Handmade Gift Feature & GIVEAWAY from 33stewartavenue! ~ Diane's Vintage Zest!

Handmade Gift Feature & GIVEAWAY from 33stewartavenue!

Today's feature for "25 Days of Handmade Gifts" is from 33stewartavenue and I am so happy to share it with you!  Sean's story of how he started making his art is totally something that I'm sure a lot of artists can relate to, especially with the long commutes here in California!

Speaking of California, Sean is offering one of my lucky readers the chance to win one of my fave prizes so far, a hand-painted wood block succulent planter or votive holder.  Check it out at the end of the post, but first read all about how 33stewartavenue's items are handcrafted from beginning to end.  Amazing!

Also, make sure to see him at Unique LA this weekend!



P.S. - Sean is a photographer, so let's just say that his photos are the ones that I'll be using for this post.  :)

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Tell me a little bit about yourself!

My name is Sean Finocchio and I am the artist behind 33stewartavenue.  I have always dabbled in art.  I love photography and creating things.  I studied graphic design in college and took some art classes in high school. I work in post production.  I live in Mar Vista with my wife Celeste and our 2 dogs- Buddie and Pico.


Where did the name of your store come from?

I wanted a name that was easy to remember.  I live on Stewart Avenue.


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Why did you start making goods for 33stewartavenue?

I have been producing and selling artwork professionally for about 7 years.  I started creating artwork as a release from my day job.  I have a long commute and carry my camera with me daily.  I started taking pictures of urban landscapes and making them my own.  Then, with a little courage and a push from my wife, I took the leap and decided that other people might enjoy it as well.  I am constantly inspired by the architecture and culture of Los Angeles and California.


What is your favorite item?

My favorite item is what I am currently working on at the time I am creating it.  At the moment- it is these California wood blocks.  I hand carved linoleum, which is a new medium for me, built a printing press and created these from scratch.  I sourced the wood, cut the wood, drilled the holes, sanded and stained the wood, printed on the wood, and then sealed the pieces after printing.  Kind of labor intensive, but very rewarding.  It took about one month to figure out the entire process through trial and error. Now I can build batches in a timely fashion. Once I'm done with a piece- it's time to do something else.  Everything I create inspires the next piece.


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Win this!


What is your most popular item?


Some of my most popular pieces have been my wood prints with different images on them.  I've been printing on various types of wood since 2009. I have been fortunate enough to sell wood prints around the world up to 7' long and that weigh about 30 lbs. each. Wood is a very popular medium right now.


Where do you get the inspiration for your work?

My inspiration comes from being in traffic and seeing the culture of LA.  I see the beauty in the mundane of what we drive past every day.


NFGfs


What makes your store unique?

All of my artwork is from original photographs. I think my artwork is unique - it has a personality. I think it is a reflection of me. I try to create work that people want to own and I make it affordable.  I create every piece to order. Printing on wood makes every piece unique due to the wood grain. No two pieces are alike.


What is the toughest part about making your goods/your artistic process?

The toughest part about working with wood is the amount of labor involved with each piece. Depending on the size of the piece, it can take a few days to print and build each piece.


AXOKt


Do you take custom orders?

Yes- I do take custom orders.  I don't like to modify my existing images but I will work with the customer's images.


When is the last day I can order in time for Christmas Day?

Depending on what piece someone one was interested in, I would say at the latest 12/13.  If I have something in stock - 12/18.  Contact me to start the conversation!


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Where can I see more of your work and buy a gift?

Website: www.33stewartavenue.com
Etsy: 33stewartavenue
Blog: www.33stewartavenue.com/blog
Facebook: 33stewartavenue
Twitter: @33stew
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/33stew/boards/
Instagram: @33stew


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Now, let's keep this short and sweet because I know that you are all interested in winning this prize!  Also, I selected just a few of the pieces to feature, but make sure to stop by and see the "Surfer Van" series, the "Desert" series, and so much more on Sean's website!

Now for your chance to win your choice of a red or white California wood block succulent planter/votive holder!  Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.  It may be slow to load, so please wait a bit OR click on the "a Rafflecopter giveaway" link if you are impatient like I am!

*Update* 12/11 I changed the Blog Comment entry to 33stewartavenue's website since the Etsy option was a little limited!  No need to add an additional comment if you already did.  :)
*Update 2*  12/12 Sean updated his Etsy shop, so there are more items to see.  Check it out!





23 comments:

  1. I am so in love with that succulent planter!!

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  2. There's only CA wood blocks on there now... So I guess that's my favorite.

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  3. The only thing shown is my favorite, lol! Seriously...that wood block is awesome!

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  4. I also saw only the one item, so also my favorite. I did favorite the shop though, so looking forward to seeing more.

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  5. hmmm, only one to choose from but the succulent planter is pretty sweet!

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  6. LOL, as there is only 1 item in his shop, I guess it would be the California votive holder.

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  7. I love the succulent California planter

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  8. I really like the Vietnamese Shorty print

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  9. the succulent planter is amazing

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  10. I love the technique of transferring the photographs onto wood, it's very pretty. I like the motel shot :)

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  11. I love the lifeguard shack artwork!

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  12. Thanks for the giveaway! I love this one

    http://33stewartavenue.com/index/#/california-1/single-gallery/

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  13. My favorite is the Ice Cream one! Seriously, it wasn't even a hard choice. Ice cream, yeah... Haha I happen to love ice cream a lot, in case you haven't noticed ;)

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  14. emmevon(at)gmail(dot)com

    love the succulet planter!

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  15. I like the taco truck prints. (Rafflecopter entry as Sandy Hardman)

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  16. The "Strip Mall Prints" are very cool! They would look awesome framed and hung in a cluster.

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  17. I like the Wall Art - Wood Print - Lifeguard Shack - Tower 2C

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  18. I like the ice cream wood sign in the etsy shop

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I love to hear your comments! And putting in your two cents is always free. :)

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