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FAERIE TALES CAN COME TRUE . . .
. . . At least they have for teacher and businesswoman turned artist Alice Calhoun, who creates a line of copper Dancing Faeries and Mermaids at her Ace of Spades Garden Art Studio in Hermann, Missouri. Twenty of her faeries were selected by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to be featured in the central gardens at the 2003 Philadelphia Flower Show, easily the most prestigious flower and garden show in the US. The show sets the bar for the very best in garden design and botanical art. Alice was awarded the second place ribbon in Botanical Art at the 2003 Flower Show.. The Wall Street Journal this year recently featured a quarter page image of Alice’s Little Faerie Dancer in an article about US Flower shows. The newly published Garden Ornaments by E. Ashley Rooney features Alice’s artwork as one of the top artists in the field of garden ornamentation. In the last few years, her work has also been featured in such major publications as Midwest Living, Niche, The Crafts Report, Woman’s Day, and House Trends. Alice also recently exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in London, the most prestigious garden show in Europe.

Alice sells her faeries at prestigious antique, garden and art shows throughout the year. Alice’s faeries also can be found in high-end galleries and unique gift shops from Maine to California.

Inspiration for her work, which she describes as whimsical, joyful and magical, comes from Calhoun’s love of dance, gardens and landscapes, folktales, mythology, theatre, and poetry. "Even as a child growing up in the South, where the beauty of the landscape is legendary and story-telling is a way of life, I created magical worlds on tabletops, in closets, and under trees, guiding playmates through my kingdom," says the artist. Today, that kingdom is a 12-foot tall copper gazebo where customers can enter and view Dancing Faeries, Elves, Mermaids, and other Mysterious Creatures.

Calhoun designs and fabricates all of her pieces by hand from copper. She then paints each piece with various acids, heat, and enamels to create the desired patinas and colors. Most pieces are made in either traditional verdigris or in a new purple finish that is unique to the artist. This year she is introducing new dancers with “bright-stripe” and “hot spot” patinas with dazzling color combos in red and yellow, purple and yellow, blue and green, and purple and green.

Each figure, like the Wind Faerie, Spinner, Wood Nymph, Fancy Faerie, Flying Faerie and Dwinkle, has a great deal of movement implied; it is a "frozen moment" from a story Calhoun has written about it. She re-writes old myths and creates new stories, and tells them to all who enter the gazebo she fondly calls "Alice’s Magic Garden". Each story is written down and given to the buyer to share with others. Most pieces begin with gesture drawings she does at the many dance performances she attends.

Calhoun’s work is versatile and can be enjoyed year round, indoors and out. Each piece is weather resistant, but, even so, some customers prefer to display them exclusively indoors. A typical faerie is 18 to 24 inches tall and comes with a detachable pole, making it suitable as a garden ornament, porch/patio sculpture, or wall decoration. Calhoun says, "Love, periodic attention, kind words, smiles, and a beautiful garden in which to live make them happiest of all."

She has received accolades as a Best of Missouri Hands artist. Calhoun also has received Awards of Excellence at the Greater St. Louis Art Association’s Spring Shows and at Cantigny Sculpture and Fine Art Fair, designed copper sculpture for Grand Marquee gardens at the Cincinnati Flower Show that won Gold Awards, and had enamel paintings and a torch-enameled faerie included in an international show juried by Kenneth Trapp, Curator in Charge, Renwick Gallery, the American Craft Museum, the Smithsonian.

When not attending art and garden shows, Calhoun resides in Hermann, Missouri, with her husband, Clark. They own two historic houses in this quaint, Missouri River town where more than 100 buildings and gardens are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For information about the artist and her work, call (573) 486-3060 or visit her web site at www.coppercurls.com.

Copper Mermaid as featured in the Philadelphia Flower Show March 2003

It's a magical thing A Faerie Ring. But it's only by Chance That you'll See Them Dance.

Copper Fairy as featured in the Wall Street Journal February 2004