DECEMBER OPEN HOUSE

The tree is up, the ornaments hung, and the gift corner full!
Join us for the December Gallery Opening at
Artist in Residence Cooperative Gallery at our new time on
Sunday, December 4th from 1-4PM

Featuring:
Harald Aksdal
Alison Dezotelle
Jim Foote
Marcia Hagwood
Kelee Maddox
and
Wayne Tarr

Refreshments, good conversation, and profound insight into the creative process complete the evening's agenda!

ALSO
December is DISCOUNT MONTH!
Many AIR artists are offering 10% off their pieces for the month.
Be sure to check out the selection of fine art at bargain prices!

WAYNE TARR

"I still haven't taken my best image, yet. After 30 plus years in this business, I consider myself a student of photography. There are so many aspects of photography that I can only continue learning to become a better portrait and fine art photographer."

KELEE MADDOX

"Very early one morning I was taking my kids and my dog out for a walk. I saw a little squirrel crossing the street and I squealed: 'Look at the little squirrel wearing a hat!' Of course, it wasn't, but I kept thinking about how cute it would have been if it was. I knew I could crochet a tiny little hat for the squirrel, but I just couldn't figure out how I'd get it on the squirrel. However, if I made my own little squirrel out of wool, I could make a hat and force the animal to wear it without fear of rabies. So, that's what I did. Only, I made a rabbit, and I gave it a mohawk and a carrot tattoo.

MARCIA HAGWOOD

Marcia Hagwood is a potter, goat and chicken farmer, hand spinner, and natural soap maker. Her current work in pottery focuses on forms built with a variety of construction techniques and tools in addition to her potters wheel. She will exhibit several new jewelry and treasure boxes this month. Also, just in time for the holidays, she will introduce several new seasonal soaps.

JIM FOOTE

"For me, painting is a meditation; the physical act of applying paint to the canvas with a brush (or fingers), moving paint, mixing colors, playing with sculpting the image. It's a balancing act keeping the finished painting in mind while letting go enough to get there. This is having you cake and eating it, too. Painting with friends, plein air or figure drawing is another joy on this journey and the icing on the cake!"

ALISON DEZOTELLE

Alison Dezotelle can be found picking up rocks, seed casings, lichen and twisted sticks on her walks in the woods and along streams and rivers in and around Northern Vermont.
Recently inspired by the depth and layers of history in her trip to East Germany this year, she has decided that elves and trolls may indeed exist, and has created faces of polymer clay embedded and emerging from the twisted pieces of trees and roots which she has amassed in her cramped, windowless basement studio. 'I have studied the work of northern European doll makers and am inspired by their unique approach to features and dress,' said Dezotelle between mouthfuls of salted peanuts and chocolate fudge.
Another facet of her work is the cloth dolls she has spent the year working on. Dezotelle has collected fine fabrics from various small fabric stores in Vermont, Connecticut, and Leipzig, Germany (she thinks nothing of accosting women in airports when she sees something made in a fabric she covets). In making the dolls, she tears apart fine linens and silks, creating a contrasting dress of fine material on a simply designed doll. These creations are inspired by doll makers from France and England, and by couturiers worldwide. The dolls continue to evolve as her collection grows.

HARALD AKSDAL

"In recent work, I have been continuing to develop my technique of supersaturating the paper and applying multiple washes of color (usually 15-20) to create depth of light and color in the background. I am also experimenting with different ways to apply and then remove watercolor to create the subject matter. The ink-work, too, is being further developed-- I recently discovered 'Rotring,' a new pen system produced in Germany that is by far the best ink pen I have ever used. These developing techniques and improved tools really help to keep the artistry and excitement alive, and keep me motivated to continue exploring our landscape."

OPEN HOUSE

Plan to attend the Thursday, November 3 Open House
from 5 to 8 PM at the AIR Gallery.

Featuring artists
Jean Cannon
Barbara Colgrove
Sharon Fiske
Charlotte Rosshandler
and
Becky Wright

Refreshments, good conversation, and profound insights into the creative process complete the evening's agenda.
See you there!

Artist In Residence: A Cooperative Gallery
321 Main St.,
Enosburg Falls, VT

BECKY WRIGHT

"I've always loved making things-- using my imagination. Right now I like fashioning boxes and containers from paper mache. I love painting with bright colors and creating textures. Paper mache is a fun medium to work in and I'm always looking for ways to express myself in paper mache whether it is in sculptures, container, or funky animals. I have no idea where I will go next with it.

CHARLOTTE ROSSHANDLER

Charlotte Rosshandler has worked as an artist/photographer for the past 30 years, exhibiting internationally and publishing. She is most happy when working together with others in publishing projects. She has been living full time in the woods of Vermont for over 10 years now and her photography is totally influenced by the intimacy she experiences in the nature around her. Her work is deeply personal as she sees nature as poetry and metaphor and her desire is to share those feelings with the viewer.

