High Line Again

Just got back from NY where I walked the 2nd section of the The High Line urban park, built on the old raised railroad line running through Chelsea, the Meatpacking District to the Railyards near the Javits. 

 

The 1st section has plantings that have now matured and they even have a place to eat and buy souvenirs. The first time I walked it, a few months after it opened, there were only a few people up there, this time there were hundreds and the neighborhood has been transformed along the way. Lots of buildings renovated and even a lot of new construction. 

 

They have just started on the railyards but in anticipation there is new construction going on around it already. 

The Whitney is building a new museum on the High Line, never would have happened if it weren't for this elevated park.

 

 

This is like the idea of bike trails. To some it seems like it is frivolous but it spurs economic development.

 

 

 

Carolina Creations Bags Travel the World!

 

Carolina Creations - thanks to all our customers who carry our bags on their trips!

The Birds are Coming The Birds are Coming

Rock and powdercoated steel birds for your garden, seen here marching down James Reed Lane toward Carolina Creations!

 

 

 

They look fabulous in your garden or on your deck.

We've got a couple in our own garden!

 

My peace pole installed on our 3rd floor porch!

Check them all out on our website.

We love our neighborhood!

Downtown New Bern is a wonderful place to live and have our business. We never tire of it and at every turn I see something new to paint!

I could post hundreds of photos here of our beautiful neighborhood - it's why I've been able to paint this town for the past 24 years - I never run out of inspiration!

Celebrating North Carolina Artists at Carolina Creations Part 2

We represent over a hundred North Carolina Artists and we're going to introduce you to them five at a time! We'll intersperse other posts in between. These are artists six through ten.

Susanne Coatta, Soft sculpture and paintings.

From Angels to Santas, kitties and dogs, witches and ladies Susanne's soft sculptures have been collected by Carolina Creations friends for almost 20 years.

Using vintage materials, Susanne creates enchanting soft sculptures, hand painting or hand stitching the faces, adding pins, ribbons, buttons and feathers!

Susanne moved to Greensboro from Kansas City where she was a partner in a co-op gallery there.

She has lived in North Carolina for over 22 years. Visit her page on our website.

Rick and Val Beck - Glass

Rick earned his Bachelors degree in Art with an emphasis on Glass and Valerie was awarded her degree in Human Services Administration and Political Science. Both went on to Southern Illinois University where Valerie completed Masters coursework in Educational Psychology and Rick earned a Master of Fine Arts with a specialty in Glass.

Between 1991 and 1994 Rick was Instructor and Artist in Residence at the Penland School of Crafts, NC. He also served as a teaching assistant at the Pilchuck Glass School, Washington State, and Artist in Residence at the Appalachian Center for Crafts, TN. In 1995 Rick was awarded a SAF/NEA Regional Visual Arts Fellowship.

Rick started working in glass in 1978, Valerie in 1984. They established their own studio in rural North Carolina in 1991. In 1991, the Becks were among only 100 glass artists selected from among thousands by the Corning Museum of Glass to be published in the prestigious New Glass Review 12.

Since 1992, the Beck’s work has been featured six times in American Craft Magazine, as well as Glass Magazine. Their work is included in numerous private, corporate and public collections throughout the world, including Dutton Lainson Company; Federal Reserve Bank, NC; Glasmuseum, Denmark; Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, WI; Mint Museum, NC; Johnson Wax Corporate Collection; and McDonalds’ Corporate Collection and others.

We always have their ornaments in stock. 

Paintings by Sally Anger. 

Sally Anger grew up in the coastal town of Beaufort North Carolina after moving there at the age of nine. She has loved art all her life, and attended workshops and painted for many years. In 2002 she took the plunge and left a career as a nutritionist to pursue art full time.

She obtained her associate's degree in fine arts from the local community college and then studied for several semesters at a local university's art school before heading off on her own. She continues to explore new ways to express herself through art by experimentation, life drawing classes, critiques with other artists and workshops. For the details on this painting click here!

Desmond Suarez Clocks and boards

Desmond was born into a home resplendent in the design and the craft of furniture making. His mother, Juanita, designed homes and furniture, and he grew up working beside his father, Tem, in his furniture and cabinet shop. He gained an eye for design and the woodworking skills needed for success in the furniture business.

His formal education led him to North Carolina, England and Tennessee, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in art, history, religion and education. After teaching school, he next turned back to his roots, and went into commercial furniture design and manufacturing for 18 years.

It was during this time that his appreciation for the beauty in the clean-simple timeless designs, such as; the furniture from the Shakers, and the American “Arts and Crafts Movement” of furniture. Since 2001 all of his furniture, clocks and serving-boards are handcrafted one piece at a time in his studio/workshop in North Carolina.

To see more of his clocks and serving boards click here. 

Dorothy Samson soap.

 Soap on a rope, just cut a bar off when you need it! Dorothy Samson used to make all of her soap in her kitchen, but now she's graduated to an official workshop! With the help of her husband, Jim and her daughter, Jennifer they produce all of the soap in their little shop in North Carolina.

Their goal is to offer products made by hand with loving care and wonderful ingredients that pamper and soothe in today's hectic world. Details on the soap! We have many more North Carolina artists to introduce to you.

