Two New Spaniard Matryoshkas

Souvenirs my Grandmother brought back from Spain.

Hello, and Happy Valentine's Day to you! I recently found myself looking again at some souvenirs my Grandmother brought back from Spain. I've loved these Flamenco dancers since I was a child: the dolls, fan, and embroidered postcards. I decided to photograph them to share with you some of the things from my childhood that first sparked my curiosity in cultures and ultimately would inspire my work as an adult.

My Grandpa Charles was in the US military and he, my Grandma and their daughters (the oldest is my mother) were stationed and traveled all over the world. Their home was filled with interesting items from their travels. Looking at these items from Spain I started to think, "I really should draw a couple more Flamenco dancers!" So I did, a pink dress version and a red dress version.

Spaniard Pink Dress Matryoshka

Spaniard Red Dress Matryoshka

These new drawings are now available in a variety of sizes in my shop and on merchandise in my zazzle shop. Also available is a new instant download coloring sheet.

Spaniard Matryoshka Coloring Sheet 2nd version

 And just as a reminder, below is my first Spaniard Matryoshka.

Spaniard Green Dress Matryoshka

Do you have a collection of cultural items from your cultural heritage or a culture you are interested in? I love to receive photos from my customers of my artwork displayed with cultural items!! If you do, please take a photo and send it to me on Etsy or Facebook.

My next drawing will come from my suggestions list (in the right hand column of my blog). I recently updated the list to include all suggestions I've received to date. If there is another culture you would like me to add to the list please let me know. Photos of examples of traditional cultural dress are always helpful and appreciated too! :)

Peace,
Amy

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Tongan Matryoshka

Tongan Matryoshka

Hello! This is my Tongan Matryoshka drawing in honor of the people of Tonga. Tonga is a Polynesian Kingdom in the southwest Pacific Ocean.

I find that when I begin drawing a new culture I notice similarities and parallels to cultures I've previously drawn. So I've made sub-categories in my head. For example, some cultures wear red beaded necklaces. I've been surprised how many! So when I start a drawing that includes a red beaded necklace I think, "Oh, its one of the 'Red Beaded' cultures." There are also "Apron Wearing" cultures, and "Fan" holding cultures. So when I started this one I thought, "Yay! A 'Fan culture'!" It was a really fun fan to draw too, figuring out how to capture the woven aspect and open areas. Some of my other "Fan" drawings are my Cambodian, Cuban, Queen Elizabeth I, and Filipina.

While doing research for this culture I came across many inspiring images on the web and pinned them here. Above is my preliminary design process with a pencil sketch and color design elements.

Tongan Coloring Sheet

And this is an example of my Tongan coloring sheet. Prints and the printable file coloring sheet are now available in my etsy shop and my dot com.

My Tongan Matryoshka isn't the first Polynesian I've drawn. You may also be interested in seeing my Maori of New Zealand, and my Samoan.


Peace,
Amy

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Belarusian Matryoshka

Belarusian Matryoshka

Happy New Year! New year, new drawing! A Belarusian Matryoshka inspired by the Belarusian people and their traditional dress! Prints and a printable file coloring sheet are now available in my etsy shop and my dot com. These shops are the most personal way to purchase my work. I print out the prints myself, sign and date them on the back, package them, and include a thank you note and other goodies with each shipment.

The printable coloring sheet is available for instant download, so it is fast and convenient. Purchase once and print out as many as you want, whenever you want. Fun for parties, students, groups of kids or adults!

Belarusian Matryoshka Coloring Sheet

Merchandise with my Belarusian Matryoshka is available in my Zazzle shop: postcards, note cards, postage stamps, tote bags, and phone cases. These have been the most popular items but Zazzle offers a multitude of products. So if there is any product that you are interested in purchasing, but don't see available, please let me know so I can make it available.

And because many of you have said you enjoy seeing my preliminary sketches. . .

Belarusian Matryoshka preliminary sketch and design process

You may also enjoy seeing some images of Belarusian traditional dress I found on the web and pinned here.

