Linda Lundqvist

Portfolio Categories: Fabric-Fiber.

Amara Childrens Purse

As far as she can remember, Linda always kept her hands and mind busy creating things. As a young girl after WW2 in Germany, Linda started weaving, knitting, crochet and sewing her own clothes. Later as a mother of three living in France, knitting was her main hobby, but she also tried all kinds of different needlecraft, as well as jewelry making with whatever material she found suitable.
Years later when living here in Connecticut, besides some mosaic work, knitting and sewing were Linda’s hobbies of choice. She is especially interested in recycling. For her purses, Linda uses belts as shoulder straps and embellishment and also some hardware for purses and necklaces (drawer pulls, washers, bobbings etc).

Linda McMillan

Portfolio Categories: Decorative.

Blue Blooded

 

Linda is a Connecticut artist who loves to wander in nature, searching for quiet inspiration and beauty in the world around her.   She is known for her decorative ceramics, often whimsical in nature, as well as her expressive portrait ceramics.   When not working in ceramics, she can be found working with fine art photography as well as alternative forms of photography including wet cyanotype, lumens, scanographs and others.  She is an award-winning artist who has been shown in galleries and juried shows on both the east and west coasts including the Salmagundi, Ridgefield Guild of Artists exhibitions and the Rowayton Art Center exhibits.  Her art is found in private collections and her photographs and digital paintings have been published in various forms.  In addition, as an arts educator she enjoys being a part of her students’ artistic journeys and guides them to find their own creative spark.  She works (and has worked with) high school students and adult students looking to develop their creative talents.

McMillan’s work is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Linda Reid

Portfolio Categories: Decorative and Jewelry.

Purple Rain Tin

Linda Reid developed a love for nature while roaming the fields and woodlands near her childhood home. She took numerous drawing classes at UCONN while completing a degree in environmental horticulture. Linda learned to paint by taking adult education watercolor classes and is self-taught in acrylics. By combining her scientific knowledge of plants with her passion for all nature, she produces landscapes and animal portraits in both watercolor and acrylics. Linda’s artwork celebrates God’s creation with bright colors, delicate line, and a sense of joy.  Linda’s paintings are currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Linda Saucier

Portfolio Categories: Jewelry.

Color Change Earrings

Linda enjoys designing and making jewelry in a variety of materials: platinum, gold, silver, brass, bronze, and wood, especially ebony. She has made settings for all types of

stones and found objects, from classically faceted gems to cabochons, carved shell and bone, and fossilized shark teeth.

Saucier spent fifteen years working as a designer and model maker at a jewelry shop and now is pursuing her own jewelry business. Previous to this, she operated her calligraphy and sign-painting service. She has a BFA in Crafts from Carnegie-Mellon University and an MFA in metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Linda has taught calligraphy, jewelry, and sign-painting workshops and classes in colleges, art centers, and calligraphy guilds. She has participated in art shows in New England, in Wisconsin, at Spectrum Gallery in Connecticut and in an international show for the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG).

Lisa Fatone

Portfolio Categories: Decorative.

Lisa Fatone now works from her home studio; concentrating on freelance graphic design, original watercolors and greeting cards as well as jewelry design. A 1982 Graduate of Paier College of Art and Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT.; Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art. Fatone, along with a partner owned and operated a graphic design business which flourished for two decades. Continuing to work in the field of Graphics, Fatone kept her graphic design client list. She eventually accepted a position as gallery curator at the Left Bank Gallery in Essex and moved on to open her own Gallery of Fine Art at Venetucci Home in Westbrook.

Over the years, Lisa has shown her watercolors and jewelry at small galleries throughout New England and currently shows at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Guilford’s Bird Nest Gallery and the Guilford Art Center.

Dedicating most of her time to honing her artistic gift by constantly experimenting with new mediums and collaborating with like-minded creatives.

Lisa Krall

Portfolio Categories: Ceramics and Decorative.

Autumn Leaves Bowl, porcelain with underglaze decoration. Underglaze and clear glaze, cone 10. Watertight, food, microwave, oven, dishwasher safe.

After 30 plus years as a Soil Scientist for the US Department of Agriculture, Lisa retired this fall to spend more time with her pottery. With a craving to work with clay, she started taking adult education courses while living in Maine. Just as Lisa loves to share the vegetables that grow in her garden, Krall loves sharing her pots with people that will use and enjoy them. No words are more welcomed by a potter than “it makes me happy every time I use my mug, bowl, plate, etc.”!

