Small Artifacts By Alexa Karabin

The Ann Arbor Art Fair is the biggest and most highly attended art fair in the country. With 1,000 artists and over 400,000 visitors, I feel incredibly lucky to live relatively close to it—we’re less than two hours from Ann Arbor. I remember going to the fair as a child and still own the small treasure we purchased over 25 years ago.

The first time I attended as an artist was six years ago, and it was by far the most stressful show I’d ever done—weather-wise and otherwise. A massive storm blew through that year and took several booths down. Jason had to run out and buy bags of cement (in the middle of this massive storm, and with a baby on his back, I might add! While he was doing this I was in the booth literally holding it down) to place in the center of my booth so it wouldn’t blow away. I always joke that my husband and I nearly killed each other that year (not really, but almost haha), and the experience was intense enough that we took a break from shows for a couple of years afterward.

But last year, we finally felt ready to tackle it again—and we did! And 2024 was an amazing year too! No other show offers such a great opportunity to meet so many people. The crowd is incredible—so eager to connect and genuinely excited to support artists. It’s invigorating.

2025 turned out to be an incredible experience. Not to mention, it was the first time I showed up with a truly professional booth. We upgraded last year to a new (used) tent, brand-new art fair walls, and new displays that improved our setup tenfold. It felt so good!

Reflecting on January: A Month of Growth, Change, and New Beginnings

I can’t believe it. January flew by so quickly. My family was really hit hard by the bug that’s been going around—or maybe even multiple bugs! It was a rough month health-wise, but I’m finally starting to feel revitalized and ready to take on new projects. Sometimes, a slow start gives you the chance to recharge, and I’m grateful for the reset.

Valentine’s Day Goodies Are Here!

In the midst of the chaos, I managed to update my shops with some Valentine’s Day creations. Whether you're looking for the perfect card, a pocket heart to keep close, or a new framed art piece to brighten your space, I’ve got a collection that’s sure to bring some love into your life. I had so much fun making these little treasures, and I’m excited to share them with you! Local to Kalamazoo folks can them at Kalamazoo Kitty and Main Street Vintage (Crossroads Mall).

New Beginnings with the Letterpress

This month, we set up our new letterpress—and I couldn’t be more excited! I did my very first editions of prints, and let me tell you, there’s something so magical about the whole process. The tactile nature of working with the press, the crispness of the prints, and just the overall joy of making art again has been so invigorating. I feel creatively recharged and ready to dive deeper into this medium. Stay tuned for more prints coming soon!

Show Applications Are In!

I’ve also been busy applying for art shows this year. For those who aren’t familiar, you typically apply to fine art fairs about six months in advance. Then, you wait… and wait… and wait some more to hear whether you’ve been accepted. It’s a nerve-wracking process, but I’ve applied to fewer shows this year, aiming for the bigger ones. Some of them might even take me to a new area I haven’t explored before, so fingers crossed that I get in! The anticipation is part of the fun (lies lol).

USPS Woes (and How We Got Through It)

At the end of December, I faced some challenges with USPS losing multiple packages. It was incredibly frustrating, and honestly, I did panic when it happened. But, after dealing with the situation, I realized it’s just part of the process sometimes. Things like this happen, and all you can do is adapt and move forward. We worked through it, and I'm proud of how we handled the hiccups. Lesson learned: patience, persistence, and grace go a long way. Thank you so much to my customers for being patient with the situation. You are the best!

Looking Ahead to a Creative Year

Now that January has passed, I’m feeling optimistic about the rest of the year. It’s going to be a year filled with art shows, making new art, and bringing that work out into the world. I’m excited for the possibilities ahead and can’t wait to see what the year holds.

Reflecting on a Decade of Creativity: My Journey as a Mixed-Media Artist

I’m thrilled to share that I was recently featured in a segment of Lively Arts by WGVU! It’s hard to believe that nearly ten years ago, I sat down for an interview with Lively Arts, and now I have the opportunity to reflect on how my work has evolved since then.

