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Annie Lee Annie Lee was a Chief Clerk in the Engineering Department of a railroad. Today, Annie Lee is an internationally acclaimed artist and gallery owner known to art collectors the world over as "Annie Lee." As an adult, one Monday morning at five o'clock as Annie Lee tried to get it together, she came... More	Barbara Lavallee A happy Eskimo child hides in the closet peeking out from under her mother’s parka, a Native dancer moving to the century-old music of a walrus drum or a hot tub full of friends on a snowy winter evening are just a few of the images Barbara Lavallee has offered in her popular watercolors. Lavallee,... More
Betty Padden Known for both her storytelling and woodcarving skills, Betty Padden brings magical celebration of nature alive in her holiday collections. Located in Auburn, Massachusetts, she and her husband Bob collaborated to make hand-carved signs for businesses around the country. Betty has been perfecting... More	Beverlie Manson Beverlie Manson was born and brought up in Manchester and was aware of her wish to pursue an artistic career from the tender age of 5. Describing herself now as an illustrator specialising in the depiction of children and fairies, Beverlie Manson's sensitive and whimsical artwork is usually completed... More
Clare Mackie Clare Mackie was born and brought up in the Scottish countryside surrounded by animals and insects. Her passion for the natural world stems from these roots and her parents' acclaimed garden. After 5 years at art school in Edinburgh she headed south to London where she carved out a successful career... More	Neqwa Clare Mackie was born and brought up in the Scottish countryside surrounded by animals and insects. Her passion for the natural world stems from these roots and her parents' acclaimed garden. After 5 years at art school in Edinburgh she headed south to London where she carved out a successful career... More
D. Morgan D. Morgan cannot remember a time when she did not yearn to be an artist. "I have no memory of ever wanting to be anything else", she says. "For years, I've had this burning desire to paint, and today I'm even more fired up about my painting career." Morgan's style and personality are a delightful... More	Diane Knott Artist Diane Knott was born in Olean, New York and educated in fine art and in advertising art in New Jersey. Painting and drawing have been her lifelong pursuits and as necessary to her as breathing. "I can't remember ever wanting to do anyting else but be an artist" she says without reservation.... More
Joe Low . More	Jon Q. Wright Jon Q. Wright who lives by a clear northern Minnesota lake with his wife Tracy and sons Dillon and Jacob, has specialized in aquatic art for over 20 years. As America's fascination with fishing grows at its most dramatic pace ever, the distinctive art of Jon Q. Wright has received special attention.... More
Joseph Holodook Joseph Holodook is one of America's finest painters of naive country Americana. In the small towns and villages of Holodook's America you can sip the cider, sit by the cracker barrel, go sugaring and skating in the winter and enjoy life as it used to be, and perhaps ought to be. Joseph Holodook... More	Marci I have never really thought about it, but I think I have always been an artist, even though I have a very diverse background and done many things. I grew up in a family grocery store, and I worked there growing up. After high school I worked full time with my father in the store, and ran the carry... More
Michael Godard Artist Michael Godard has known since childhood that it is paint that flows through his veins. Michael attended the University of Nevada in Las Vegas with a Fine Arts major and later attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. After college Michael Godard began work as a freelance illustrator... More	Marci Pick up any hand-painted, blown glass design from Ne’Qwa Art™ and you will be holding an amazing art form that dates back more than a thousand years. The same meticulous hand-painting techniques that captivated emperors and art connoisseurs in centuries past go into each Ne’Qwa Art decorative accessory... More
Neqwa Pick up any hand-painted, blown glass design from Ne’Qwa Art™ and you will be holding an amazing art form that dates back more than a thousand years. The same meticulous hand-painting techniques that captivated emperors and art connoisseurs in centuries past go into each Ne’Qwa Art decorative accessory... More	Paul Brent Paul Brent’s watercolors capture the beauty and character of life by the sea. He considers himself a painter of nature and architecture, focusing on subjects in coastal areas such as lighthouses and coastal cottages, along with birds, fish and all types of sea life. Brent lives in Panama City, Florida,... More
Peggy Abrams Born and raised in a small Michigan farming community, Peggy Abrams has developed a devoted following among collectors for her wide range of art. Her subjects include Victorian ladies, Old World Santas, teddy bears, botanicals, angels, garden scenes and much more. Abrams’ art appears in limited and... More	Robert Schmidt Coming soon. More
Stewart Sherwood Stewart Sherwood is acclaimed by critics to be today’s pre-eminent Canadian realist painter and illustrator. Few artists have this extraordinary skill of depicting children with precision while being able to express deep sensitivity towards the subject. Internationally known, Stewart has an impressive... More	Susan Winget A prolific illustrator and award-winning watercolorist, Susan Winget’s designs capture the timeless nostalgia of country life and a love for traditional values. Her hand is remarkably versatile, with an aesthetically pleasing and accessible style. Since the events of 9/11, Winget’s patriotic images... More
Thomas Blackshear Neqwa A world class illustrator, Thomas Blackshear is best known for his limited edition prints and collectors plates. Now, his extraordinary versatility as a fine artist is exhibited in a third dimension: limited edition sculpture. Thomas Blackshears sculptures demonstrate incredible sense of design,... More

