“NOURISH”   ~ A Showing of Clay and Mixed Media Work

Shannon Castle and Christine O’Dea both received their Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees working with ceramic artist Rodger Lang at Metropolitan State College of Denver in Colorado. Both artists have continued to create with clay and often incorporate mixed media in their works. The artwork in this exhibit explores how the artists foster balance and cultivate peace in daily life.

Shannon Castle honors the creative process in various aspects of her daily life: raising children, growing a garden, cooking, making art and teaching art. As an artist, Shannon often works in multiples, using symbols and repetition as she explores both her personal narrative and universal stories. The themes of balance, loss, love, protection, and renewal are woven into her artwork. Making and remaking objects in a series is her visual prayer.

Shannon works in her home studio and teaches art at the North Fork Community Montessori School in Hotchkiss, Colorado. Shannon has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Ceramics, a K-12 Art Teacher Licensure, and a Master of Arts degree with a focus on Community Art. She has teaching experience at all levels and has sold her artwork in a variety of venues.

As a child growing up in Gales Ferry, Connecticut, in the woods and near the sea, Christine O’Dea found a rich visual environment that continues to provoke her while creating with clay. She walked and wandered, picking up pieces of the earth. She marveled at the colors, textures, and forms of stones, shells, sticks, hives, plants, nests, fish, bugs, and birds. Since those days, she still picks up these small treasures as a pedestrian in the fast paced place this world can be. She weaves them into her ceramic sculptures, interested in the dialogue that emerges from this union.

After departing from Connecticut, Christine moved to Farmington, Maine to study. In 1992, she graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in Elementary Education, and a minor in Visual and Performing Arts. From there, she moved to Denver, Colorado and began studying ceramics at Arapahoe Community College. Later, she transferred to Metropolitan State College of Denver. She received a degree in Fine Arts, Ceramics, in May 2000.

After graduation, Christine began teaching ceramics in a variety of environments such as public schools, after-school programs, and art centers. She has shown her

work on and off in Denver galleries through the past years. Currently, she is interested in carrying her most recent artwork from its private, personal space into public view.

In conjunction with this special show, Christine and Shannon are offering a workshop in two sessions at the Creamery Arts Center:

Story Vessels: Creating Narrative Works with Clay

Instructors: Shannon Castle and Christine O’Dea

Participants will use form and symbols to create a series of clay vessels that hold or tell a personal story. A variety of hand building and finishing techniques will be demonstrated and discussed throughout the workshop including; soft slab construction, slump molds, screen printing on clay, non-fired finishes, and combining found objects with clay. Participants will create at least two finished vessels during two workshop sessions:

Saturday April 13th Noon~4pm & Saturday April 20th Noon~2pm

Class fee: $60/both sessions/ plus clay.

All experience levels are welcome. Ages 12~adult

Quilts on the Wall

This month we will also have some of Lois Fritz’s recent quilts displayed on the Wall. Lois says: “Five or six years ago, the quilting half of my Gemini split personality surfaced, and I began quilting steadily. My interest and efforts go into creating, rather than concentrating on tiny straight stitches and perfectly mitered corners. I started making small quilts, most with juvenile themes, sized to the flat top of a double bed. As ideas came, I began to work with different techniques to achieve the desired effect, and began to show them along with my jewelry at craft fairs. Exposure resulted in orders for custom-theme quilts, as well as my own one of a kind quilts. My fabric scraps are now completely out of control, making crazy quilts a necessity. These are sturdy and warm, and are sold or donated to nursing homes, the fire department and to various organizations for use as fund raisers.

Student Artists for the Month of March

Over twenty-five students from instructor David Kutas’ Art Classes at Paonia’s Junior and Senior High Schools will participate in a collective showing at the Peach Gallery. The show will feature sixty pieces of mostly two- dimensional student art. An opening reception takes place the evening of Friday March 8th from 6 to 8pm. Refreshments will be served. The show will run through April 8th.

