THE ART OF ENHANCEMENT

Two artists who bring new life to existing objects

COLLEEN NORLING
Hand-Painted Decoupage

When longtime Point Loma resident Colleen Norling retired from her career as an interior designer, she wanted to create something beautiful for people to enjoy as an accent in their home or office. Each of her hand-painted, handcrafted decoupage shells is created from a real shell and a printed paper napkin. “I’m inspired by the artwork of the napkin, and I add hand painting to enhance what I see to make a unique piece of art.” Colleen explains. She uses a variety of colors and often paints shells to match the décor of an individual’s home or office, but she considers blue and white to be her go-to colors, because they remind her of the coast. The artwork on each shell is protected with clear acrylic so it can be displayed on a stand, or as a dish to hold jewelry. LEFT TO RIGHT: Octopus, $37; oyster, $47; koi fish, $27
Village Consignment | 415 S Cedros Ave, Ste 120 & 160, Solana Beach | villageconsignmentinc.com

BETSY FRANKLIN
Repurposed Jewelry Design

Betsy Franklin travels a lot. She has been all over the world and wherever she goes, she searches the shops, neighborhood fairs, flea markets, and seeks out street vendors for vintage pieces. “I look for pieces that have a history or special design feature that tell a story about the person who made it or wore it,” Betsy explains. She sketches mock-ups of her ideas to decide what will work best. Her designs are a process and more than once she has redesigned a creation until she was satisfied. “Lovers of history, who value things that have stood the test of time, gravitate toward my jewelry,” Betsy says. “They treasure the gently worn patterns and the stories about the previous owners and the times when they lived.” Betsy’s jewelry designs tell stories that we want to hear time and time again.

TOP TO BOTTOM: Vintage Mali wedding bead earrings, $49; Vintage African glass bead necklace with Mexico Olympic Games medallion, $149; Recycled hand-tooled glass bracelet with nomadic Berber tribe coin $49; Faceted carnelian bead necklace with Berber hand-tooled charm, $129; Lapis and vintage Afghani charm earrings, $49
The Faded Awning | 7464 Girard Ave, La Jolla | fadedawn@aol.com