The VISION:
Eye for the Find Creates Functional Art
for Personal Use and for the Home

Eye for the Find was created by artists who are committed to creating high-quality, handcrafted works of functional art for personal use and for the home, and to bring our work and the work of other artists to market.

Handcrafted functional artwork is becoming increasingly scarce in today's world, as technology streamlines mass-production and pushes more cheap factory knockoffs into the marketplace. We saw a better way.

We are creating a supportive environment that encourages and enables artists to follow their visions, while creating practical works of great beauty. We support fair trade practices globally and provide a way for U.S. and international artists to be fairly compensated for their work.

Eye for the Find is a woman-owned company that supports artists and their work by encouraging the traditions of handcrafted functional art and by providing ways to bring the work to market.

Ellyn Ford, CEO, President and founder of Eye for the Find, is the creator of the original art-glass nail file. Her art glass work is recognized for her sense of style and use of color.

 

THE ARTISTS & THEIR ART
Portland, Oregon glass artists Ellyn Ford and Jean Wilson have joined forces at Eye for the Find and expanding the lines in exciting new ways.

Ellyn Ford, the CEO. President and founder of Eye for the Find has been crafting art for most of her life. Her range of work includes textile art and reconfiguring vintage jewelry. Like most artists, she found it difficult to support herself, so she established a career in marketing for the high-tech industry. Eventually, she came to believe that she could use her marketing skills to create a workable dream: To establish a business that would bring her work to the marketplace, while creating a supportive environment for artists both in the United States and throughout the world. Eye for the Find became a company composed of artists who create extraordinary works of functional art. Her first product line is the original handcrafted art-glass nail files, which she created in 2006. She works every day in her Portland, Oregon studio creating embellishments for the files, and working with artists who share the dream.

Jean Wilson, the Vice President, has been a glass artist for a dozen years. Coming from a rich family tradition of functional art--her father is a sign painter--Jean's background includes extensive experience in the screen-printing industry. Her glass art includes designing and creating many of the embellishments used on the glass nail files and zipper pulls, as well as larger pieces for the home. She also makes paper and cards. In addition to creating a range of glass art, she also works closely with other artists who also are creating exciting new works.

Together they and the other artists with whom they work are creating exciting new trends by embracing the traditions of mid century America, moderne art, and the traditions of folk art from throughout the world with 21st century style and sensibilities.

(To visit our studio, click on the button above "Inside Our Studio.")

Each art-glass nail file is an original, handcrafted work of glass art. The embellishments are designed and created by individual artists.