FINDING A WARM, COZY SPOT...

Yesterday's snow reminded me of holidays in the Northeast! This cold weather helps to reinforce the feeling! Of course it's all a matter of perspective. My sister lives in Alaska and it was thirteen below in the middle of Christmas eve day. Whether it is cold or hot outside our inner surroundings play a large part in our state of mind. Having a bright space with lots of light makes a huge impact on the psyche. Add to that, colorful pieces of glass, and paintings that nurture the soul, and our inner world is filled and happy. Working here at the gallery is such a pleasure for that very reason.

Come by the gallery and experience for yourself how a space filled with creative, and colorful works of art can elevate your spirit, alter your mood, and warm your bones!


See you soon, Kathleen

MEET THE ARTIST: KRISTIN GIBSON

When you meet Kristin Gibson you might be attracted to her on many levels. One of which is her bright and happy disposition. The more you come to know this artist the more aware you are of her abilities and the success that has come from her dedication and hard work.

Kristin is a mother and wife who is quite involved with her children, community and life as a gifted artist. She paints almost every day as soon as the children leave for school during the school year. I am told that she purchases fresh fruit and vegetables, uses them as subjects for her paintings and later as sustenance for the family. As if it were not enough to paint daily as a professional painter and run a busy household, Kristin is constantly involved in the community. She is often involved in charity events and works diligently with her galleries, often doing demonstrations and promoting them in any way she can.

This talented artist is extremely versatile in her artistic expressions. Her silk scarves are both unique and luscious with color and pattern. But, she does not stop there. Kristin creates many other things with her hand-painted silk such as eyeglass holders and gorgeous pillows. Her paintings are unmistakable and loaded with pattern, color and energy. Presently we have an exhibit, our Tapas show, of small paintings no more than 9x12 and comfortably priced at $350. or less. The artists were asked to paint scenes outside of the U.S.A. Kristin painted four as contribution to our show and only one remains unsold. If you want to have a small and unusual piece of hers, stop by the gallery soon. Kristin has a very loyal following and her work is collected privately and corporately, so it doesn't stay in the gallery long.

We are delighted to have Kristin as a part of the Spectrum family!



Jane

IN HOPES THAT ST. NICHOLAS WOULD SOON BE THERE...

'THE CHILDREN ALL NESTLED SNUG IN THEIR BEDS, WHILE VISIONS OF SUGARPLUMS DANCED IN THEIR HEADS"

So what "sugarplums dance in your head? You don't have to be a child to wish for a special something under the tree. I recently asked our staff what items in the gallery were on their wish list. We are fortunate to be surrounded by so many fabulous treasures, making it difficult at times to narrow down the list of desires. So I was curious about what made the top of the list for each of us, and I thought you might be interested too!

Star's face lit up when I asked her. Without hesitation she answered that all of our glass was her favorite. In fact it was her love of glass that led her to open the gallery. The one item that she loves the best is Ed Branson's tropical bowl. It's an exquisite new piece in shades of orange with accents of green and clear crystal. It's form is soft and flowing and gets rave reviews from everyone. Star's second favorite piece is one of Anne Cunningham's "Spinning Saucers." Multiple layers of shaped copper make up her new creations in brilliant shades of teal and scarlet. We just put these pieces up in the last week, so come by and see them, I'm sure they will disappear as fast as all of Ann's other work!

The "Me 2 You" Salad bowl and servers beat Nancy's own paintings as her top choice. She did laugh and comment on how difficult it was to decide between the two! Nancy is not alone in her choice, these contemporary glass salad sets are admired by most of our customers and have been purchased many. They come in a variety of amazing color combination's. Our new Mikutowski picture frames have become Nancy's second favorite. These frames are made by hand using beautiful exotic woods and have an option of adding some very witty and thoughtful captions to them.

Jane's favorite is the Dottie Boscamp hand blown oil bottles. Like me, Jane loves fresh french bread dipped in olive oil and some balsamic vinegar, so she really needs two bottles! Choosing her favorite colors will not be easy, each one is a combination of translucent swirls and splashes of rich color. Jane loves to paint tree frogs, so it wasn't surprising that our Yourkowski frogs came in as her second choice! You can never have too many frogs, especially if you are a single woman looking for a prince!

Last but not least, my choices! There is a small "tapas" painting that I just love, it was done by Ginny Chenet and is a scene from Mykonos. Greece is one of my most favorite places in the world, and just looking at this piece transports me there! If you haven't seen our new "Tapas" show of small paintings by our gallery artists, it is a must to put on your list of things to do. It is spectacular! My second favorite piece is a Starsong necklace of peacock round and keshi pearls. All of our Starsong jewelry is designed and made at the gallery using precious gems and pearls.

That's what's on our wish lists! How about sharing yours with us?


Have a wonderful weekend, hope to see you soon.

