Slow Blogging

Since my last post we spent four days in Baltimore at the ACC Show where we met with several of our artists and met some new ones! We'll have some great pieces coming over the next few months.

Here's a sneak preview.

Once again we threaded the needle and got up there after the snow and left just before it snowed again. We must know how to live.

One morning while there I led a table discussion on blogging. I love discussions like this because I always get as much out of it as I offer.

Upcoming show and workshop with Justine

A few posts ago I made a list of upcoming events, one of them is with Justine.

We've been friends with and represented Justine for many years and never cease to be amazed at her creativity.

Justine has been making very large, elaborate figures and for our upcoming show they will be inspired by Klimt and Baskt, The show will be called "The Vienna Waltz" with the opening during ArtWalk May 14 5-8:30 pm. The show will run throughout the month.

Using earthenware clay and stoneware, Justine works her magic designing characters that are colorful, fun, emotional, spiritual and sometimes just plain bizarre.

We got a sneak preview of one of the pieces in progress the other day. The first photo is one of the pieces for the show getting ready to be fired the first time.

These other pieces are from previous shows but I'm including them here just so you can see how elaborate her pieces are and can be!

The lady with the brown dress stands 3 feet tall! Being a clay artist myself I am astounded at what she can do with earthenware because I know how hard it is to get a piece of this size built no less get it fired in one piece.

To get some insight join us for a two day workshop building a music box, May 8th & 15th.

No clay experience is required!!

Sign up by May 1, space is limited. $130. Click here for more information or to sign up.

Buy Handmade

This is the time of the year when we go to shows to meet with artists whose work we carry and look for new artists. It's always very exciting!

We just returned from a show in Philadelphia. We were lucky, we flew out on Friday morning and returned Monday night with no problems. Our friends who flew on Wednesday and Thursday had issues and some didn't make it at all. We escaped just before it snowed again.

We met several new jewelry artists, ordered some great hand crafted clipboards, inlaid boxes, glass vases, votives, sterling silver jewelry, and other wonderful things.

Their work will be arriving in the next few weeks and throughout the spring.

Jennifer Umphress

New glass artist Jennifer Umphress! Jennifers work is stunning and by the weekend we should have 4 of her octupus. (They ARE HERE!) To see the particular pieces we have go to her page on our website by clicking the link at the bottom of this post.

Jennifer uses the technique of lampworking to create her pieces. "Lampworking" (also sometimes called "flameworking") is the technique of shaping glass rods and tubes in a torch flame. In ancient times, the glass was melted over the flame of an oil or paraffin lamp, hence the traditional name.

Jennifer talks about her work - "Glass to me is the ideal medium because it has it all; color, dimension, clarity and reflection. This medium enables me to express my thoughts and or feelings in the moment. I have worked with cold glass and other mediums besides lampworking.

But once I discovered the rush of creating with constant motion and having no time to think but instead feel my piece I was completely captivated. Although my inspiration comes from the ocean, I am most intrigued by capturing movement. I try to emulate the movement of sea life in a simple contemporary form.

I began my career in glass in 2000 working and apprenticing in a small studio retail shop in Hawaii. I attended the Sundance Art Center in Santa Cruz, California, studied under Casare Toffolo in Murano, Italy and have taken workshops from Robert Mickelsen, Janis Miltenberger and Richard LaLonde.

Her pieces are outstanding! Click here to see what we have at the gallery.

Spirit of Union Point a new book by New Bern native Karen Dodd

North Carolina native and New Bern resident, Karen Dodd will be at Carolina Creations during the first Art Walk of the year, Friday, March 12 from 5-8PM.

She’ll be available to answer questions about writing her latest book, Spirit of Union Point, the first in the Riverwalk series.

Ken Grubel, Sun Journal book reviewer said, “…the outcome will surprise you. I think this is the first mystery I’ve read that would double as a guidebook” to New Bern and its Civil War history.

The book can be purchased on our website as well, by clicking here.

Metal Art by Jonathan and Lynne Parentice

Earth Studio metal art is the name of Jonathan and Lynnes' Studio.

They make a collection of whimsical decorative accesories for home and garden. We were particularly pleased to find their jewelry racks.

They will be great gifts for graduation.

And we can never pass up a lizard!

Their products are created by cutting, then hand shaping (bending) each piece, and hand finishing.

Their painted finishes incorporate multiple layers of hand-applied color giving each piece its uniqueness. Other finishes include oxidized rust and heat applications to produce special metal finishes.