Your Destination for Local Fine Arts and Crafts Since 1999
My interest in art began with stained glass and acrylic painting. It wasn’t until I took a wheel-throwing course that I fell in love with creating in clay. I continued to develop my abilities for several years, working under the respected and talented sculptor, Rosalia Riera. Nature inspires me and my love of wildlife has given me endless sources for expression in my clay work. I let the clay tell me what it wants to become. Continue reading “Nancy Rosenthal”
I am an encaustic painter who has been experimenting with beeswax, resin, and pigment for over a decade. The word Encaustic means to “burn in” the technique is a progression of liquid to solid, as properties change throughout the creative process. It is a continued evolution of movement and fragility that ironically results in an enduring piece of art. After each layer of beeswax is applied, it cools and then is fused to the previous layer using heat. The result is a translucent image created by multiple layers, some clearly seen while others may be a mere suggestion.
I use a wide variety of materials to generate images including inks, oil sticks, and pigmented shellac. A variety of techniques are also employed such as scribing, scraping and burning, along with embedding objects. Sometimes, papers as precious as my father’s architectural renderings or French legal documents from the 1800’s are given a new and preserved life in beeswax.
Originally from Cranston, Rhode Island, I earned a BFA in textile design from the University of Massachusetts/Dartmouth. Many of my landscapes are inspired by the New England coast with color pallets representing both sea and snow. Additionally, I have taken inspiration from the marshes of the Carolina low country as well as the crests of the Blue Ridge.
I create fine woodworking from the Arts and Crafts movement, with a slant toward Asian influence. Being creative in my woodworking designs and a day in the workshop is a relief from the exasperating world. It always puts me in my “happy space.” For me, expressing my craft in smooth flowing designs with the natural beauty and character of the wood is a key choice in my work. My projects are made to be touched and will bring warmth into your home. Continue reading “Tom D. Sims”
My original designs are mainly constructed in the copper foil method of stained glass, also known as Tiffany style. Each piece of glass is cut, ground, then wrapped with a copper foil tape. The solder adheres to the copper foil and that’s how the piece is held together.
My styles range from geometric to abstract incorporating materials not usually found in stained glass art such as geode slices, mineral specimens, vintage glass jewels and thrift store finds. Continue reading “Cheryl Stippich”
Photographing since 1967 and self-taught, I started my craft learning to develop and print black and white and color film in a darkroom. I was an early adopter of digital in the mid 90’s and digital continues to be my medium today.
While my photography has been focused on travel, people, and landscapes, about ten years ago I discovered still life light painting but not in the way I do it today. I experimented both with still life objects as well as large outdoor scenes. I had many failures. I sought out other photographers who used light painting and participated in online training as well as in-person workshops to learn different processes. As a result, I’ve merged what I’ve learned with my vision. There are many forms of light painting that differ from what I now do. However, that research helped me narrow down the process I now employ. What triggered my interest was the different visual quality of an image that was light painted. There is a unique feel and depth that you don’t get with natural light or flash; and it was that quality I was after.
The Light Painting technique I use includes utilizing small light sources to paint light on still life compositions in complete darkness. Light painting has the ability to show the quality and play of light on objects. It can transform a common object into an object of beauty. Light Painting helps to create depth, color, texture and at times, illusion.
Each one of my images tells a different story. Some are simply the beauty of an item that may have been junk and some will tell the story of an activity or event. The story of each image can be up to the viewer. I am attempting to show the transformation of and appreciation for everyday common items simply by utilizing light.
I have been influenced by Renaissance artists such as Caravaggio and Dutch artists including Vermeer who masterfully utilized light. It is exhibited by the direction, contrast, and softness of the light including the control and placement of highlights and shadows both soft and warm. Light defines, hides and conceals as well as exposes what isn’t normally noticed in life, and Light Painting allows me to accomplish this challenge.
Mark V’Soske
Instagram: @markvsoskephotography
I was born loving mud – making pies from mud, wading creeks with mud squishing between my toes, and finally making my own creations from clay. My love of pottery has a long history. Collecting pottery on trips in the U.S., South America, and Europe were vacation highlights, and opportunities to observe potters at work mesmerized me. One magical day a potter observed my keen interest, and invited me to make a pot; my love of collecting pottery was transformed into a passion for making pottery.
Following my retirement as a store owner, my husband and I were free to move to our property in Balsam Grove. There Sitting Rock Studio was born, named after a special place along our stream where my son built my sitting rock. I find many moments of inspiration there as I listen to the sounds of the forest and immerse myself in its beauty.
Not surprisingly, much of my pottery is inspired by the beauty of the Appalachian forests, rocks, and waterfalls. Texture is a dominant feature in my work. My tools range from the forest flora to vintage lace to the everyday objects that disappear from our home! Earth tones are prevalent in my pottery, but experimentation in many glaze combinations brings me great satisfaction as well. I hold adventurous learning in high regard and it is not uncommon for new designs to appear in my pottery selection.
Making pottery brings me great joy. My hope is that when you hold something I’ve made, you will also feel that joy.
Tia Wilks
Sitting Rock Studio
(219) 508-3880
Instagram:@sittingrockstudio
“My art truly is 2,200 miles in the making. When I took that first step on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia on my way to Maine, I was searching for positive self-assurance in myself and my abilities. Along the way, I discovered more about myself and the world around me than I ever anticipated. The most significant discovery, something I always felt I lacked as an artist, was passion. Once I found that, everything seemed to fall into place. With every new piece I complete, my ultimate goal is for the viewer to experience emotions as if they were on their own self-fulfilling journey.”