Kathleen

Tapas Exhibit - Small and "savory" paintings

What a treat! And, while not edible, you can feast with your eyes as you view our new paintings from gallery artists. These have just been received for our Tapas Exhibit. If you are searching for a Holiday gift that will really make a statement, any one of these will! All paintings are 9x12 or smaller and $350 or less. They are paintings of locales out of the United States, with many European sites and are they ever gorgeous!! Come in and see the exhibit during the month of December or come in on December 10 from 6-8pm for our Open House and visit with many of the artists. Hurry though, they should go quickly!

Hope to see you in the gallery soon!


Jane

MEET THE ARTIST - SARAH JAMES...

One of Spectrum's jewelry artist, Sarah James lives here in Wilmington. Her bright smiling face is always a pleasure to see when she drops by the gallery.

Sarah's passion is creating fun and contemporary jewelry. Her line of jewelry is an artistic avenue that helps bring balance to the other parts of her life: being a wife, mother and an active member of the family business.

This past summer Sarah attended Penland, the renowned craft school here in North Carolina. She took classes in metal fabrication, allowing her to creatively use more metal in her design work. Sarah uses a torch technique to make her own glass beads, which is the hallmark of her jewelry. She has recently brought in many new pieces, all reflecting her intention to create casual, playful and uniquely beautiful jewelry. We feel very fortunate to carry her work and love wearing it!

Have a joy filled day! Kathleen

AN EASY RECIPE FOR SUCCESS...

I just discovered the perfect hostess gift!
A Hilborn Pottery dish with its own wooden spoon, filled with your favorite spread! Our Hilborn serving pieces come in several beautiful colors and can be popped in the oven. This pinch pot is one of the many items we have for $30.00 or less.

I'm enclosing Nancy's favorite pimento cheese spread recipe that would be ideal to put in your new Hilborn dish and make this a very memorable presentation!


PIMENTO CHEESE SPREAD

2 cups of shredded cheddar or jack cheese
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 oz. jar of pimentos
a dash of hot sauce to taste

in a food processor cream the mayonnaise, cream cheese and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Add the jar of pimentos and liquid, pulse until lightly combined. Stir in the shredded cheese and hot sauce. This will firm up after being refrigerated for several hours. Enjoy!

Wishing you a warm and festive Thanksgiving, Kathleen

MEET THE ARTIST - DOTTIE BOSCAMP

DOTTIE BOSCAMP works in molten glass because she likes the "responsiveness" of that medium. Dottie graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor's degree in art and now lives and works in Fort Collins, Colorado. One of Dottie's most inspirational mentors was Jack Wax, a renowned glass artist and instructor. Dottie also loves photography.

I've found a video of Dottie blowing a piece of glass, that looks like one of her olive oil/balsamic vinegar bottles that we have here at the gallery. It's fun to see her in action. I was amazed to see her pull the molten glass out of the furnace then dip it in water without having it break, just give it a crackled appearance! The varied array of colors she achieves with her work is amazing!

Kathleen

MEET THE ARTIST SERIES

Blogging is a great venue for introducing people to the many artist that we represent here at the gallery. Jane and I will begin a series of blogs on these artists to give you a little information about each one.

With original art there is a connection and bond that one has with the artist, even if they have never met. Artists create from the heart and have a distinctive piece of themselves in each and every piece. Knowing the artist helps all of us understand and appreciate their work even more.

Please feel free to let us know if you have any tidbits of information about an artist that maybe we don't even know! You may have a piece that has an interesting story or has evoked a deep emotion, we'd love to hear about it!

Enjoy!

Kathleen

THE MAGIC UNFOLDS

The elves here at Spectrum have been busy this week!
Nancy has put up a gorgeous tree in our front window, filled with our hand blown glass ornaments. It's a feast for the eyes! Luke Adams' stars, flowers and swirls, coordinate well with the brilliant colors in the Glass Eye Studio round ball ornaments

We also have made some displays to offer inspiration as you begin to shop for the holidays. We have showcased gift selections of many items in the under $30.00 and under $75.00 ranges. There are so many possibilities to chose from! We are also encouraging everyone to fill out or update a WISH LIST. Why not have the gifts you would enjoy the most!

As we go into the SEASON OF JOY our Spectrum staff is dedicated to making your shopping experience easy and fun.

See you soon, Kathleen

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING...

AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE!

Whether or not you like things organized you will definitely find our hand made earring trees both functional and fabulous. It's a great way to see all of your earrings, and decide which ones best coordinate with your outfit of the day! You'll be amazed at how beautiful your earrings look as you create your own ever changing piece of art!

As you pick up some earring trees for gifts, make sure you get one for yourself!

Kathleen

A LIGHT IN EVERY WINDOW

The holidays seem to be the season of light... lights on the tree, lighting the menorah, candles in windows, and warm crackling fires!

There is something about candle light that just can't be duplicated by electricity! The light of a flame extends its brilliance, warming our hearts and stirring emotion. It's wonderful to have candles at any time of the year, but they seem especially appropriate now at the holidays.
Becky Hemby from the Outer Banks has created some of the most beautiful candles. Her candles are all made by hand and embedded with magnificent shells. The process she uses allows the candle to burn in the center leaving the decorative outer surface untouched, so that the glow of the flame illuminates the shells. Her candles make great gifts. Enjoy some for your home too.