This is a great opportunity for the community to appreciate the efforts of our young artists. Oils, pastels, pencil, colored pencil, acrylic, block prints and scratchboard will be featured. A large number of budding art students will display their talents in simple, small scale projects. Kuta’s teaching method is aimed at developing students basic art skills- drawing, shading, color theory, blending, and exploring various two-dimensional media and techniques. “As these students’ understanding of the elements and principles of design deepens, they are given the opportunity to “spread their wings” – exploring their creativity and expressing themselves through art” says Kuta. David Kuta has lent his talents to the youth of Paonia for seven years in the Elementary, Junior High and High School. His personal art specializes in large scale, mural sized acrylic and oil work with an emphasis on color. Lately, David has been dabbling in watercolors. Kuta states: “The older I get, the more I find myself looking to very simple media, water color crayons, pencil, and pen and ink to see where it takes me”.

“WONDERS IN WOOD”

The Creamery hosts another first, showing the accomplished art of woodworkers Ron MacKendrick and Clarence Fivecoate.  They will be featured in the Peach Gallery with the opening reception during the extravaganza.  This show runs February 6^th through March 4^th.

Ron MacKendrick is a native of Hotchkiss- born just three blocks from The Creamery.  Talented in laminated, turned wooden bowls and vases, he creates designs that do not exist in nature while maintaining the beauty of the wood itself.  Strongly influenced by Southwestern Indian design, Ron incorporates those motifs into many of his works.  A laminated vessel is made by gluing together pieces of contrasting wood to create a design or “picture”.  Built one layer at a time, using very precisely cut pieces, it is not uncommon for a vessel to contain several hundred pieces of wood and to take forty to eighty hours of work.

Ron states: “I was introduced to woodworking fifty-five years ago in high school shop class. My parents encouraged me- buying a new lathe and a used table saw.  I spent the next 40 years getting my education: BS & MS – Chemical Engineering – University of Colorado, working for Shell Chemical, Fiberboard Corporation, Owens Corning and Residential Appraiser.  During that forty-year period I was able to continue woodworking occasionally, primarily furniture, grandfather clocks, small bowls and vases etc.

In 1989 I acquired nine pickup loads of wonderful hardwood lumber of many colors, hues and types.  For the next 10 years I increased my woodworking tool base and began learning how to make laminated bowls.  Three years ago, my brother bought me a top of the line lathe.  I began concentrating on wood turning, with the goal of improving my skills, designs and marketing.

Over the years I participated in arts and craft shows at the Ridgeway Rendezvous, Strawberry Days, Western Colorado Center for the Arts, Smith Fork Ranch and Apple Fest.  I have many pieces in the Main Street Galley and The Creamery Art Center.

I won first place in the Strawberry Days Woodworking division and several ribbons at the Delta County Fair.  I am currently an active member of The Creamery Arts Center.  Some of my work has gone to many states in the USA and overseas from Great Britain, to Italy, to Australia.

I attended several woodturning symposiums in Utah and Colorado that featured some of the best wood turners from around the world.  Last year I was able to attend a symposium featuring hands on training from David Ellsworth, who is one of the pioneers in the area of hollowed vessel wood turning.”

Clarence Fivecoate was born and raised on a farm in north central Indiana, graduated from Kokomo High School, taking a vocational course in Industrial Arts learning auto mechanics, welding, radio technology and metal working.  In 1979 he moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado where he built a log cabin in Hahns Peak and was employed by the Steamboat Springs School District.  Working with wood, doing requests for cabinets, bookshelves, repairing items etc., he learned he wanted to extend woodworking knowledge.  After 16 years with the school District, Clarence retired and moved to Palisade, Co. to continue woodworking.  Having purchased a Shopsmith lathe, with components, to have a one-machine shop, his first project was making a dining room table, which is now in a home in Steamboat.

In three years he moved to Cedaredge, Co. and continued turning. Taking a three -day basic turning class offered by Craft Supply in Provo Utah gave Clarence the confidence to enter his first craft show at Bill Heddles Center in Delta, Co.  He expanded his sales at The Main St. Gallery In Cedaredge, Hahns Peak, Co., The Montrose Pavilion and A + Y Design Gallery In Montrose, Co.

“I enjoy ‘The Wonders of Wood’ every time I turn a piece using any species of trees I have.  While traveling I often return with wood from all over the country. I’ll make about anything on the lathe, just for the challenge, and most always out of one piece of wood, turning out vases, bowls, platters, hollowed vessels, pots and other items of different sizes, shapes and forms. I inlay turquoise and other minerals in woods with natural voids.  I have conducted hands on classes on my technique and  knowledge of woodturning. I am proud to say my art work can be found all over the United Sates and in Europe”.