 

Ne'Qwa Art has brought together the artwork of 16 well-known North American and English artists with the Centuries-Old Tradition of painting on the inside of glass. Every ornament is individually hand-painted on the inside through the small opening in the top! Ne’Qwa, in the Mandarin language, is the term for this centuries-old artistic tradition of reverse painting on the inside of glass. This technique creates a brilliance and luster that is not attainable with standard painting methods.

Presentation Case... Like an ultra-high-quality jewelry box, each Ne'Qwa presention case offers an elegant, handmade sanctuary for these artistic treasures. Carefully crafted from sturdy wood and covered in luxurious velour, the padded top opens to reveal a silk-lined padded interior that both protects and displays its luminous treasure. Wheter open or closed, the box bespeaks elegance for gift-giving and display.

Hang Tag... Each decorative accessory from Ne'Qwa comes with a removable hang-tag that fully explains the specific techniques used to create the piece, with a biography and picture of its licensed artist.

Eggs aand the Jon Q. Wright lime are shipped in this luxurious green velour box.

Questions and Answers about the art:
Q. How long has Ne’Qwa art been around?
A. Although some scholars have dated the Chinese art form of painting on the inside of glass to over 1000 years ago, it was not until the mid-17th century that it became a prized and collected art form within the imperial court.

Q. What makes this art form unique?
A. In addition to being an accomplished artist, the painter must master several techniques.
(1) The artist is required to paint through a small opening in the ornament on the inside of the glass.
(2) To paint in this art form, the artist has to paint in reverse order with the foreground completed first and then finishing with the background.
(3) Certain ornaments used are opaque mouth-blown glass. These ornaments don’t allow the artist to see the tip of the brush and all painting must be done by “feel”.

Q. How are they painted?
A. Through a small opening in each piece, the artist inserts his brush and paints on the inside of the glass. Using delicate brushstrokes, and a very steady hand, the artist creates intricately detailed scenes. From outlining to shading to color application, all work is painstakingly done in free hand. When completed, the artists proudly sign his/her name.

Q. How long does it take to complete a single piece?
A. Depending on the intricacy of the design it may take several hours to several days.

Q. What type of glass is used?
A. All Ne’Qwa Art ornaments are created using mouth-blown glass. Mouth-blown glass is lighter in weight, better quality and more transparent than oven molded glass. The exceptional glass quality provides a lustrous appearance bringing out the color and brilliance of each design.

Q. Why do the ornaments have a different look?
A. In some pieces the glass remains transparent. In other pieces, an iridescent coating is applied. In those ornaments that appear frosted or non-transparent, the technique of sand-blasting the inner surface is employed to create the abrasive inner surface to which certain paints can adhere

Q. What kinds of brushes are used?
A. The brushes are hand-made of a steel wire stem and horsehair tips. The brushes are slightly bent in order to access the complete surface area of a three-dimensional object. A variety of tips are hand-formed and used throughout the creation of one piece, ranging from a fine tip for outlining to cotton buds for shading.

Q. Are these ornaments just for the holidays?
A. No. Since these are truly works or art, many of our customers display them year-round using a display stand or in the gift box.

Q. Can you describe the gift box?
A. Each box is entirely made by hand. The fabric is a traditional weave of a high quality silk Damask material selected to complement the traditional style of the box and its handcrafted construction. Additionally, the box is lined with red satin and includes a booklet which describes the art form, a picture and biography of the North American artist/designer and a statement of authenticity.

Q. Is the Silk Damask gift box included with the ornament?
A. Yes. Each ornament comes with a gift box. The box is perfect for storing the ornament and also does a great job protecting the ornament during shipping.

Q. How are these ornaments displayed?
A. Our customers display their ornaments on ornament stands, Christmas trees, or in the the silk Damask gift box.

Q. Who designs the scenes?
A. All scenes are created by North American and English artists and are licensed by Ne’Qwa Art. The artists are Stewart Sherwood (Canada), Diana Card, Hal Sutherland, Tom Wood, Richard DeWolf, Joseph Holodook, Long Zhang Yvonne Sexton, Beverlie Manson (England), Clare Mackie (England), Diana Knott and The Currier & Ives Foundation.

Q. What kind of paints are used?
A. The paints used vary from piece to piece. They include the use of watercolor, acrylic, enamel and oil.