In 2004 Krall started Feats of Clay and sold her pottery for several years through Artists Open Studio of Northeastern Connecticut. She works in porcelain and stoneware, wheel throwing and hand building one-of-a-kind functional forms.

At Wesleyan Potters her work is high fired in gas kilns to cone 10 (up to 2381 degrees F). Most of her work at Spectrum Gallery is formed in porcelain and decorated with fanciful designs using hand-carved stamps and colored slips and under-glazes.

Lisa Pichnarcik

Portfolio Categories: Jewelry.

Carnelian Blossom Earrings, dapped and painted copper, carnelian and quartz, earwires & headpins rose gold filled, earring drop 2 1/16in

Lisa Pichnarcik has been studying and designing jewelry for over fifteen years. Her metalwork and mixed media designs are rooted in her intensive study and exploration of a variety of techniques, including forging and fold forming, wirework, stitching, and bead making using precious metal clay, polymer clay, paper clay, and wool. The inspiration for her designs broadly ranges from living creatures and natural objects to industrial forms and tools. As she hammers and paints metal, shapes polymer and paper clay, and wire wraps beads, she seeks to transform inspiration into reimagined designs. Each piece becomes a reflection of how emotional impact and mood converge with technique and material. Lisa’s designs were featured in a solo exhibition in the Fisher Front Space at the Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon, Connecticut, in May 2018. Her jewelry has also been published in several magazines, including an honorable mention in CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS magazine’s Mixed-Media Excellence Awards in 2017. Her work has been sold at various vendor shows, shops and galleries, and as commissioned pieces. She shares her love of jewelry design by teaching classes to both adults and children.

Lori Meehan

Portfolio Categories: Jewelry.

Silver & Amazonite Ring

Lori Meehan, the metalsmith and designer behind LMM Design, creates handcrafted, artisanal jewelry using modern and ancient techniques. She grew up in rural western New York State and went to college in Rochester, NY and London, England where she studied marketing. While working in the hectic television industry in NYC and looking for a creative release, she discovered the art of creating jewelry.

After moving to Connecticut in 2008, she found the Brookfield Craft Center and this is where her love (addiction) for working with metal started. She began taking related courses at BCC, The Center for Metal Arts, FIT, as well as with masters Charles Lewton-Brain (master goldsmith and creator of Foldforming), silversmiths Jayne Redman and Cynthia Eid and with independent instructors from around the country.

Lori now teaches metalsmithing and jewelry-making classes, both privately and in groups and is a faculty member at the Brookfield Craft Center. Finding inspiration in nature and geometry, she works primarily in 24k gold, fine silver, silver, copper and semi precious gemstones, using various techniques including Keum-boo, Fold-forming, anticlastic/synclastic forming, forging, cold-connections and more. “I enjoy the process of taking a flat piece of metal or a straight piece of wire and creating shapes, forms, textures and sculptures. Sometimes my creative process is planned out, and other times its spontaneous and I won’t know what I’m making until the piece is complete.”

She is a member of the Nutmeg Collective and has been featured in the 2017 Connecticut Magazine’s Holiday Gift Guide. Her work can be found in many galleries in stores throughout Connecticut.

Lyn Harper

Portfolio Categories: Ceramics.

Blue Pear #2

Lyn Harper’s ceramic work is inspired in part by the design aesthetic of Scandinavia. The houses of Iceland, the fabric prints of Sweden and Finland and the clean lines of everyday objects. Her work is not limited to one clay or firing process; stoneware, porcelain, terra-cotta clays along with high fire gas reduction, soda, wood and electric firing all are used where needed for the surface effect desired. Lyn worked as a graphic designer in the frantic world of television news for 30+ years and that has given her a real appreciation for making art that takes weeks to produce.

Lyn’s ceramic work is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Lynelle Abel

Portfolio Categories: Decorative.

Lynelle Abel is a self-taught pressed flower artist. After retiring from her leadership position in the Patient Experience division at the Yale New Haven Healthcare System, Lynelle found herself searching for a new creative outlet that would combine her love of flowers and nature – with the ability to share these gifts with others. Lynelle works with a Microfleur press and has gained much inspiration from renowned botanical photographer, Ellen Hoverkamp. Lynelle creates large framed botanical prints and has been commissioned to design keepsake prints using flowers from meaningful life events (weddings, funerals, retirements, etc.).  Other work includes smaller glass frame prints, seasonal botanical pumpkins and note cards.

Lynelle resides in Madison with her husband and has two grown sons and a beautiful two-year-old granddaughter. Her work is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut and she is a featured artist at Spectrum Gallery’s Summer Arts Festival on the Essex Town Green.

