Open House

WINTER OPEN HOUSE

Sunday, January 8th from1-4PM

Featuring artists

Sharon Diner

Nick Rosato

Guest artist Jim Ouellette

and student artists from Enosburg and Richford Middle & High Schools

Refreshments, good conversation, and profound insight into the creative process!

GUEST ARTISTS TO PRESENT AT SUNDAY OPENING 1/8/12

In addition to presentations by our two AIR practicing artists, Sunday's Open House (January 8th from 1-4PM) will feature art work by sixteen student artists in addition to pencil drawings by high school history teacher, James Ouellette, of Enosburg High School, who is currently taking drawing classes from Rebecca Anne Bennett at her Blue Crayon Studio in the rear of the AIR Gallery.

Jim Ouellette says, "taking the classes has made me much more observant about color and line. I have since pretty much restricted myself to the pencil. My colored drawing of an adobe mission (below) was based on a drawing in an art book."

Student Artists: Art instructor Pat Murphy explains, "This student show has become a tradition at the [AIR] Gallery. Local High School Art Teachers from Enosburg and Richford showcase examples of the high quality art work being produced. The work includes drawing in various media, painting, and sculpture. It's always exciting to see art whose point of view is different from the work that is usually presented at the gallery." Following is a list of student artists participating in Sunday's show:

Enosburg Falls Middles and High Schools:

Shayley Russell

Jared Gervais

Kenneth Ashton

Breanne Root

Whitney LaVallee

Quatie Hayden

Paige Rich

Paige Howard

Christian Ramos-Torres

Brandon Perry

Richford High School

Kohl Corcoran

Sara Robitaille

Krista Messier

Devon Barnes

Alyssa Brunelle

Lisandra Santiago

NICK ROSATO

"Most objects a woodturner produces tend to be round or circular. I am trying to break that barrier by working with chunks of wood that are square, rectangular, or irregular in shape. During the turning process, I make cuts and re-examine the project and often change my mind about the final piece several times. One of the exciting aspects of working with wood is that you never know what you will get until you cut into it. This can result in beautifully figured grain or a knot that will fall out leaving a big hole. These elements can significantly direct the outcome of a piece.

"My new series of platters give the illusion that the wood is bent over a form to create a subtle curve. They are in fact, turned. The four corners of the platter reach upwards to slightly different heights and angles which creates irregular movement within the pieces. I tend to leave the natural edge on at least on side of the platter; this gives the pieces a subtle rustic feel while the rest of the work is smooth and modern in design. I enjoy working with the interplay of rustic and modern."

SHARON DINER

Sharon's venture into making polymer clay jewelry began in 2004. A career working in the fashion industry in Montreal gave her an appreciation for 'wearable art.' The versatility of working with polymer clay allows her to make brilliantly colored, one of a kind jewelry to wear, enhancing any garment. Using the clay as her focus, she complements the colors with the use of crystals, metals, and gemstones. For the most part, she is self-taught but workshops with well-known polymer clay artists Tori Hughes, Kathleen Dustin, Grant Diffendaffer, and Myriam Bardoul have allowed her to expand her horizons and perfect her techniques.