One of Hotchkiss’s premier artist groups- HFFA is proud to exhibit their cumulative efforts in a group showing.  This group was established over fifty years ago and is the sponsor of the annual Black Canyon Art Show.  Their members are proficient in many media, hold monthly meetings and often bring talented artists to the area for workshops and demonstrations.

HFAA membership is open to area artists working in all fine arts and fine crafts media – from professionals to amateurs with aspirations. The HFAA is a well-established organization with over 100 members over the years in the North Fork Valley.

This years’ HFAA exhibit will feature the following artists:

Sandra Williamson’s dazzling photography will capture your imagination with its unusual lighting effects.

Shannon Castles’ intriguing contemporary mixed media pieces bring sophistication to our valley.

Niki Richardson-fiber artist; one of HFAA’s newer members

Mary Jursinovic- well known and renowned potter will share her many unusual techniques and glazes that have made her work a potters dream.

Katherine Colwells’ delicate embroidered landscapes and embellishments will thrill you with their fine detail. She will also show several etchings.

Pam Ellison- self taught potter has grown into one of our areas finer artists combining sculptural, stamped and organic form into her work.

Jim Dawsons’ oil paintings of local scenes and western genre are classical in their approach to the subject matter.

Virginia Blackstock –nationally known, award- winning watercolorist, exhibits her experimental pieces.

Mary Hockenberys’ surreal photographic images bring us to another dimension.

Pete Halladay-functional pottery and abstract sculpture delights with his whimsical forms and sculptures.

Daphna Russell-sculptress supreme will show several of her unique figures and animal forms

Jamie Roebers’ wire sculptures reflect a western theme in large format.

LaVerne Evans water colorist and painting teacher shares many of her fine landscapes.

Janet Warnes’ abstract paintings are a journey into another linier world.

Mary Smiths’ paintings and drawings bring us back to an elegant time and place.

VISION STUDENTS, ELIYA SORENSEN and ABREAZE PERRA

Abreaze is a Vision student and says, “I am not an artist; photography isn’t an art, it is a way to take reality and hold it in your hands. Photography is the ability to transform reality into what you want it to be; to take the way you see the world and put it onto paper. Photography is the only way you can take life and transform it into the truth, it’s more truthful than words. I take my photography and try to show a side of things that people usually don’t notice at first glance. I do mostly portraits in black and white. To me this is the most interesting form of photography. To be able to show the truth about in individual is like telling a story using just one word.”

Eliya Sorensen, is sixteen years old, in tenth grade, and a Vision Home and Community Program student. Her preferred medium is clay.  In Elyia’s words, “While sculpting is fun, I love throwing on the wheel. The way the clay feels smooth and flowing through my hands, and how the clay responds to my lightest touch, forming into beautiful piece of work, is amazing.    My first experience with clay came when I was in second grade in Denver. I was in a sculpting class and saw people working at the wheel. I was absolutely enchanted. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to work on the wheel until I began work with my two main teachers, Suki and David Strong. Last year, I had the chance to focus completely on pottery for an entire year.”

JOHN MITCHELL

John Mitchell will be showing two paintings on the Wall that he describes as Theological Surrealism.  The two paintings are called “Grace” and  “Obstacles to Grace”.

SISTERS OF THE ELEVENTH MOON

One of the Creamery Arts Center’s premier presentations will be featured in the Peach Gallery from November 9^th to December 10^th.  The Sisters of the Eleventh Moon has again combined their diverse talents to bring their fourth annual show to the Creamery. Hendrika Cegielski, Connie Willett and Pennie Alexander will display artwork in many different media.

As a stone sculptor for the past 17 years, Pennie Alexander has incorporated bronze into her stonework.  She is inspired by Native American women and interprets them in a stylized manner that conveys their grace and beauty.  A love of textures and colors has given Pennie the inspiration to weave clothing, warm throws and saddle blankets using natural fibers.  For the past 27 years, she has also taken gourd carving to a new level, using paints, metal, bone, feathers, and beads; she transforms a natural vessel into a work of art.  New for Pennie are Spirit Dancers, her own interpretation of Kachinas using snake gourds.  Pennie is a treasured member of the CAC and her varied talents have graced the Creamery Galleries for 6 years.