Lynn Webber

Portfolio Categories: Decorative.

Blue Blossom Birdbath

Lynn Webber has been playing with and repurposing glass for the last six years. She designs garden art in the form of bird baths, totems, seed feeders and flowers. She has shown in Simsbury at the Flea and Smorgasbord for the last four years. She had a show at the Historical Society in Simsbury and one of her pieces sits in one of their gardens. She also has shown in Chester, CT at Repurpose Happiness. Her pieces are additions to peoples already beautiful gardens and add all season color.

Webber’s glass work is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Mallorey Caron

Portfolio Categories: Fabric-Fiber.

Gardenscape Hi-Low Top, silk with garden flower dyes, shorter in front and longer in back, small to medium

Massachusetts based artist, Mallorey Caron, found her inspiration in her grandmother’s garden. Each botanical print is a homage to the carefully tended and lush blooms she grew up surrounded by.
Since graduating from the Art Institute of Boston in 2015 with a Bachelors in Fine Arts, she was in search of a printmaking technique that didn’t require use of a professional studio. Experiments with wood block printing lead to linoleum. She hand prints using environmentally friendly inks which require no chemicals during the process. She grows the majority of her dye materials in her garden or goes foraging in the woods of the Berkshires. However, there are a selection of traditional natural dyes such as madder root, which she sources from sustainable suppliers.

Mallorey has exhibited work in multiple group exhibitions in Cambridge, MA, and in markets throughout Connecticut, such as the CT Flower and Garden Show, New York and Massachusetts. Mallorey’s work is currently exhibited at Spectrum gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut. Her line of stationery can be found at the Boston Symphony Hall Gift Shop.

Marcia Kindlmann

Portfolio Categories: Pottery.

Marcia Kindleman has been making pottery for about 35 years, in stoneware and porcelain. Marcia makes each piece by hand on the potter’s wheel, making individual pieces related in shape as a family. Kindleman’s fascination with glazes led her to years of experimenting, making her glazes from scratch.

She created a series of colors in subtle shades of blue and ice-green, and another series in colonial reds, with freehand brushwork designs. No two pieces are alike.

Marcia learned pottery-making at Wesleyan Potters. Her inspiration is the functional and hearty forms in country pottery of Britain and early America. For the past several years Kindleman exhibited in the nationwide juried/invitational Celebration of American Crafts at Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven as well as at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, CT.

Maria Campbell

Portfolio Categories: Pottery.

Ocean Motion Vase

Maria Campbell enjoys working in a variety of media including ceramics, mosaic, pastel and jewelry. She was a longtime member of Wesleyan Potters, attended the Lyme Academy and studied at both Haystack Mountain Craft in Maine and Snow Farm Craft Center in MA. Always curious, she explores variations on a theme and experiments with one-of-a-kind works. She views making art as an adventure.  She always had time for being creative, even while attending graduate school and working as a financial analyst. She is now “retired,” but really isn’t! Her work is now shown at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, CT

Marianne Dietz

Portfolio Categories: Notecards.

Floral Fancy Art Card

Marianne Dietz hails from Long Island, New York.  She and her husband, Bob, came to Connecticut 43 years ago, settled in Madison and raised two children. Marianne worked as an Executive Assistant in the business and academic world for more than 40 years.  Most recently, at Yale Law School for close to 20 years.  Marianne was an Executive Assistant to three Deans of the Law School.  Prior to that she served as Executive Assistant to the Headmaster at Choate Rosemary Hall, and the executive in marketing for an international mining company. She has taken classes in business at Middlesex Community College and Wesleyan University.

Marianne discovered the joy of art during Covid.  She took an art class on Zoom, where she was introduced to several mediums.  She applied what she learned to creating her own designs.  She particularly likes to create whimsical art, which is meant to bring a smile to your face.

Marianne is a member of Madison Art Society and is on their Board of Directors as the event coordinator, where she organizes art demonstrations and lectures for the public.  Dietz’s work is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Maris Fiondella

Portfolio Categories: Decorative.

White Vine Letter J, gouache on paper, 23K gold leaf, Gilded white wood frame, Acid free cream matte, 10in h x 11in w

Maris Fiondella is an illuminator and retired teacher of medieval literature.  Studying the Middle Ages introduced her to beautiful illuminated manuscripts with gilded letters and pages ornamented with images of animals and birds, vines and flowers.  She began to paint decorated letters from a desire to imitate this practice, especially with regard to the Celtic tradition of illumination, which often exhibits a delightful sense of humor.  She studies manuscript illumination and gilding at the St. Michael’s Institute for Sacred Arts on Enders Island, off Mystic CT.  Her current work includes decorated letters taken from Ireland’s Book of Kells, White Vine letters in the Italian Renaissance style, and holiday Gold Box letters.