Again I would like to wish you a wonderful 2018. I'm excited and look forward to bringing you more drawings and designs in the coming year. Thank you for your continued interest and support!! :)

Peace,
Amy

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Moldovan and Romanian Matryoshkas

Moldovan Matryoshka

Romanian Matryoshka

Hello! Today I bring you my two latest folk dress drawings from the cultures of Moldova and Romania. Prints and coloring sheets are now available at my dot com and as always in my Etsy shop. Merchandise featuring both are available in my Zazzle shop.

Speaking of which, I was so excited to see that guitar cases are now available on Zazzle!! Matryoshka and guitars do share a shape! And these remarkable guitar case/bags have interchangeable "faces". So the entire front face can be removed and another applied. You can purchase one case with one of my cultural matryoshkas, and then other cultures to swap out. Bags are available in acoustic and electric versions. I'm in the process of offering these for all my cultures. I have drawn over one hundred cultures so it will take me some time. If you are waiting for a particular culture to be available please contact me and let me know so I can go ahead and make it available.

Moldovan Guitar Case
by AmyPerrotti

Romanian Guitar Case
by AmyPerrotti

Here is a link to a video showing how to swap out the faces (jump ahead to 2:15):

My husband is a guitarist, so no wonder this has me so excited! :)

Peace,
Amy

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Nicaraguan Matryoshka

Nicaraguan Matryoshka

Hello! Since my last post, I have completed a Nicaraguan Matryoshka. Prints and a coloring sheet are now available (and other products as well). This is the fourth Central American culture I've drawn. I pinned a board of Nicaraguan images I found around the web here.

Russian Doll & Snowman, A Snow Globe Love Story, Coloring & Activity Book Printable

I also have a new coloring and activity book printable PDF,  "Russian Doll & Snowman, A Snow Globe Love Story"! I have offered this coloring/activity book in the past but now I'm making the file itself available. So you can print as many as you'd like for a one time price. It includes 4 coloring pages, a maze, a "draw your own snow globe scene", and 2 tent card dolls to make. Also a full color cover and a table of contents.

Peace,
Amy

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Three Colombian Matryoshka

Colombian Folk Dancer Matryoshka

Colombian Misak or Guambiana

Colombian Palenquera of Cartagena

The only way to describe my experience researching Colombia is— So many cultures! So little time! There are so many beautiful cultures, I was absolutely overwhelmed with possibilities. I decided to narrow it down to three to start with, because I could not choose just one!

The "folk dancer" inspired Colombian is wearing the national colors of the flag: yellow, blue, and red. With a ruffled full skirt, perfect for twirling, and pretty flowers in her hair.

The Misak or Guambiana Colombian is a little girl from one of the many indigenous peoples of Colombia. I am fascinated by the different mountain people of the world and feel the kinship in their cultural ways of life.

The Palenquera of Cartagena Colombia represents the women who sell fruit and are known for their multicolored clothing, and posing with bowls of fruit carried on their heads. They are an African Diaspora culture of Colombia.

So you see why I could not draw just one. And with that, I salute the rich cultural diversity of Colombia!  

Peace,

Amy

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Saudi Matryoshka and New Favor Boxes

Saudi Arabian Matryoshka

Aah, March! Daffodil, camellia, and forsythia are blooming in our yard. Very inspiring, so I've been drawing and today I bring you my latest creation, a Saudi Arabian Matryoshka! She is now available in my Etsy shop, my new dot com AmyPerrotti.com and soon in my Zazzle shop (it takes a couple of days for new items to show up there).

Flowerpot Favor Box

I've also designed some new favor boxes. An anthropomorphic flower in a flowerpot DIY printable that comes in five happy colors.

Basketball Favor Box

A basketball hoop favor box, fun for a basketball or sports themed party or as a gift box for your favorite basketball fan.

Strawberry Favor Boxes

And last but not least, sweet strawberry favor boxes to fill with candies or other treats for a birthday party, shower or wedding.