This recent interview allowed me to look back on my artistic journey while also looking forward to what lies ahead. The changes in my work over the past decade have been nothing short of transformative. From exploring new techniques to incorporating innovative materials, each step has added depth and meaning to my creative expression.

In the WGVU segment, I showcase the process of making paper—something I’ve become quite passionate about. There’s something incredibly satisfying about transforming raw materials into something beautiful and unique. One of the highlights of my work is my use of my grandmother's crushed jewelry, which I’ve turned into paint. This personal touch not only honors her memory but also adds a rich, textured element to my pieces.

You will find my work at these two events!

December 2nd 9:00am-4:00pm at the Kalamazoo Nature Center

My favorite place to holiday shop is the Buy Local Art and Gift Center at the Kalamazoo Nature Center! They have every special thing you could want to gift. I always have so much fun and it is fun seeing so many of your lovely faces (this is a popular event). I can’t wait to see you there.

Opening December 1st

This gem pot is made out of a variety of premium pigments, crushed glass, and a myriad of real crushed gems. It was inspired by the moon, and it reminds me of photographs from the 1950’s!

About These Watercolors

First of all, thank you for purchasing these handmade watercolors! This has been a passion project for me. They are special because they are made of a variety of texture, using a myriad of pigments that I have collected over the last 20 years. From hand-crushed stone from when I was 16 years old, to pigments from the Rembrandt Museum, to garage sale glitters, to my grandmothers crushed jewels, these paints represent my life in so many ways. I was asked countless times to sell them, and I hesitated at first because they are personal to me…until I remembered that collaboration between artists is a time-honored thing, and it should be embraced. We are making something together, now, and I can’t wait to see how you transform this material!

I’m not going to lie, these watercolors aren’t for the faint of heart! If you are looking for a smooth, even texture, turn back now! But have you ever used salt to texturize standard watercolors? And you rub away the salt and some sticks there, and it seems to recreate that aspect of nature that seems chaotic, but actually creates a series of fractals that are repeated over and over again in nature…….. maybe that’s just me, haha. Well, that’s what gave me the idea to make these. Also, I love painting insects and I was trying to represent them in a unique visual way that went beyond photo realism (aka, they sparkle, so I made sparkly paint). I inherited a large collection of my grandmother’s costume jewelry and jewelry making supplies, and I always knew I would use them in my art in some way. They became the source of inspiration for the watercolor. I would find a bead that looked like a beetle, and make a paint that emphasized the insect’s attributes using the pigments in my collection, finishing off with crushing the bead and mixing it in.

How to Use

Load the pan with water (aka fill the pot with a few drops of water), let sit for a few minutes and the surface of the paint will reconstitute. Load the area you are painting with clean water, and then introduce the reconstituted watercolor to the area. Add more or less depending on what you are trying to achieve. You can also use it as a glaze over dried areas of watercolor.

Large pieces of pigment should be secured with tiny bits of acrylic medium. I use a tiny brush and place small dots around the pigment. I always err on the side of caution if a piece is essential to the composition, secure it. You can paint on panel using a watercolor ground or an absorbent ground. In this case, you would want to seal the piece. Works on paper should be framed behind glass with a double mat or frame spacer.

Tips and Tricks

Watercolor can be used in so many ways, and experimentation is always the best way to learn! I suggest making a swatch test before using on final work. Try combining them with other watercolors and ink to create more depth and different color variations.

Things in nature that sparkle: water, wet stones, tree sap, dirt after first rain, snow, rain, insects, wet turtle shells, fish, birds… can you think of more things? Then paint that thing!

Warnings

Do not consume or use on skin due to abrasive pigments. Keep away from pets and children.

This is less of a gem pot, and more of a high quality pigment paint. I carefully crafted this paint with the thought of the night sky in mind. There are different size and weights of glass included to give it some dimension and refraction. It has a slightly gold tinge because I wanted to give the effect of gold stars. This is a smooth paint.