SHARON FISKE

Sharon Fiske has been a local resident for more that twenty years and her interest in painting began when she moved to the area. She paints primarily in oils, but also enjoys acrylic and watercolors. She enjoys painting all subject matter, but has a passion for history that extends into her art. Sharon's favorite subjects are Primitive Portraits, Theorems, and Reverse Glass Painting, which dates back to the 1700's. Sharon describes herself as a woman with a bright eye who loves her palette to include vivid colors.

BARBARA COLGROVE

"Making art is what I do and defines who I am. Earthenware clay is my medium of choice, throwing on the wheel or rolling slabs for tiles or mirrors. Over the past year, I have developed a style of stamping/applique decoration on many of my pots. In this show, I have a couple of pieces with scraffito and wax resist designs. Inspiration often comes from other artists as well as the beauty of the Vermont landscape. My seemingly chaotic studio is my refuge as is the forest outside it's door. I can't imagine not making pots..."

JEAN CANNON

"Trees and vines are an endless source of fascination for me. Their branches can be complicated and messy, yet they remain elegant, like the frozen movements of a dance. I paint the birds around me. In Vermont, birds are jewels, shimmering amidst the gray branches, floating on blue-gray water, or hidden in the dense greenery. In the South, they are large and flamboyant and everywhere. I am know as a watercolorist, but I also paint in oils and acrylics. I strive for a sense of mysetery, sometimes even surrealism, in my work.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! To join many other Enosburg Falls merchants, many AIR artists are donating 10% of October sales to the battle to defeat this serious disease. So this month, please visit the AIR Gallery and look for the pink labels that indicate participating artists and do some early holiday shopping.

MARTHA OHLIGER

"Born and raised in St. Albans, I have lived my whole life in Northern Vermont. I am a member of the Essex Art League, NVAA and the Bryan Memorial Gallery. I work in traditional oils, doing still life arrangements of dishes in a realistic manner. I chose dishes because I feel they make a statement about family connections and values. Recently, I have tried to add landscapes because this is such a beautiful state we live in."

CARL NEWTON

"I'm a retired Forestry Professor who began making oval bentwood boxes about 5 years ago. I started by making a set of Shaker boxes for my wife, and now I find myself making and selling a wide array of Shaker bentwood items, ranging from boxes and carriers to bureau trays and pincushions. Over the last year or so I have been experimenting with Norwegian style bentwood boxes (called a Tine; pronounced TEE-nah) and sculpted trays. While shaker boxes have their iconic, almost mathematical elegance, the Norwegian items have more of a rugged, individualistic theme that seems befitting their Viking heritage-- a theme that definitely challenges my less well developed right hemisphere."

KITTEN ELLISON

"Not much to say-- the erratic weather this year led me to spend as much time in my garden as possible when the sun was out! Therefore my studio was not visited too often until the end of last month. Having painted some new glass and ceramics, I am presently experimenting with wild images on silk, hopefully to be finished in time for my October reception (on 10/06/11). Sometimes, it is hard to be creative without a little push from a person or an idea, so this time I just let color speak to me."

TESS BEEMER

"I was raised in South East Asia where my father worked for the oil business. We returned to the USA in the 60's when my father bought property in Vermont. Since then, I have lived in Vermont painting local landscapes in a variety of media."

ANDY WOOTEN

"I have been working in fiber arts, specifically 1960's style tie-dyed creations, since about 1998; the last 6 years here in Northern Vermont under the name Blue Moon Designs. Everybody is probably familiar with the rainbow spiral and other well known designs from the 60's, commonly connected with the 'hippies' of that era, which are the basis of my repertoire. As much as I enjoy doing these designs, lately I have been playing around with non-traditional colors and color combinations as well as more advanced tie-dye techniques including the Japanese technique called Shibori.
"Recently I have been experimenting with dye applications that don't necessarily require tying. These include direct application of dye with squirt bottles, eye-droppers, paintbrushes and basically any other way I can think of applying dye to fabric. As you might imagine working with these new processes I have had some successful and other not so successful results. One combination that has been really popular is my version of camouflage. Imagine that with as many hunters as we have here in the Enosburg area. As I have mentioned before in my AIR information but have yet to actually perfect, I would like to work more at learning the techniques for tying Mandalas, Stars and other figure oriented designs. Hopefully I will get that done this year."

FRANK TIRALLA

Frank is retired and now resides in Franklin, Vermont with his wife Priscilla. Nowadays, his time is spent fishing on Lake Carmi, bird hunting with their dogs, Patches and Maggie, and devoting more time to his passion for art. Frank custom frames the majority of his artwork using local hard and soft woods. Current art work includes a 24x34 inch oil-on-canvas of two Quebec Labrador Caribou. He is also working on an oil-on-canvas of a Mountain Caribou. And last but not least, the Grizzly Bear.

HENRY TRASK REILLY

Working out of his home studio, Hank has amassed over 200 paintings! He sketches from life or using photographs. While most all artists use their hands to work the paintbrush, Hank uses his hands and fingers to manipulate the paint from the very beginning, saving him time and energy when first developing his paintings. If he changes his mind about the way things are going one swoosh of his hands and presto, a black board to work with. Come and see how deftly Hank uses light in his paintings. His landscapes are familiar and encourage you to take a second and third look.