Marsha Borden

Portfolio Categories: Fabric-Fiber.

Rhapsody in Blue Crochet Hat

Marsha Borden is an artist who works primarily in mixed media and fiber. She uses abundant, easily available materials and asks her viewers to consider the ideas of waste, excess, consumerism, function, and beauty. In her work, she exploits the properties of the common supermarket plastic bag by cutting, twisting, weaving, fastening, looping and sculpting it. In doing so, she invites others to appreciate – and perhaps condemn – the color, texture, design, versatility, longevity, and strength of the plastic bag.

Marsha’s work has been showcased in various galleries and art centers throughout Southern Connecticut, including Spectrum Gallery, Guilford Art Center, Kehler Liddell Gallery, Ely Center for Contemporary Art, and Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven. She works from her home studio in Guilford, Connecticut.

Mary Anne Sherman

Portfolio Categories: Jewelry.

Figure 8 Bracelet

Mary Anne Sherman has been creating jewelry since 1989, starting with earrings made from seashells. She soon began taking metalsmithing classes at Rhode Island School of Design and Brookfield Craft Center to create more permanent and intricate pieces.  In 1996, she founded her business, Mary Anne Sherman Jewelry Designs. She teaches jewelry classes and has sold jewelry at galleries throughout the United States.

She now works in Argentium Silver which has a higher silver content than regular sterling and is much more tarnish resistant. Much of her work explores the equilibrium of chaos and order in nature, especially the ocean.

In addition to her jewelry, she works at creating communities of artists, artisans, and the public. She is a former president of the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery in Westerly.

Sherman’s Jewelry is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

 

Mary O’Connor

Portfolio Categories: Prints.

Say Yes to Your Creative Self by Mary O’Connor, paperback, 132 pages, Three Chairs Publishing, Branford, CT

“Say Yes! to Your Creative Self” is an invitation to creativity. Written by Old Saybrook author, poet, painter and lover of nature, Mary O’Connor, this full-color, self-help book is filled with tips and prompts, photos and inspirational writings on ways to boost our ways of being creatively stimulated.

Intrigued by the magic of the commonplace, Mary seeks to capture its delight through her paintings and writing. Her joy-centered books include Passing Shadows – Images and Words of Inspiration; Life Is Full of Sweet Spots, as well as Dreams of a Wingless Child, a collection of award-winning nature and inspirational verses. She often complements her work with photographic images as well as paintings in watercolor and acrylics.

Her paintings have been exhibited by area art associations, and her people and pet portraits are treasured by individual owners. A former instructor of poetry at the York Correctional Institution, Niantic, she currently serves as a docent at the Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme. O’Connor’s work is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Maryann Flick

Portfolio Categories: Glass.

Yellow Butterfly Stained Glass Night Light

Maryann has lived in Old Saybrook, CT since 1991. She is a Chicago native and former research scientist with a PhD in Molecular Biophysics from Florida State University. Since leaving the world of research, she has had time to pursue two favorite passions: photography and stained glass. She learned to work in stained glass from a master artisan in New Jersey more than 25 years ago.

“Although stained glass and photography seem like unrelated arts, they both depend on light. Photography is all about capturing the light on your subject. The beauty of a stained glass design relies on the interaction of light with the colorful glass. When designing my glass pieces I try to predict how the various types of glass available will work together with light to accomplish my vision for the piece. I never really know how well the combinations work until the piece is completed and placed against the light. It’s always a revelation to view the finished design. Glass is a magical medium to work with and lends itself to so many beautiful and practical finished products. I am proud to carry on a craft that dates to medieval times.”

Maryann’s stained glass is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Maureen Maalouf

Portfolio Categories: Glass.

Spring Tree Wine Glass

Maureen Maalouf received her art degree at State University of New York at Fredonia and has been painting for many years.  She draws much of her inspiration from nature.  Trees, flowers, and sunsets are common subjects of her paintings, although she enjoys the freedom of the occasional abstract piece.  She is known for her vibrant colors and strives to bring feeling into every project. In addition to painting on canvas, she also paints wine glasses to sell at craft fairs.  Maalouf’s work is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Megan Cassidy

Portfolio Categories: Ceramics.