This is going to be my personal go-to black paint FOREVER. I am very pleased with it.

About These Watercolors

First of all, thank you for purchasing these handmade watercolors! This has been a passion project for me. They are special because they are made of a variety of texture, using a myriad of pigments that I have collected over the last 20 years. From hand-crushed stone from when I was 16 years old, to pigments from the Rembrandt Museum, to garage sale glitters, to my grandmothers crushed jewels, these paints represent my life in so many ways. I was asked countless times to sell them, and I hesitated at first because they are personal to me…until I remembered that collaboration between artists is a time-honored thing, and it should be embraced. We are making something together, now, and I can’t wait to see how you transform this material!

I’m not going to lie, these watercolors aren’t for the faint of heart! If you are looking for a smooth, even texture, turn back now! But have you ever used salt to texturize standard watercolors? And you rub away the salt and some sticks there, and it seems to recreate that aspect of nature that seems chaotic, but actually creates a series of fractals that are repeated over and over again in nature…….. maybe that’s just me, haha. Well, that’s what gave me the idea to make these. Also, I love painting insects and I was trying to represent them in a unique visual way that went beyond photo realism (aka, they sparkle, so I made sparkly paint). I inherited a large collection of my grandmother’s costume jewelry and jewelry making supplies, and I always knew I would use them in my art in some way. They became the source of inspiration for the watercolor. I would find a bead that looked like a beetle, and make a paint that emphasized the insect’s attributes using the pigments in my collection, finishing off with crushing the bead and mixing it in.

How to Use

Load the pan with water (aka fill the pot with a few drops of water), let sit for a few minutes and the surface of the paint will reconstitute. Load the area you are painting with clean water, and then introduce the reconstituted watercolor to the area. Add more or less depending on what you are trying to achieve. You can also use it as a glaze over dried areas of watercolor.

Large pieces of pigment should be secured with tiny bits of acrylic medium. I use a tiny brush and place small dots around the pigment. I always err on the side of caution if a piece is essential to the composition, secure it. You can paint on panel using a watercolor ground or an absorbent ground. In this case, you would want to seal the piece. Works on paper should be framed behind glass with a double mat or frame spacer.

Tips and Tricks

Watercolor can be used in so many ways, and experimentation is always the best way to learn! I suggest making a swatch test before using on final work. Try combining them with other watercolors and ink to create more depth and different color variations.

Things in nature that sparkle: water, wet stones, tree sap, dirt after first rain, snow, rain, insects, wet turtle shells, fish, birds… can you think of more things? Then paint that thing!

Warnings

This paint is made of a myriad of gems, premium pigments, glass, and crushed pearls! This one is extremely hard to photograph! It is a really clear, transparent white.

About These Watercolors

First of all, thank you for purchasing these handmade watercolors! This has been a passion project for me. They are special because they are made of a variety of texture, using a myriad of pigments that I have collected over the last 20 years. From hand-crushed stone from when I was 16 years old, to pigments from the Rembrandt Museum, to garage sale glitters, to my grandmothers crushed jewels, these paints represent my life in so many ways. I was asked countless times to sell them, and I hesitated at first because they are personal to me…until I remembered that collaboration between artists is a time-honored thing, and it should be embraced. We are making something together, now, and I can’t wait to see how you transform this material!

I’m not going to lie, these watercolors aren’t for the faint of heart! If you are looking for a smooth, even texture, turn back now! But have you ever used salt to texturize standard watercolors? And you rub away the salt and some sticks there, and it seems to recreate that aspect of nature that seems chaotic, but actually creates a series of fractals that are repeated over and over again in nature…….. maybe that’s just me, haha. Well, that’s what gave me the idea to make these. Also, I love painting insects and I was trying to represent them in a unique visual way that went beyond photo realism (aka, they sparkle, so I made sparkly paint). I inherited a large collection of my grandmother’s costume jewelry and jewelry making supplies, and I always knew I would use them in my art in some way. They became the source of inspiration for the watercolor. I would find a bead that looked like a beetle, and make a paint that emphasized the insect’s attributes using the pigments in my collection, finishing off with crushing the bead and mixing it in.