KATHLEEN PATRICK

"I became interested in quilting after seeing a play about pioneer women and their quilts. Over the past thirty years of taking classes and workshops, my style has evolved into making fairly traditional quilts, but with a touch of whimsy. In the past few years I have done a lot of red work (a type of hand embroidery). More recently, I have been drawn to the 1930's reproduction fabrics and their quilts. And from here on out, who knows where else I'll go."

JAN BROSKY

"Hand-spun wool, silk blends, organic cotton, angora merino and baby alpaca are just a few of the fiber types found in my personal 'candy store' of yarns; formerly referred to as a spare bedroom. I find that today's fibers are much easier to work with on a wooden needle rather than aluminum, steel or plastic. Bamboo is my preference, simply because of the way it feels in my hands. Much like an artist and a favorite paint brush. Just like the yarn, I've lost count of the number of straight, double-pointed, and circular needles of every size stashed in those Rubbermaid tubs and dresser drawers! Knitting is therapeutic for me. It provides instant gratification while at the same time, providing a one-of-a-kind, unique, hand-knit fashion statement for years to come. In addition to the Artist in Residence Gallery, Knit to be Tied scarves may be purchased at The Willow Tree in St. Albans and A Little Something Gift Shop in Shelburne."

BETH MCADAMS

"Lately, I have been focusing on simplification -- trying to break down complicated structures into simple shapes using a simple palette of the three primary colors and concentrating on just one form -one rose, one boat, etc. However, I continue to find changing the style of painting stimulating and usually follow a tight, detailed painting with one that is much freer, where the paint controls where I go rather than the other way around."

ROBERT ELDRIDGE

Self-taught wild-life painter Bob Eldridge grew up loving birds and mammals found in the wild, which remain at the center of many of his paintings. However, Bob also investigates with his paintbrush historical figures (Jesuit priests in the New World) as well as biographical imaginations (Abraham Brown for the Community Arts Project) and is especially interested in "how much one planned brush stroke can convey."

SUSAN DELEAR

"I've been working with clay for 30-something years. My pottery is earthenware, thrown & hand-built; glazed & decorated, including mugs & practical everyday items, as well as goblet drums & traditional southern ugly-face jugs. I enjoy exploring the endless possibilities that clay offers. I try to translate my life experiences through my work."

(pictures coming soon)

FRED AKEL

"For the most part, I do not do a lot of planning in what I paint. I ordinarily begin by washing in things --ideas-- just to get past an intimidating blank canvas. Then I will apply paint, and then I take some of the paint back. At the same time, I am thinking about form, angles, color and line. I let the paint lead me. I usually overpaint several times until eventually dominant images appear and theme for the composition emerges. In the end, it may require different layers of glazes, etc. to bring the piece to a whole. It's not a process I am particularly delighted with as it appears to bring out something stored within that can be unpredictable and scary. I am now thinking on moving on to traditional landscapes. More planning and enjoying and peace of mind. We do live in a very beautiful part of the state."

AUGUST GALLERY OPENING

Reception: Thursday, August 4th, 2011

5:00-8:00 PM

Refreshments Served

(Exhibit runs through August)

Featured artists:

Painter, Fred Ackel

Potter, Susan Delear

Painter, Beth McAdams

Painter, Bob Eldridge

Gallery Open: Wed-Sun 10 AM - 5 PM

(802) 933. 6403

JOANNE WAZNY

"Water is life. It's what makes this place unique. Water nourishes. It heals; it cleanses. It has power and majesty, yet there's nothing so gentle as a drop of dew. Water also dances and plays. I love to watch the relationship between water and light, whether it is in reflections, rainbows, mist, or frozen crystals. When I pick up my camera, I get to join in the quiet game, to be part of the timeless dance. For a split second all else disappears, and it's just light, the water and me. What more could one ask?"

PAM VOSS

"My fascination with art began at a very young age. While growing up in Hanover, NH I was priviledged to take art and pottery lessons. I attended the University of Vermont, earning a B.A. with Art as a major. My focus at that time ws solely pottery. In recent years, my creative energies have vacillated among watercolor and acrylic painting, photography, basketry, book-making and most recently, fiber arts. I love the interplay of colors and textures, and the challenges of form and function that this medium brings. The forms of the arts are influenced by my present home environment in Northern Vermont. I have always had a love of nature and realize a deep need for beings amongst the wonders of our Earth. During my recent trip to China, I saw ancient pottery, temples and pagodas. Their features definitely influenced my latest pieces. I wish that those viewing my works will find them whimsical, rustic yet elegant, functional yet decorative."

KIM SENIOR

"My small sculpted panels are done for pleasure and fun. I began doing them years ago as whimsical gifts, then sold through shops; then I got busily into the realm of murals, and the panels were set aside for awhile. A year ago I moved to Shelburne, Vermont, (to which I have been a biennial visitor for twenty-five years) and felt the inclination to take them up again. I use a combination of paper-mache and air-dry clay on an armature."