June Events

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful Memorial Day Weekend. I'm off on a hiking adventure tomorrow, but wanted to make sure to get the word out about two June events before I go.

On June 7, you can come to my blue barn in Hadley and work with 4 local artisans to create your own projects. Try your hand at glass beadmaking, papermaking, upcycled fused plastics, or hammered metal jewelry. Each workshop is 45 minutes and you can choose to try 2 or all 4.  Pre-register at valleycreates.com.  Also, if you know any youth ages 8-12 who might be interested, we have a special morning session just for them, subsidized by a generous grant from the Hadley Cultural Council. This event is also sponsored by Artisans of WMASS.

Secondly, on Saturday, June 13 during Cultural Chaos in downtown Easthampton, I have a three person show opening entitled HAVEN opening at Nash Gallery with artists Donna Beck and Beryl Salinger-Schmitt.  This should be a sweet show in a great location, right in the middle of the street festival. 

The “HAVEN” exhibit will include paintings, sculpture and mixed media works that suggest place-making and space-making as a primal instinct. Many species construct and interweave materials for the purpose of refuge and transformation. For example, this can be seen in nature in the form of a nest, a cocoon or a shell. The three participating artists will interpret and recreate man-made “havens” through manipulations of their specialized mediums.

Hope to see you soon at one of these events!

September Festivals

I've been busy preparing for this weekend's Mattoon Street Arts Festival. This is one of my favorite festivals that kicks off the fall season.  Come visit me this weekend in Springfield from 10-5, mention this blog post and get 10% off your purchase!  I'll have a bunch of new steel planters and candlabras, as well as the usual suspects- cute bud vases, beautiful pendants, mesmerizing marble stoppers and fresh veggie earrings.

Next weekend, Kitchen Garden will put on the Annual Chilifest, which is being held this year at Mike's Maze in Sunderland.  Artisans of WMASS is hosting the artisan shop, which will feature a spread of local handmade pottery, glass and steel, upcycled wares, handmade paper, journals and ornaments and more from Malea's Pottery, Sew What Gallery, Katie Ray Arts, JillyMama's, Lou's Upcycles, Moon and Sundries, and 230am Studio.  I'll also be doing a glass beadmaking demo on Sunday at 1:00 pm if you'd like to see some glass melting!
 

 Mug by Malea Rhodes     

             

Wallet by Lou's Upcycles

                                                                                         

I'll also be making beads all afternoon on Saturday September 20 at Oh So Pretties in Wilbraham. This will be part of the "Taste of Wilbraham Shops" event and I'm sure there will be some good sales at the shop.  Oh So Pretties caries tons of great local artwork by some of my favorite Artisans of WMASS members. Upcoming Classes:  Glass Beadmaking hosted by Hadley Parks and Rec on Sundays, September 21 and 28, 1-5pm and Intro to Glass Beadmaking at 413 Glassworks in Cheshire. on Saturday September 27.   

Beneath the Surface

It's March already and I've been out in the cold welding, melting and constructing a new piece for my show Beneath the Surface at APE Gallery that opens next week.  There's still a lot to do, but it is coming along and getting exciting!  The show opens next Friday, March 7, but the reception will be on March 14 from 5-8pm during Northampton Arts Night Out.

Carolyn, Scout and I have been meeting regularly to help each other think through our different pieces. Each of us is doing something very new within our practice, and though we make very different work, the similarities of layering, encapsulating and submerging are a common thread. 

Here are a few glimpses of my process and what's to come...

 

I hope you'll come see the show.  I think you'll enjoy it.

On another note, I'm hosting a beadmaking marathon day at the Yellow House in Palmer on April 5. This is an all day class where you can immerse yourself in melting glass!

Also, save the date for Local ARTery : Artisan Demonstration Day on May 3rd.  

Artisans of Western Mass is creating a large scale educational and fun environment to connect you to the handmade products you buy. Spend the day with us and learn how artisans create and produce their work. Come see over 30 artists and crafters with demonstrations on weaving, pottery, fused glass, metal working, silver clay, fused plastic, quilting, tie dye, upcycling, photography, and many more! AWM is taking over the Yankee Candle Fitness Center on Rte. 5 & 10 in South Deerfield and filling it with all kinds of interactively creative activities including make and take stations, demonstrations, and hands on learning. Admission is Free, all ages welcome. http://www.artisansofwmass.com/local-artery/

September News ~ Mattoon St Festival, Chilifest and more

On Saturday you can find me at the Mattoon Arts Festival, one of my favorite shows because of the great variety of high quality handmade work, the ambiance and friendliness of the people who live on Mattoon St, and the swarms of appreciative shoppers. I definitely recommend this one. I'm working hard to create this week so I can bring lots of fun things to the show including my spiral mobiles,  lots of cute bud vases and maybe some funky, new steel candelabras. 

But first, you can find me in Easthampton from 5-6 this Wednesday (9/4)  for the closing reception of my sculpture show, Sheltered, at the ECA's City Hall Gallery.  The work on display is a wall of sculpture including some new and old work along the themes of home and nesting, protection and exposure. 


And don't forget about the Chilifest! It is growing to a two day event this year, featuring all kinds of spicy fun.  I'll be managing the local art area where we'll have a shop of goodies from 10-15 local artists,  as well as seat weaving, glass beadmaking and blacksmithing demonstrations, and a make and take papermaking workshop for ages 8+ on Saturday all sponsored by Artisans of WMASS.  

In other news, my welding studio is in the drywall stages and should be opened for business soon! I'll be offering an introductory welding workshop in the fall, as I've heard lots of interest from folks in the area that would like to learn. More soon....