How to Use

Load the pan with water (aka fill the pot with a few drops of water), let sit for a few minutes and the surface of the paint will reconstitute. Load the area you are painting with clean water, and then introduce the reconstituted watercolor to the area. Add more or less depending on what you are trying to achieve. You can also use it as a glaze over dried areas of watercolor.

Large pieces of pigment should be secured with tiny bits of acrylic medium. I use a tiny brush and place small dots around the pigment. I always err on the side of caution if a piece is essential to the composition, secure it. You can paint on panel using a watercolor ground or an absorbent ground. In this case, you would want to seal the piece. Works on paper should be framed behind glass with a double mat or frame spacer.

Tips and Tricks

Watercolor can be used in so many ways, and experimentation is always the best way to learn! I suggest making a swatch test before using on final work. Try combining them with other watercolors and ink to create more depth and different color variations.

Things in nature that sparkle: water, wet stones, tree sap, dirt after first rain, snow, rain, insects, wet turtle shells, fish, birds… can you think of more things? Then paint that thing!

Warnings

This paint is made of crushed blue quartz and a high quality interference blue. It works well as a glaze, over a darker color or on black paper. Use this paint to create texture with layers!

About These Watercolors

First of all, thank you for purchasing these handmade watercolors! This has been a passion project for me. They are special because they are made of a variety of texture, using a myriad of pigments that I have collected over the last 20 years. From hand-crushed stone from when I was 16 years old, to pigments from the Rembrandt Museum, to garage sale glitters, to my grandmothers crushed jewels, these paints represent my life in so many ways. I was asked countless times to sell them, and I hesitated at first because they are personal to me…until I remembered that collaboration between artists is a time-honored thing, and it should be embraced. We are making something together, now, and I can’t wait to see how you transform this material!

I’m not going to lie, these watercolors aren’t for the faint of heart! If you are looking for a smooth, even texture, turn back now! But have you ever used salt to texturize standard watercolors? And you rub away the salt and some sticks there, and it seems to recreate that aspect of nature that seems chaotic, but actually creates a series of fractals that are repeated over and over again in nature…….. maybe that’s just me, haha. Well, that’s what gave me the idea to make these. Also, I love painting insects and I was trying to represent them in a unique visual way that went beyond photo realism (aka, they sparkle, so I made sparkly paint). I inherited a large collection of my grandmother’s costume jewelry and jewelry making supplies, and I always knew I would use them in my art in some way. They became the source of inspiration for the watercolor. I would find a bead that looked like a beetle, and make a paint that emphasized the insect’s attributes using the pigments in my collection, finishing off with crushing the bead and mixing it in.

How to Use

Load the pan with water (aka fill the pot with a few drops of water), let sit for a few minutes and the surface of the paint will reconstitute. Load the area you are painting with clean water, and then introduce the reconstituted watercolor to the area. Add more or less depending on what you are trying to achieve. You can also use it as a glaze over dried areas of watercolor.

Large pieces of pigment should be secured with tiny bits of acrylic medium. I use a tiny brush and place small dots around the pigment. I always err on the side of caution if a piece is essential to the composition, secure it. You can paint on panel using a watercolor ground or an absorbent ground. In this case, you would want to seal the piece. Works on paper should be framed behind glass with a double mat or frame spacer.

Tips and Tricks

Watercolor can be used in so many ways, and experimentation is always the best way to learn! I suggest making a swatch test before using on final work. Try combining them with other watercolors and ink to create more depth and different color variations.

Things in nature that sparkle: water, wet stones, tree sap, dirt after first rain, snow, rain, insects, wet turtle shells, fish, birds… can you think of more things? Then paint that thing!