Pit Fired Porcelain Bottle Vase

Megan Cassidy explores the technical and formal qualities of relief patterned surfaces on both decorative and functional wheel thrown ceramics. She is currently finishing her Master’s of Science in Art Education Degree at Central Connecticut State University where she focused on developing a series of vessels that pushes the structural integrity of the clay by removing material for maximum openwork allowing the viewer to see inside the forms. The interior composition of these vessels were also addressed coaxing the viewer to take a closer look and ponder the mystery of how they were created.

Many of the sources for her work lie within the long and complex history of ceramics. Technically elegant forms of Chinese and Korean relief, celadon pottery and the geometric motifs of Islamic ceramics are just a few of the historical genres that have inspired the development of her work. While standing upon the shoulders of previous civilizations and ceramic traditions, she hopes to provide her own distinct interpretation of traditional forms and make them relevant to our time giving them a meaningful place in our culture.

Her wheel thrown forms act as canvases for patterns and texture manipulated through a combination of carving, slip trailing, piercing and sgraffito. When she is not developing these meticulously, controlled surfaces, she engages in the contrasting process of pit fired pottery. She enjoys the relationship of creative chemistry and atmospheric serendipity to create organic, subtly colorful surfaces.

Locations Megan has exhibited include the Sill House Gallery, the Guilford Craft Expo, the Central Connecticut State University Art Gallery, the Elihu Burritt Library and the Guilford High School Alumni Show. She balances her career as an artist with graduate school and teaching high school art full time.

Megan Emily Ely

Portfolio Categories: Prints.

Blank fine art cards, boxed set of 10 with envelopes

Megan Emily Ely is a surrealist & fantasy artist based in Colchester, Connecticut and NYC. She is inspired by fairytales, mysticism, nature, dreams, and magic. Her work is primarily oil paintings, but she also utilizes mixed media techniques.

Megan views her art as a medium to add beauty and light in a world that can sometimes be challenging and dark. Her art is meant to spark magic, wonder, and mental well-being. She studied art & design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, and also attended the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine for two summer studios. In her past career she was a design director at Estée Lauder for 10 years and continues to consult in product design. She is affiliated with several artist communities, including the Greenwich Arts Council and the Essex Art Association. Her work has been shown in galleries including a recent show at the Bendheim in Greenwich, Connecticut and is scheduled for various upcoming shows at galleries throughout 2023/2024 including Spectrum Gallery, in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Melinda Shea

Portfolio Categories: Jewelry.

Roses Sculpted Mesh Cuff

Melinda Shea’s artwork crosses several disciplines, including jewelry and collage on glass. Her jewelry incorporates richly woven metal with gemstones and Murano glass beadwork. In her collages, she treats glass as a canvas, telling visual stories that incorporate themes from architecture, natural history, and Baroque aesthetics. Melinda’s collages are lush with detail and symbolism, set against backdrops of beautiful handmade decorative papers. Melinda is a retired architectural designer. When she is not working in her studio, she can be found playing piano or working in her gardens.

Melinda’s artwork is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Michele Kleiman

Portfolio Categories: Jewelry.

Lavender Flower Power Earrings

Michele Kleiman is a native New Yorker, coming of age in gritty lower Manhattan. Since then, she has lived in Philadelphia and Boston, before exchanging city bustle for the beautiful and scenic lower Connecticut river Valley 30 years ago.

Michele has always loved tactile forms of art expression- including ceramics, woodworking, metalworking, collage, and bead work. Kleiman has been beading with increasing fervor over the past 15 years- attending classes, workshops, and retreats. she most enjoys utilizing various found, natural and interesting components to her bead weaving and bead embroidery creations.

Over the years Michele has explored music, playing piano and guitar as well as varied dance forms. She shared these enjoyments with her brother, an abstract painter who has autism and now lives in a group home. Michele’s close relationship with him has led her to pursue a 30-year career in healthcare, working with children that have developmental and behavioral disabilities.

Kleiman’s jewelry is exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut, and the BSK Gallery. Kleiman is a member of Connecticut River Valley Artisans.

Michelle Beauford

Portfolio Categories: Fabric-Fiber.

I’m  a fiber artist who specializes in crocheted items. This is a skill I learned as a young child from my mother. I continue to learn and perfect this skill by creating different items. I love working with bright color palettes. Some of my favorites are shawls, wraps, and baby blankets.

I am a Respiratory Therapist of over 30 years. Unfortunately I had to be placed on disability 3 years ago. I have taken this time to increase my crocheting gift by donating to hospitals and different charities.