Watch for more about our NC artists in upcoming posts - in between our other rambelings!

Celebrating North Carolina Artists Part 1 of many

We represent so many talented North Carolina artists it is hard to know where to start!

We are going to introduce you to five artists at a time. As you will see we represent a wide range of styles and mediums!

Justine

Justine creates whimsical work using white earthenware. Each piece is hand sculpted, fired, glazed with under glazes then fired again. Her subject matter runs from Prayer Angels, Mermaids and Crabs to Nativities just to scratch the surface. Here's a link to more of her work.

                                                                   Vicki Grant

I'll have to say we have a real affinity for clay, probably because we are potters ourselves. Vicki Grant works with porcelain, to which she adds found objects, the color is added with water soluble oil paints. Vicki throws, does hand-building, and tile making. Visit her page on our website to see more by clicking here.

 

Holden McCurry

North Carolina ceramicist Holden McCurry began making clay prayer towers and shrines after a trip to Mexico a decade ago. He was inspired by the colorful and creative forms found in the local artwork and architecture.

The inside of each tower holds a piece of paper on which you can write a message or prayer, giving each piece your own special meaning. Check them all out on our website.

Dan Nelson and Mike Rooney

The top painting is by Dan Nelson. It is quite a sight to watch Dan paint. He loves to paint really big, with both hands, as talking to the audience. Working in acrylics and oils, his paintings always have a lot of atmosphere. Dan sometimes comes to New Bern and conducts workshops for us. To get on our list for an upcoming workshop send us a note by commenting at the bottom of this post, include your email address (we will not post your email address I promise!)
To see more of his work click here.

The bottom painting is by our friend Mike Rooney. Mike has spent the past few years traveling from the Florida Keys to Cape Cod, painting and teaching workshops. We always love the light in his oil paintings. Mike prefers to work on a small scale. The majority of his paintings run 8 x 10 to 11 x 14 (image size). The subject matter is close to our hearts, our beautiful downtown and coastal scenes.
More of Mikes paintings.

Watch in the weeks ahead for posts about more of our North Carolina artists!

New potter for us Hamilton Williams

We are always looking for new artists and we are pleased to have met Hamilton Williams. We love his work and he is a pleasure to work with.

Hamilton began working in clay at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro under the guidance of Japanese potter, Setsuya Kotani. After graduating with a BFA in Design in 1994, he moved to western North Carolina and set up his studio.

The desire to create came early in his life. Growing up, watched PBS shows such as 'This Old House' and 'Victory Garden' on Saturday afternoons. One show that captured his imagination was 'The Woodwright's Shop.' Watching the host, Roy Underhill, seemingly wander out of a city to a secluded forest workshop where he would render a tree into a table, chair, or lathe in the course of a half hour show demonstrated to him that fostering the creative spirit is a good thing and that one does not have to follow the herd. As time went on it was the medium of clay that called to Hamilton the strongest, and once he got my hands dirty he was seduced by its malleability and potential.

As an artist and craftsman, Hamilton is most concerned about the quality of his work, both the quality of design and the quality of workmanship. All of his work leans toward the functional, with decorative qualities that do not interfere with function. Even pieces that are intended as decorative are usually still utilitarian.

Stop in and check his work out!

Welcome Hamilton!

Lesley Mckeown Jewelry now at Carolina Creations

All pieces are hand-fabricated by Lesley in her studio.

Her Artifacts Collection consists of original designs hand drawn on bronze, copper and German silver, then etched. Construction is either soldered or cold connected (riveted). The pieces are then hand finished to give a soft antique look.

Leslie's father created studio art jewelry during the modern jewelry art movement of the 1960's and Lesley uses his jewelry bench today.

Her mother is an nationally recognized sculptor and jeweler. It was this nurturing environment that enabled her to recognize her intuitive abilities and eventually express those creative proclivities and develop the skills to be a successful professional artist. Acquiring basic metal smithing skills as
an apprentice with a southwestern silversmith she became smitten with the silver and the sculptural possibilities of metal.

Though primarily self- taught, Lesley has attended several classes and acquired various techniques through private and master class instruction.

Her techniques include fabrication, hollow form, shell form, anit-clastic and synclastic raising, mokume gane, keumboo, etching, roller printing, sand casting and a variety of texture and coloration techniques. An abiding interest in Geology is a the core of many of Lesley's creations, the unique and unusual cabochons are a signature of her work.

Continually exploring new methods of manipulating metal, Lesley also works in steel and has been commissioned for several architectural projects.

In her spare time she is an avid organic gardener, painter, environmental advocate and cook.

She a board member of a local non-profit organization involved with educating her community about
genetically modified foods.

To read more about each piece go to our website by clicking here.

 

Funky fish sculptures by Stephen Palmer

In our last post we showed Stephens fused glass. Which brings us to his fish.

There are variations, from wall to desktop. Many begin with old crutches or boxes and then filled with found objects, wired, and named.

Taking a close look at the fish is like a trip down memory lane. Old game pieces, vintage tins and tools are certain to trigger fond memories of days gone by. "Ah that old screwdriver reminds me of working alongside my grandfather on my first tree house."

A great piece for the man cave!

 

 

Stop in and check them out!