Warnings

This gem pot is made out of a variety of premium pigments, crushed glass, and a myriad of real crushed gems. The texture is inspired by the moon. This purple is a vibrant purple! For some reason my photos of this purple are color corrected, but I would like to mention how much more vibrant this purple is than in the photos.

About These Watercolors

First of all, thank you for purchasing these handmade watercolors! This has been a passion project for me. They are special because they are made of a variety of texture, using a myriad of pigments that I have collected over the last 20 years. From hand-crushed stone from when I was 16 years old, to pigments from the Rembrandt Museum, to garage sale glitters, to my grandmothers crushed jewels, these paints represent my life in so many ways. I was asked countless times to sell them, and I hesitated at first because they are personal to me…until I remembered that collaboration between artists is a time-honored thing, and it should be embraced. We are making something together, now, and I can’t wait to see how you transform this material!

I’m not going to lie, these watercolors aren’t for the faint of heart! If you are looking for a smooth, even texture, turn back now! But have you ever used salt to texturize standard watercolors? And you rub away the salt and some sticks there, and it seems to recreate that aspect of nature that seems chaotic, but actually creates a series of fractals that are repeated over and over again in nature…….. maybe that’s just me, haha. Well, that’s what gave me the idea to make these. Also, I love painting insects and I was trying to represent them in a unique visual way that went beyond photo realism (aka, they sparkle, so I made sparkly paint). I inherited a large collection of my grandmother’s costume jewelry and jewelry making supplies, and I always knew I would use them in my art in some way. They became the source of inspiration for the watercolor. I would find a bead that looked like a beetle, and make a paint that emphasized the insect’s attributes using the pigments in my collection, finishing off with crushing the bead and mixing it in.

How to Use

Load the pan with water (aka fill the pot with a few drops of water), let sit for a few minutes and the surface of the paint will reconstitute. Load the area you are painting with clean water, and then introduce the reconstituted watercolor to the area. Add more or less depending on what you are trying to achieve. You can also use it as a glaze over dried areas of watercolor.

Large pieces of pigment should be secured with tiny bits of acrylic medium. I use a tiny brush and place small dots around the pigment. I always err on the side of caution if a piece is essential to the composition, secure it. You can paint on panel using a watercolor ground or an absorbent ground. In this case, you would want to seal the piece. Works on paper should be framed behind glass with a double mat or frame spacer.

Tips and Tricks

Watercolor can be used in so many ways, and experimentation is always the best way to learn! I suggest making a swatch test before using on final work. Try combining them with other watercolors and ink to create more depth and different color variations.

Things in nature that sparkle: water, wet stones, tree sap, dirt after first rain, snow, rain, insects, wet turtle shells, fish, birds… can you think of more things? Then paint that thing!

Warnings

This sparkle print is on handmade paper that I make myself in my studio. Each one is slightly unique, so expect some variation. You can add a mat for easy framing!

About this piece:

As a child I would break open a pomegranate and eat it with my grandmother. It was a tradition for us. My grandmother taught me about the Armenians, her people, who thought of the pomegranate as a symbol of survival. There were stories of Armenians, starved during the Armenian Genocide, who survived on a single pomegranate seed a day for a year. This leads into the story of the pomegranate and Persephone and how there is thought to be 365 seeds in one fruit (this isn’t true, but part of the myth). The pomegranate means life, vitality, and birth for a lot of cultures. But it also inspired the grenade— which acquired the name from the French word for pomegranate (grenade). A grenade is similar in form and anatomy to the pomegranate, with death shards instead of seeds inside of it. I have contemplated this merging of life and death for many years. How the same thing can mean survival and also be the cause of death.

This is a large amount of watercolor. This is not a basic mica paint. It is a carefully constructed pigment paint that is made of a variety of stable materials, inspired by the Blue Morpho Butterfly! It consists of pigments, glass, and crushed gems. Blue must be your favorite color (just kidding!), but this is a special paint that will most likely last you for years! The container it is in is an antique, hand painted and hand constructed ceramic dish.