Houston Llew released this Surprise Spiritile in 2020 dedicated to ALL American Heroes. From front line workers to our veterans, our doctors and nurses and our fearless leaders… the world owes you a debt that can never be repaid. We are eternally grateful for your sacrifices.
This amazing Spiritle with the United States flag “Old Glory” has a quote on the sides from Winston Churchill that reads “Never was so much owed by so many to so few.” Each American Heroes 251 Spiritile purchased from now through Labor Day 2020 will have a special ‘thank you’ message from Houston sealed on the reverse side. **Only those American Heroes 251 purchased during this time period will have the message.
This piece is a somewhat modern yet timeless enameled interpretation of Childe Hassam’s 1917 painting “Avenue in the Rain.” The original painting is in the permanent art collection of the White House and has graced the Oval Office over several recent presidencies. It is one of my favorite patriotic pieces ever created.
The piece embraces the strength of national unity. The water hints at ominous challenges, while American Heroes stand guard over those who are forced to shelter down under cover from the metaphorical storm. The flags proudly protect us & bring us back together to overcome the obstacles thrown in our path by elements beyond our control.
And what better story to put with it than that of a man who recognized & was eternally grateful for the sacrifices frontline Americans made for humanity? I doubt either Mr. Hassam or Mr. Churchill would mind me spinning my own creative style by smashing them together, a bit out of context, and into something new. Ingenuity is, after all, the American way!
I call this piece American Heroes. It is dedicated to ALL American Heroes. From front line workers to our veterans, our doctors and nurses and our fearless leaders… the world owes you a debt that can never be repaid. We are eternally grateful for your sacrifices.
To honor those who continue to serve and to further their legacy, we are donating a portion of the proceeds from each American Heroes Spiritile sold from now until Labor Day, to the Gary Sinise Foundation. During this public health crisis the Gary Sinise Foundation Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service is providing grants to first responders in need of personal protective equipment, financial assistance to healthcare professionals, service members, veterans, first responders, and their families who have been impacted.
Thank you for your continued support and God Bless America!
-Houston
Every Spiritile by Houston Llew is handcrafted in Atlanta, GA. From American made copper, glass and wood. Finely ground colored glass is handpainted on copper, then fired by kiln at 1500 degrees. It’s like drawing with sand, Houston says, then toasting it on a very hot fire.
Spiritiles visually share the brilliant moments that make up your unique story. As gifts, they share brilliant moments with the people you love. They can wall hang or stand alone, and will never fade or tarnish.
Molten Glass on Copper Tile
Tile Size: 5.25 X 1.75 X 8.5 in.
About the Artist:
It is not a simple task to branch out from an established medium and create something new. Late night hours, artist wages, and ramen noodles join the blood, sweat, and tears of growing a new art concept from a classic medium. But all of the hard work and long hours can pay off when combined with a vision for telling stories in enameled wall art. Houston Llew started his venture inside a hot garage in Atlanta in the summer of 2008- at the depths of the worst recession since the Great Depression.
A combined vision for art and an eternal optimism turned a dreary economic situation into an opportunity as Spiritiles deliver a beautifully handmade art product to a market looking for affordable pieces to show their fine art collectors. Today, Houston no longer makes Spiritiles out of a garage -“Llewtopia,” as he calls it, is an expanding art studio near downtown Atlanta employing ten full-time artists and artisans as of October 2013.
Each Spiritile is carefully handmade using a series of intricate stencil techniques. From the beginning, Houston’s vision for his enameled artworks drew from the beauty of simplicity. He sought after animagistic theme for his work rather than pursuing the abstract often seen in other enameled wall art. The image is just the beginning – each piece is paired with a quote sgraffitoed around the sides to create an inspiring story through words and images in glass.
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