Michiyo Shinohara

Portfolio Categories: Fabric-Fiber, Fashion, and Jewelry.

Purple & White Fiber Earrings

Michiyo Shinohara (a.k.a. Shino) was born in Japan. She majored in fashion design and handicraft at Bunka Fashion College, an art collage in Japan known for producing many prize winners in the Japanese fashion industry.

Deeply interested in creating women’s accessories, Shino was fascinating that the things which have the same shape would make different impressions by changing materials. After graduation, she started as an accessory designer at one of the major wholesale companies.

A few years later, she got a golden opportunity to become an instructor at her alma mater, Bunka Fashion College. She worked there for eight years. This opportunity allowed her to widen her experience in the fashion industry. Shino moved to the United States 3 years ago, and discovered “Weaving” at NYC. Weaving became her lifework. The fascination of her works is the novelty of combinations, which are made with various materials and colors. Black and white or steel and water become all one in harmony. Shino says, “When I’m doing the works it is the greatest moment in my lifetime, which always makes me feel like supreme joy.”

Monica Hewryk

Portfolio Categories: Ceramics and Pottery.

Masquerade, stoneware, 11in h x 9.5in w x 6.5in d

Monica graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a BA and a focus in ceramics in 2014. She previously worked as the University Assistant at CCSU, the intern at Wesleyan Potters, and a Resident Potter at Guilford Art Center.She has been exhibiting work in juried shows since 2013. Monica is currently studying for a MFA in ceramics at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Nancy Scilipote

Portfolio Categories: Pottery.

Flared Vase with inlaid slips

Over 25 years ago my children gave me a gift of pottery classes and I have been making pots ever since. I was a studio potter at Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven for much of that time but have since given that up to spend more time in my own studio. I use stoneware and porcelain fired to cone 6 (2200 F) in an electric kiln. I make all my own glazes and like to experiment with different glaze combinations. I love the versatility of clay. My work may be thrown, hand built of a combination of the two. I use texture, slips and glazes to achieve a desired look. I continue to learn and explore by taking workshops; including a Women Working with Clay Symposium at Hollins University. I have also attended workshops with Jennifer McCurdy, Tom Coleman, Hayne Bayless, Jeff Oestreich, Nick Joerling and John Townley. Although I lean toward functional work I try to inject a decorative and playful feeling. I teach a hand building class at Gallery 53 in Meriden. I sell my pots at the Dudley Farm Gardeners Market in Guilford, Gallery 53 in Meriden, and Spectrum Art Gallery in Centerbrook.

Niko Scharer

Portfolio Categories: Ceramics.

Summer Breeze Olive Oil Jar & Plate

Niko Scharer is a ceramic artist in New Haven with a focus on functional pottery. She loves every aspect of pottery, pursuing the fusion of beauty and purpose in clay while exploring different techniques when working on the wheel, hand building, creating surface designs, glazing and firing.

After receiving her Ph.D. in philosophy, Niko taught logic and philosophy at the University of Toronto until she moved to Connecticut in 2015.  There she began taking pottery classes at New Haven’s Creative Arts Workshop and was happy to turn away from her academic career to work with clay.

Niko currently manages the Erector Square pottery studio that she shares with other ceramic artists.  She continues to develop her craft by attending different classes and workshops in New England.

Niko primarily shows her work at local events, such as the Milford Artisan Market and the Holiday Village on the New Haven Green, as well as at Artscape’s City Wide Open Studios.  Scharer’s pottery is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Nita Vitaliano

Portfolio Categories: Decorative.

Slow Stroll, mixed media

Nita is the granddaughter of a commercial artist; her family instilled in her a love of creation and observation. Art has been a constant in her life, and she has been painting for as long as she can remember. Upon entering college, she was torn between the world of academia and the world of art. Ultimately, she chose to earn her Masters in History and work in education, forgoing any formal training in the arts. As such, her artwork took a backseat to her career and young family. It is only recently that she has begun to set aside time each day to pursue creating art. Nita’s preferred medium is acrylic, and she enjoys upcycling old canvases that are no longer wanted. She often paints landscapes, seascapes, and florals, and her latest interest are birch trees. Nita has recently exhibited works at the Mystic Museum of Art, The Slater Museum in Norwich, and Gallery 25 in New Milford. Currently, she shows her work at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, CT. Nita works at Capital Community College as an educational assistant, as well as a private tutor, and a commissioned artist.

Paola Evangelista

Portfolio Categories: Pottery.

