Kahlie Sue Pinello, Peach Gallery April 2012

by Margot Richardson
Where do old, broken guitars go to live out the end of their days? If they are very lucky, Kahlie Sue Pinello scoops up these treasures and lovingly transforms them into fabulous, intriguing works of art. Her wildly creative collections of guitars and various stringed instruments reflect a mind occupied with pattern, challenging norms of what goes together. This artist from Lyons, Colorado says she likes to “go outside the comfort zone”, and “do the exact opposite” of what is expected.

Kahlie Sue’s work will be featured in the Creamery Art Center’s Peach Gallery, and everyone is invited to enjoy a reception for the artist on Friday evening, April 13th, from 6 – 8 p.m. All objects are fair game for transformation by this playful artist. In her bio, she states “I have used beds, tables, mirrors, dog houses, and guitars. Nothing is safe around me. My work is very 3 dimensional and embellished with everyday trinkets that come and go across our lives. To find the beauty in a key and have a meaning for it and use it as a symbol of home, or to relish in the fact that pencils look exactly like roofing when placed just so.”

Each instrument has it’s own personality and theme: a Rolling Stones song inspires a guitar with horns; a large dog biscuit combines with keys and images to create a mysterious, miniature world; Scrabble letters spell out the word “Change” while a caterpillar poses above a Monarch butterfly. Colors and patterns follow the curving, elegant lines and spaces of the guitars. The attention to detail and craftsmanship is impressive; it invites the eye to seek out hidden meanings. Viewers will have fun making up their own stories to fit each creation.

Please join us in welcoming the artist with an evening of home-grown art, refreshments, local wines and micro brews. Open Wednesday 12-6, Thursday- Saturday 12-5. Closed Sunday- Tuesday. We are located at 165 W. Bridge St in Hotchkiss Colorado 81419 phone-970-872-4848 or visit our website at: creameryartscenter.org.

The merry month of May brings a delightful diversity of student artwork to the Creamery Arts Center’s galleries. The Churro gallery will feature excellent examples of art work by students at Hotchkiss High School, to wind up their school year. And downstairs, in the Peach gallery, viewers will be treated to a collection of children’s art lovingly purchased over the years by Connie and John Willitt, for their personal collection. Everyone is invited to join in the public reception on Friday evening, May 11th, from 6 – 8, and enjoy mingling with artists of all ages.
Jaimie Rober, Hotchkiss High School’s talented art teacher, exhibited her own work at the Creamery earlier this year. Regarding this new exhibit, she says, “Half of the high school education process is the experience. This will be our 4th annual Hotchkiss High School Art show. This is an opportunity for all of the art students to participate in the gallery experience. Students put their best piece from the 2011-2012 school year into the show. Then a group of artists is chosen to put the show up. Finally, all students show a little more creativity by making food for the gallery opening. We add one more twist to the gallery show: students get to make and experience the raku process. All together, it’s a night of celebration as we bring the year to a close.”
Connie and John Willitt’s collection of children’s work emanates out of a love for art, and a remarkable dedication to the success and mission of the Creamery itself. John is the board president for the Creamery, and Connie is a contributing artist who’s pillows, aprons and other hand-crafted objects often impart cheeky messages into their nostalgic charm. Among all the wonderful creations featured in the Creamery’s on-going student gallery, which is curated and arranged by fellow devotee and artist Suki Strong, how do they manage to choose which pieces to buy?
A Monthly Newsletter May 2012
Connie responds, “The diversity of the paintings and the age
differences among the artists are some of the things we enjoy most.
We have several eight year olds and an 18 year olds work in our
collection. Our first piece is a collage of parrots done by one of the
early after school classes. As far as choosing which piece to buy,
we don’t; it chooses us. When we walk into the children’s gallery, one or two of the pieces
calls out to us. Then we have to decide which one we need the most. I have them all on the
walls of my work room. When I become discouraged or have a block, I just look up and
see all those great works and think “you silly girl, you can do this.” We particularly enjoy
the black and white works. There is one artist who is, I believe, five, whose work we
would love, but so far, all her works have gone to family. We are patiently, well not
patiently, waiting for her to saturate her market.”
Please join us in welcoming these student artists and the devoted adults who champion their work and
creativity, with an evening of home-grown art, refreshments, local wines and micro brews. We are
located at 165 W. Bridge St in Hotchkiss Colorado 81419 phone – 970-872-4848 or visit our website at:
creameryartscenter.org.

In the  CHURRO GALLERY, glass artists  LORIN K. MIRRIAM  and  GARY W. HINES  of Chokecherry Studios in Grand Junction, and members of the Creamery Arts Center, will present a variety of stained glass art. Reflecting Native American motifs, their pieces are sometimes suitable for display in outdoor settings and often make use of natural materials. In 2005, they completed a two-year project creating the stained glass windows for the dome of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Grand Junction.  Over the past three decades, Lorin and Gary have been working in stained glass, and for the past twenty years, doing business as Chokecherry Studios.

Lorin and Gary describe their art: “Our artistic styles are reflections of our divergent but complementary personalities. Our work is a combination of decorative and interpretive arts. Much of our work has been influenced by traditional and contemporary Western and Native American cultures.  These ancient motifs, the natural environment, and the pioneer spirit give rise to a wide spectrum of modern themes and applications. Our pieces are sometimes suitable for display in outdoor settings and often make use of natural materials. Some of our favorite pieces are made for hanging in trees.

Most recently, we have explored working in contemporary mixed media, particularly creating pieces intended to be displayed on walls. Concurrently, we continue to create two-dimensional pieces for window spaces, as well as lamp work.”

Please come in and support our artists and these worthy non- profit organizations. Enjoy local wines and micro brews, tasty refreshments in our spacious galleries.

Connie Willett, Pennie Alexander, and Hendrika Cegielski once again join together in a three woman show titled: “Sisters of the Eleventh Moon” in the PEACH GALLERY. These three artists are members of the Creamery Arts Center and work successfully in a variety of media.

Connie Willett is an accomplished fiber artist and photographer, who moved to the area 16 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. Part of her show will be photographs from her trip to Savannah, Georgia last spring.  The photos are from the graveyard “Bonaventure”. They are of cemetery statues, which were created many years ago. Connie is one of the founding members at the Creamery and her contributions to the organization are greatly appreciated.

As a stone sculptor for the past 16 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 this show, Pennie will be displaying her beautiful scarves and hats. For the past 29 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. Pennie is a treasured member and Gallery Manager/Co-Director of the CAC and her varied talents have graced the Creamery Galleries for five years.

Hendrika Cegielski uses a variety of media to express her art as well. She paints in oils and pastels, draws with pen and ink, and has been the recipient of numerous awards. Her love for Colorado’s outdoors is reflected in her work, and continues to inspire her with the 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 and lampshades. She realized that the simple gourd is yet another empty canvas, and uses it to express herself with carving, paint, ink, and natural decorations. Hendrika is a key CAC volunteer and is responsible for rearranging the entire gallery every month and assists in displaying the special shows.

Six weeks of Kids Summer Art Camp culminated in a plethora of excellent artwork. The students were taught by different teachers and completed several projects. The fruit of their labors can be seen during the Fall show in the Young Artists Gallery. Many accomplished young artists will display paintings, drawings and sculpture during the next few months.