So, I hope you are feeling inspired to create a themed party! Please send me photos from your event!! I also love to receive photos of my Matryoshka prints, framed and in arrangements. Please let me know if I have your permission to share any photos you send me. Thank you! :)

Peace,

Amy

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Matryoshka Artist Trading Cards

Hello! I'm very excited to show you my new Matryoshka Artist Trading Cards! ATCs are fun to collect and trade with friends or just display. 

If you're not familiar with my work, I've drawn around 100 of the beautiful and fascinating cultures from around the world in matryoshka shape. With so many to choose from, you might be wondering how I chose just three in this new format. Well, it was easy! These are the first three that I originally created so they hold a special place in my heart. My intention is for these to be a fun and educational way to learn about and celebrate the many diverse cultures of our world. If there is enough interest in them I will continue to add new ATC's in the future. I'm looking forward to getting some plastic trading card pocket sheets and starting a collection for my own daughter in a 3-ring binder. 

Every Artist Trading Card is handmade in my studio by me. I use an inkjet printer for artwork that produces pieces intended to last for generations. They are printed on one side of high-quality, heavyweight matte photo paper. The card then folded in half to make it the size of a trading card (2.5"x3.5"). As with all of the items from my Etsy shop, ATCs are produced with care and closely examined to ensure that each is a perfect composition. 

Each full-color card has matryoshka artwork on both sides. One side shows the full Matryoshka drawing. The reverse features a close-up of the face and indentifies culture, country and continent the Matryoshka represents. To ensure its pristine condition, it is placed in a rigid, clear, top loading card holder. 

Matryoshka Artist Trading Cards are currently available exclusively in my Etsy shop and can be viewed under the new section called "Artist Trading Cards". 

Peace,

Amy

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Sorb/Wend/Lusatian Matryoshka

Sorb/Wend/Lusatian Matryoshka

Hello! I've really been on a role here lately drawing a Matryoshka illustration a week. I hope to keep this up because my suggestions list is quite long. One of my customers contacted me and said that her heritage was Sorb/Wend/Lusatian. Wow! What a mouthful! After drawing 50 plus illustrations of different cultures it is always exciting to discover that there are so many more out there. And once again I am amazed by the uniqueness of the elaborate decorations used in their traditional dress. While researching for this illustration I came across some wonderful images that inspired me. I have pinned a board of these Sorb/Wend/Lusatian photos. . . check out all the scarves, embroidery and lace! All items for my Sorb/Wend/Lusatian Matryoshka are now listed in my shop.

Peace,
Amy
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Irish Dancer Matryoshka

Irish Dancer Matryoshka

Irish Dancer Matryoshka Close-Up Portrait

Happy New Year to you all! Thank you for all your past support and I wish you a very happy, healthy and successful new year! I have a new Matryoshka illustration to show you, my Irish Dancer Matryoshka! She was suggested to me by a wonderful customer who is collecting my work. I created my very own Celtic knots for this piece. I have always wanted to experiment with drawing Celtic knots. It was such fun, I imagine it is something I will want to do again in the future. It is tempting to make a line of these dancers all standing side by side. That would be an excuse to draw more Celtic knots! You all have such great suggestions, please keep them coming!

Croatian Girl Matryoshka

Croatian Girl Matryoshka Close-Up Portrait

Croatian Girl Matryoshka

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you have a fun and safe New Year's Eve and Day. Speaking of "New" I have a new drawing to show you! My Croatian Girl Matryoshka. I've had two kind requests for a Croatian Matryoshka and one was even so kind as to send me a link to what she had in mind— a Croatian Folk Dancer! This was really allot of fun. Something about red and white I just love, maybe it is the valentine connection. I hope she surpasses their expectations and I hope you love her too! :)

New- Latvian Girl Matryoshka!

My friend Karen's father is from Latvia and she recently suggested I make a Latvian Matryoshka. I'm so glad she did! She told me Latvian traditional clothing has beautiful colors and patterns. After doing some research I can't agree more. Beautiful! I found lots of examples of striped skirts, vests, collared shirts fastened with a brooch, and a large variety of headdress. I hope she, her family and you like my Latvian Matryoshka! :)