Aquamarine Small Teapot

Paola Evangelista is, first and foremost, a tactile creature as visual and tactile texture plays an important role in her work, whether in ceramics, photography, dressmaking, or other mediums. Color and alternative methods like the raku, and pit fired techniques in ceramics are also key elements. Evangelista studied fashion design at Drexel University before receiving her Bachelor of Arts from Central Connecticut State University. She focused her studio arts studies on ceramics with Vicente Garcia. Currently, Evangelista works in the CCSU art gallery as an assistant and she is Director of Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts.

Patti Rasie

Portfolio Categories: Fabric-Fiber.

Toby the Turtle, loops & thread chenille yarn

Patti Rasie is a self-taught crochet artist whose whimsical creations are inspired by color and a simple desire to make people smile. Though she only picked up a hook 3-4 years ago, her work is rich with imagination—ranging from playful creatures like her beloved caterpillar to cheeky pieces like the “Banana-saurus,” stitched with love for one of her children. Patti’s style blends vibrant hues with a touch of humor and heart, often leaning toward soft sculpture and home décor with a joyful twist.

A retired professional, Patti continues to work per diem with Sharp Training, Inc., providing vocational support for individuals with special needs. She also volunteers with the Groton Special Olympics. This exhibit with Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut, marks her first public showing—until now, her work has lived in the hands and homes of those lucky enough to receive it as a gift.

Paula Jacobi

Portfolio Categories: Fabric-Fiber and Fiber Artisans.

Golf Guy Pillow, upholstery fabric, pillow insert, ribbon trim, zipper and cord

Paula Jacobi designs and creates personalized custom pillows, having crafted over a thousand unique pillows using only the finest materials including upholstery grade fabrics, cording, forms, zippers and woven ribbon trims. All pillows are 12” X 16”, which fit nicely on a bed, chair, sofa, bookcase or easel.

Jacobi takes pride in her work, making great effort to match room décor and theme.  Her pillows feature first and/or last names, dates, sport teams, colleges, boat and cottage names, inspirational thoughts, and comical expressions.  Many of Paula’s pillows are in celebrity homes.  Her favorite is “Jasper”, Dana Perino’s dog.

Jacobi is originally from Muskegon, Michigan and now resides in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.  She is married with two children and six grandchildren. Paula has held several jobs throughout her career including Direct Marketing and Fine Art Sales. She holds an Associate of Arts Degree. Jacobi’s pillows are currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Pauline Clifford

Portfolio Categories: Jewelry.

Turquoise Leaf Kumihimo Necklace

Pauline Clifford is not an artist by vocation or profession. She is an educator, currently focused on technology infusion in the classroom. Clifford serves as Director of Educational Technology at Quinebaug Valley Community College. In an adjunct capacity, she also teaches English. Pauline delved into the world of jewelry making at the prompting of friends.

Although Clifford started with basic bead stringing and wire wrapping, she moved on to bead embroidery that incorporates Soutache braid and Shibori silk. She makes jewelry that she likes to wear herself. Clifford favors bold statement pieces. Color and sparkle appeal to her but so do graduating colors in the same area of the color spectrum. Pauline seems to start a piece with a general idea of what she’d like to produce in terms of placement and color. Clifford is not comfortable tethered to a rigid pattern; she likes to see where the beads and cord and wire take her.

Clifford earned a Bachelor’s degree in East Asian Language and Literature, a Master’s degree in Language and Literacy, and a Ph.D. in Educational Technology. Her jewelry is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut

Phyllis Nolan

Portfolio Categories: Jewelry.

Seagreen Island Pendant, sea glass wire wrapped in gold tone aluminum, 17 inch collar, gold tone metal alloy. Pendant: 2in h x 1 1/4in w

Phyllis Nolan lived on St.Maarten, where she organized an international jewelry making club. What began as a social activity soon evolved into a passion for making beaded jewelry and wirewrapped seaglass. Living near the ocean made sense to focus on wirewrapped seaglass, where she has taught jewelry making for over 10 years,

Phyllis has taught wirewrapping seaglass and seashells at Suncoast Technical College, in Fl., Sarasota School of Glass, in Fl., and recently, classes through Branford Park and Recreation Department. She feels her jewelry teaching helps people find enjoyment and a feeling of accomplishment. Clearly a form of art therapy. “I enjoy seeing participants leave with a smile and sense of pride.”

Phyllis’s jewelry has been shown at arts and crafts shows in the Venetian Gulf and River Club, Venice, Fl., art festivals at Suncoast Technical College,Sarasota, Fl, and arts and crafts markets in Venice, Fl.

