Craft Show Artists 2009

Tricia C. Adler — Dingmans Ferry, PA

Creating mixed media art as body adornment (handbags, brooches, etc.) or as sculpture (freestanding or wall pieces) that incorporates found and recyclable materials is my passion. Reclaiming discarded items that I find on the side of the road or in the middle of the forest excites me. My studio is filled with these treasures. The objects found inform my journey. My interest in materials (wood, metal, fiber and clay) and process (carving, welding, felting, dyeing and hand building) has always been as vast and diverse as the completed objects themselves. The thread that manifests itself most often regardless of the media is the concept of containment, making objects that hold other things. Currently, the thrust of my work is exploring the possibilities and challenges of working with recycled inner tubes. Experimenting with ways to connect the inner tubes has been fun and fruitful. Bolts, rivets, grommets, wire, and thread have all been used successfully. Every day is an adventure.

Marina T. Borker — Philadelphia, PA   |   marinaborker.com

I use the copper foil method of stained glass construction to make window hangings and decorative objects that play with geometry and optical illusion. Although I work primarily in glass, I often create imagery that is inspired by other mediums such as architecture and textiles. I enjoy making these visual connections across mediums. All my patterns begin with hand-drawn images, so my final pieces are often quirky, and fluid in appearance.

Kristin Gereau — Waukesha, WI   |   kgtextiles.com

Because I'm drawn to great color and texture, each wearable accessory is designed to have a three dimensional quality when worn. All my wearables are knit using hand manipulated techniques on a knitting loom. Each accessory is an original design using premium, eco-friendly fibers such as Merino Wool, Silk, Bamboo, and Tencel.

Brian R. Jones — Portland, OR   |   www.brianrjones.com

My current work lies in my interest in the investigation of the transformative character of memories. A remembrance of a jar, cup, and plate serves as the point of departure for contemplation of form, color, and tone. The nature of how a pot reveals itself over time to an audience is the long echo of that initial reverie. The pot is both a reservoir and an initiator of memories. My work is hand built and is also constructed from molds. I use earthenware and porcelain clay and employ terra sigilatta, slips, and glazes to form layers on the surface.

J. David Norton — Uniontown, OH

Fused glass frit paintings are composed of clear sheet glass and colored frit (crushed glass). They are 100% glass (no paint). They undergo multiple kiln firings and applications of frit to add depth and detail. I combine transparent and opaque glasses to depict the interplay of light and shadow. I'm inspired by the beauty of nature and love to create scenes that draw the viewer in.

Tami Rodrig — Lexington, MA   |   happyartstudio.com

Ever since a very early age, Tami has liked to create and discover the wonders of playing with materials. Being an artist became a way of life while every little mundane thing was absorbed and an inspiration. The change of seasons, the shape of a slice of bread, and the rhythm of a cat's stealthy crawl; these are just a handful of things that inspire her. Tami's many travels have had a big impact on her work and the urge to use plenty of colors. Humor in her art is often used as a reminder of our temporary place in the universe. Trained as a painter, one can see the color sense in her mixed media and sterling jewelry. Studying both art and silversmithing, she combines her metal smith techniques with paint and recycled objects to make jewelry. The jewelry she creates is crafted from a bezel made from silver, while inside, a little collage tells a story. A layer of clear resin is poured on top and smoothed to enhance and protect the piece.

Hannah L. Shaw — Brooklyn, NY   |   hannahshawdesigns.com

My work is characterized by combining the rough and refined, the industrial and organic. I aim to make dresses and other wearable items utilizing non-traditional materials. Such materials consist of wire, paint, found objects, and natural materials (wood, bark, or beach stones). By pairing these materials with more refined fabrics such as silk or other wovens, the results are elegant wearables; each a unique work of art. My work translates into two mediums: clothing and jewelry. Though each is form is strong on its own, the two are inspired by similar ideas, and are therefore meant to work symbiotically to create a complete look.

Michelle B. Tinner — Kingston, NY   |   mbtinner.blogspot.com

I'm interested in challenging conventional ceramic ware with innovative and playful variations. When designing the pieces I consider the way they relate to the human body, of which they are reminiscent through the volume and gravity conveyed in the forms. I use multiples of one or more forms to arrange compositions and patterns. The essence of the work is not only found in each individual piece, but also in the way they interact with each other and the space they create as a whole. The pieces are all slipcast porcelain with cone 6 glaze.

Robert D. Woldow — Seattle, WA   |   artscraftseattle.com

My work explores the contradiction between the common perception of glass – smooth, shiny, "glassy" – and the rough textural beauty revealed when its polished surface is stripped away. My process is "strip method" fusing. I fuse strips of glass, hand-cut by the hundreds, into patterns which are repeatedly cut into sections, rearranged, and fused into patterns of increasing complexity. After grinding and polishing by hand to a smooth finish, I remove the shiny "glassy" surface through a combination of sandblasting and acid-etching. The result is a honed matte surface that resembles ceramic more than glass. Using palettes of complementary and contrasting colors in both transparent and opaque glass, my goal is to create the textural aesthetic of "translucent ceramic".

Teresa Starr Wynne — Warwick, NY   |   starrspunfelt.com

Having played with fiber for 2 decades I migrated to felting about 5 years ago due to its organic, serendipitous nature. I connect with the outdoors when creating, inspired by colors and textures. Through the manipulation of fiber in the ancient technique of wet-felting, decorative vessels appear. As though by magic, the wool and silk combine, always in unique and unpredictable arrangements. Although I have no formal art education, I have studied with felt-makers from the United States and Australia, as well as many authors of books on feltmaking. This is my second year as an official artist doing shows.

Genevieve D.Yang — Santa Rosa, CA   |   genevieveyang.com

Jewelry is in my blood. I create clean, elegant, and tactile pieces. My jewelry is hand forged and fabricated with my own two hands from initial rendering, to stone setting, to final finish. My current collection marries 24-karat pure gold and silver in my modern and more durable method of the ancient Korean technique of Keum-boo. I utilize thicker gold and higher heat for bonding to create pieces that can withstand more wear, and therefore use keum-boo in a novel way. In the age of machines I pause and create with my hands. In an era of disposability I blink and try to make something that is both timeless and relevant now. Some jewelry outlives us all. I strive to be outlived by my own.