Connie Willett is an accomplished fiber artist and photographer, who moved to the area 19 years ago to escape the cold, bitter winters of Wisconsin. She currently lives south of Crawford, at the base of the West Elks with her husband. Wanting to capture the essence of the American west in her art, she began working with fibers.  She is noted for using photos and images on pillows and wall hangings, which are a perfect outlet for her creativity and humor. The volume and variety of her work will attest to her evolution as an artist, and she is looking forward to further sharing her work. Connie is one of the founding members at the Creamery and her contributions to the organization are greatly appreciated. She is known for the whimsical slant in her pieces and has captured the essence of crows. This year she is concentrating on fiber.   One of the pieces arts is entitled “Crow’s Line with Crow Pins”.

Hendrika Cegielski paints in oils, pastels, colored pencil and pen and ink and has received numerous awards for her art. Her love for Colorado’s outdoors is reflected in her work, and continues to inspire her with subject matter that she incorporates into her art.

Having worked with fur and leather for 30 years, Hendrika now takes leather and rawhide to a fine art form as is evident in her pillows which are embellished with conchos, leather fringe, and stone and metal beads.

The simple gourd is yet another empty canvas on which to express herself with pine needle coiling and geometric designs on the upper portion of the gourds which takes her back to the black and white Acoma pottery designs of another era.  Southwestern flora is painted in a variety of media, the trumpet flowers from the jimson weed and calla lilies are her favorites.

New this year is a number of smaller dishes with her signature lizards along the edges in dark and earthy tones. “Bee watering dishes” in floral shapes can provide your garden bees with water throughout the day, adding a touch of the unusual to you flowerbed.

This year she is using a different approach to her two dimensional art by starting with dark backgrounds and layering lighter, richer colors on that surface, giving them an old world look. “ I believe art is a reflection of the soul, so I must be showing my darker side.”

October will be a busy month at the Creamery Art Center.  We are proud to present a very special show in October.  Opening night reception on Friday, Oct. 12 will feature the fabulous emotive photos of Vendla Stockdale and George Brauneis in a exhibit titled: Shadow Horse in the Peach Gallery. Celebrations start at 6pm.  Wine, microbrews and refreshments will be served.

Shadow Horse  is a visionary journey from the images of the rescued horse, horses that come to Spirit Wind Horse Rescue- shadows of what they once were and what they were meant to be. This visionary journey along with its story will tell of how the shadow horse finds its soul and moves through the shadows to wholeness through the volunteers of Spirit Wind Horse Rescue.  This special exhibit challenges us to look beyond the familiar and imagine a reality where we become respectful partners with the earth and all its other nations, showing us that holding onto the past only leaves parts of ourselves for others to see.  Using these media, photographic artists Vendla Stockdale and George Brauneis have combined their creative voices in an exhibition celebrating power and possibility and moving forward with new life. Vendla and George’s shared love of horses has led them to work with the subjects they love most: abused and unwanted horses.  In this exhibit, these horses share their story and remind us that even though some of us suffer trauma, we can learn through the horses to either live in the shadows or follow their lead and find our spirit by moving forward and living again. It is about forgiveness, learning from our experience and finding the beauty of all that is offered to us.

   All the animals in these photos have been rescued from abusive and neglectful situations. Proceeds form the sale of her photographs will be donated to the Spirit Wind Horse Rescue Group.

   Spirit Wind horse Rescue was started in 2006 by Vendla Stockdale and Elizabeth Keenan. They are a non profit 501c3 organization and currently have 41 horses in their care, some of which are looking for new homes and the older horses are retired within the organization. SWHR relies on foster homes at present but hope to one day have a permanent sanctuary for horses needing a second chance.

Plein Aire Paint Out At Log Hill

This diverse group of local artists planned their three phase artistic adventure starting with “The View” painting and drawing from an area located on Log Hill above the town of Ridgway, on an escarpment with a fantastic panorama looking to the south on the Sneffles Range of the San Juan’s.  Then the group followed up with “The Location”, taking photos of the their work as seen from Log Hill followed by the display of art work itself. Several of the artists’ pieces in the show will include a photo of what they were painting as well as the actual work of art.