Patch of Shade, IncWe love New York. We love San Francisco. We love Florida's tropical beauty.
We think that a gift or souvenir from these great places should be as wonderful as our visits there.
That's why we created our line of hand painted ornaments, showing the most beautiful images and landmarks of Florida, New York and San Francisco. Each landmark ornament is hand painted individually by an artist from the inside of the ornament in a centuries old art form that is treasured by collectors.
Look for our landmark ornaments in upscale gift and souvenir stores or call us at (650)206-2652.
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See all San Francisco Ornaments See all New York Ornaments
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Ask about our corporate gift program
Patch of Shade, Inc
PHONE: (650) 206-2652
FAX (888) 779-1828
Sales@patchofshade.com
Patch of Shade designs unique gifts and souvenirs that can be displayed with pride. Our Christmas ornaments are individually hand painted in artist workshops and show popular landmarks and views of some of the US' most beautiful cities. For Hawaiian ornaments, check out our sister company Maui by Design which also offers a variety of tropical jewelry, purses and coin purses, votive candle holders and more.
About Inside Painting
The art of Inside Painting - called "Nei Hua" originated in the early 1800s by painting inside snuff bottles. Snuff was a mixture of tobacco, herbs and essential oils, all mixed into a fine powder. Ever since, inside painted art -- whether snuff bottles, crystal balls, or glass ornaments -- continues to be prized by collectors.
First the inside of the ornament is acid washed for the paint to adhere to the glass. The the artist creates the painting by inserting a miniature brush through the tiny hole at the top, and painting each minute detail in reverse, often solely by the sense of touch, as the opaque glass does not allow the artist to see the tip of the brush. The process begins with an outline of the design, then painstakingly filling in the colors one by one in layers, starting with the top layer and finishing with the background.
It takes two years of teaching for an artist to become good enough to paint quality works. Intricate designs like those offered by Patch of Shade and Maui by Design take many hours, sometimes days, to paint, and each is an original work of art. No two pieces are alike.