertainment section.

Thanks a ton!

Yummy! Spiders & Caviar

The Gallery is now stocking a new line of super soft tees from Los Angeles based design house Spiders and Caviar. Their form fitting tees are made from high quality 100% supima cotton and are made right in L.A. Each t-shirt goes through an enzyme wash and receives a silicone finish to make them buttery soft. The tees, designed by Christina Cho and Tricia Tanaka, are printed using environmentally friendly water based ink and feature original artwork from the duo.


Spiders & Caviar Purdy Day tee


Each Spiders & Caviar tee has their signature eight legged friend screen printed on the back.


Spiders & Caviar Peacock tee paired with a necklace from Jack E Ohs

Stylishly Going Green

Going green is getting a lot easier these days with many companies introducing environmentally friendly products and smaller eco-friendly companies stepping out of the shadows and offering up some really cool wares.

The newest green friendly product to be introduced at the gallery is a line of handbags by Brooklyn, NY based company Engage Green. They make going green stylish with their recycled bags that come in fun and funky prints and colors. Engage Green woven paper bags are water-resistant and biodegradable. They mix their recycled paper fibers with organic cotton fiber to create bags that are stylish, durable and friendly to the environment.


Engage Green's Clutch, Satchel, Shoulder Bag and Cosmetics Pouch

Recycling Facts about Engage Green

- Less trash in landfills means lower disposal costs and less pollution from waste carting, as well as lowering the impact the discarded items themselves would have on the environment.

- Using recycled paper pulp saves energy in the manufacturing process. 60% to 70% less compared to virgin pulp.

- Recycled paper manufacturing uses up to 55% less water than virgin pulp and helps preserve our forests.

- Manufacturing with recycled paper reduces air emissions by 74% compared to virgin pulp manufacturing.

Spotlight on Pewabic Pottery

When someone mentions artisan tile in Michigan it's hard not to mention Pewabic Pottery in the same breath. Pewabic is by far the best known maker of handmade tile and pottery pieces in the area. Their bold blue and green glazes and unique arts and crafts style make them a favorite amongst collectors. They've been producing tile from their studio in Detroit since 1903 and are still going strong today.



A brief history of the studio from Pewabic Pottery:
"Founded in 1903 by Mary Chase Perry Stratton and Horace J. Caulkins, Pewabic Pottery is a studio for the design and production of architectural tile and vessels and a center for the advancement of the ceramic arts. Stratton and Caulkins' work at Pewabic and their involvement with the Society for Arts and Crafts, Cranbrook Academy of Art and the Detroit Instuiitute of Arts made substantial contribution to the Arts and Crafts movement in Detroit. Pewabic has earned a national reputation for its tile commissions and unique glazes particularly the iridescent formulas - which can be seen in homes and institutions throughout the country. Important early installations include the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.; Christ Church Cranbrook; and the Guardian Building, Holy Redeemer Church and St. Paul's Cathedral in Detroit. Pewabic is also represented in many museums and private collections."



The Dancing Eye gallery is proud to carry a tile and pottery line with such a rich history. We currently stock Pewabic's tile line, vases and mugs. We can also happily order anything for you out of their current catalog in a variety of Pewabic glazes.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the new Dancing Eye Gallery blog. Yay! Our blog will be the place to turn for all sorts of great news on artists and products that we feature in the gallery. We're new to this whole blogging thing, so we thank you for jumping aboard and we hope you enjoy the ride. If you're in the south east Michigan area stop in to one of our two locations and you can check out all the goodness featured on this blog in person.



Dancing Eye Gallery of Northville
101 N. Center Street - Northville, MI 48167
(248)449-7086
Hours: Mon. - Thur. 10am to 6pm, Fri. 10am to 8pm, Sat. 10am to 5pm, Sun. 12pm to 4pm



Dancing Eye Gallery of Walled Lake
133 East Walled Lake Drive - Walled Lake, MI 48390
(248)668-0731
Hours: Fri. & Sat. 10am to 5pm, Sun. 12pm to 4pm

Our web store is always open!