Her career before finding her passion for jewelry making was working in the medical field as a registered nurse. She also teaches chair yoga and beginners’ ukulele.

This past summer, her jewelry was at the Madison Art and Antique Show, Clinton Library Arts and Crafts festival, St Andrews Community Bazaar, and the Madison Art Society show at Scranton Library in Madison,CT. Nolan’s jewelry is currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Priscilla Palumbo

Portfolio Categories: Ceramics.

Wedding White Crystalline Vessel, Porcelain with Crystalline glaze, watertight. 3 3/4in h x 5 1/2in w

“Crystalline glazes have been used in ceramics for hundreds of years. The process is quite lengthy and costly. Pots are thrown and trimmed at which time colored slips can be applied. Mason stains are used to make the slips as well as using inclusion/pigment stains. Some are rare earth elements. When the foot of the pot is trimmed a measurement is taken. Another piece known as a catcher is thrown to match the foot. After bisque firing the catcher is glued to the pot. This is to catch the flow of the crystalline glaze which will ruin a kiln as well as the shelves. The crystalline glaze itself contains zinc and this is the chemical that will promote the crystals to grow or often said “to blossom”. Zinc seeds can also be used. This technique is called seeding. The crystals begin forming at the top of the pot, continuing to form going down. A base glaze is made and colorants are added to color to the crystals. The glaze is then applied to the pot either by brushing or spraying on. When the pot is dry, it is then fired again. There are numerous programs that can be used for this. The goal is to hit the sweet spot and hold it for a period of time to allow the crystals to grow. Most firings have 6-8 segments to the program. Firing takes three days to complete.  When the kiln falls below 100 degrees the pots are taken out. In the firing the pot has now become fused to the catcher. A propane torch is used and with any luck will separate them. If successful the bottom of the pot is then ground and smoothed using a diamond disc to remove any sharp particles.”

CRYSTALLINE AWARDS

2006 Second Prize – Norwich Arts Council – Norwich, Connecticut
2011 First Prize- New Britain Museum of American Art – New Britain, Connecticut
2012 Jurors Award- New Britain Museum of American Art – New Britain, Connecticut

Racquel Miller

Portfolio Categories: Jewelry.

Antioch Necklace, ancient Roman glass beads, copper wire, gold stainless steel 8 inch chain, gold stainless steel lobster claw clasp, Pendant size: 1in h x 2in w

 

Raquel Miller was born and raised in beautiful Southern California. She moved to Connecticut 13 years ago with her husband and three very energetic boys.

She was inspired to make her own jewelry to encourage beauty, expressive language, and individuality. With a passion for the 16th-18th century she tries to incorporate similar features with a twist of architecture.

She took a short metalsmithing class at Wesleyan Potters, in Middletown, CT which taught her some very valuable skills. She is intrigued with taking items apart and putting them back together to see what shape would come about. Her jewelry designs consist of gold and silver wiring, clock parts, and natural foliage. They have an unconventional twist and unexpected forms.

Her jewelry pieces have been displayed at storefronts such as Trish’s Connecticut Artisan Gift Shop, Naugatuck, CT, Stacy T’s Artisan Store, Wallingford, CT, Walmart.com, The Brass Mill Mall, Waterbury, CT and CT Post Mall, Milford, CT. Her jewelry designs are currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Rashmi Talpade

Portfolio Categories: Decorative and Ornaments.

Rashmi Talpade is a professional artist with a fine arts degree from Bombay, India with additional specialization in photography and ceramics. Her work has been exhibited and has been purchased by private collectors in USA, India, Middle East, and Europe.
Since immigrating to Connecticut in 1991, Rashmi has involved herself in the local art community and has exhibited her paintings, drawings, collages and installations in the New Haven and Hartford area as well as in New York. She has given lectures about her work statewide and in major corporate settings and organizations, including the New Britain Museum of American Art and GE Financial. Rashmi has received a visual arts fellowship from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.
She has served as a co-coordinator and the director, for City-Wide Open Studios and is currently part of the Visual Arts Committee at Artspace, New Haven and the Visual Arts Advisory Group at the Arts Council of New Haven
She has explored the world around her through photo collages, ink drawings and paper sculptures. As a next chapter in her continuing exploration of daily life, Rashmi have created a series of dolls, which at first glance may seem decorative but they are characters of people surrounding her. Each doll is a unique creation, like every person in this world and she create each one of them with the textures, colors and forms in mind.

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