Paint Around 2010

Stop by the gallery and see the finished paintings from our second annual "Paint Around". We had a ball creating and reinterpreting each others work. If you are not familiar with our Paint Around format...four artists started with a blank canvas, easels were positioned around a central still life setup. After 30 minutes, the artists moved to the next canvas and painted for another 30 minutes. At the end of two hours we had four unique and beautiful paintings. Below you can view the progression of each canvas. Originating artist's name is listed first and then the artists as they painted are listed second.
Come and pick your favorite (it's hard to choose, they are all gorgeous!). We are selling raffle tickets - $5 each or 5 tickets for $20, what a bargain...and ALL of the money goes to Dreams of Wilmington. Drawing will be held Saturday, November 20th.

Nancy Noel May

Two for One

Nancy is up to it again! She has recently created a selection
of beautiful bracelets. Two for one, because the bracelet
can be used as a necklace. So, you can wear it as a necklace or,
wear it as a bracelet. Come in and check these out the next
time you are out and about!

See you soon!

Jane

WISH LISTS MAKE FOR HAPPY MARRIAGES!

So what is your heart's desire for the holidays, or a birthday, or anniversary? Surely there is something that has caught your eye here in the gallery! Has your husband or significant other ever bought you something that you didn't like? Why not turn them into a hero by choosing something that you know you will love! And he will love you for making his shopping so easy!

It's not too early to be thinking about those special gifts that you would like to receive. Please stop by and let us create a WISH LIST for you. You can have fun dreaming and adding all the pieces you like to your list, and it will be here waiting for family and friends to look at when they come shopping for you.

Kathleen

Meet the artists for the Paint Around

What is a "Paint Around" anyway? It can vary. Our five artists will paint under a tent on the lawn outside of the gallery. It is part musical chairs, part game show! Each artist will have 30 minutes to work on their painting before they have to switch canvases. Each painting will be painted from a different perspective. The results will be exciting to see.

We have five talented gallery artists involved this year. Below are examples of each artist's work and a little information on the diverse painting styles of these painters. I can't wait to see what they come up with!!


Nancy Noel May

Working in acrylics, award winning artist, Nancy Noel May, is constantly seeking the clear, vibrant colors and a strong source of light that are the prime elements of her work. A defined sense of place is of vital importance in creating a successful painting.

Nancy has collectors within United States and abroad.





Phil Meade

An oil painter and avid plein air painter, Phil loves painting the coastal light. His impressionistic paintings make you feel the atmosphere as if you were standing right there. Phil is represented in many fine galleries and has a following of loyal collectors.



Ann Hair

Ann Hair is a graduate of Daemen College in Buffalo, NY, with a Bachelor of Science in Art Education. Since 1998, she has been teaching art in the Wake County, NC elementary school system. Ann's work has been shown both locally and nationally. She has had her work juried into many shows and has received several awards. Recent work has been with palette knife using wonderful broad strokes and thick with paint.




Kristin Gibson

Finding seemingly endless inspiration in the organic shapes and hues of fruits, flowers and vegetables, Kristin's works begin as drawings with her paintbrush. With bold immediacy and working entirely from life, lines in a layer of paint jump-start a fluent process of color into color, wet paint into wet paint. Kristin is an artist not afraid of painting intuitively to get a spontaneous energetic look that is inescapable. Kristin's paintings hang in many fine art galleries. This artist is very active in her community and holds frequent demonstrations at her representing galleries and elsewhere. She is also active in participating in charitable events.


Jane Faudree

Predominantly painting in oil, Jane enjoys plein air painting to catch that freshness that only painting outside allows. An award winning artist, Jane's work has been consistently accepted in local and national exhibits and hangs in corporate and private collections throughout the U.S. and in Europe. Locally, Jane's oil painting, "As the River Flows" was used to make the poster used for the Pink Ribbon events in Wilmington this year.


Don't miss this one!
November 6, 11:00am - 1:30pm
Right here at Spectrum Art and Jewelry

WE HAVE CLIPS!

Did you know that we have our own STARSONG jewelry collection? Designed and made right here at the gallery, we have incredible pieces! Necklaces, pendants, bracelets and earrings all unique and in a vast color spectrum of gem stone beads and pearls. We currently have the largest selection we have ever had. I wanted to let you know that we also have a great variety of STARSONG clip earrings. Clips are not always easy to find, and almost everyone has someone on their gift giving list that likes those "elusive" clip earrings. Now you know where to find them!

It's not too early to start your holiday shopping!

Kathleen

HEARTFELT MOMENTS...

Last week Miriam Mayo brought in some of her old jewelry. Amongst her treasures was a blue glass necklace, a rather insignificant piece compared to the others. The beads were beautiful, but the silk cord stringing it together had become very frayed and was showing it's 40 year age. Miriam had inherited the piece from an aunt who had once traveled the world and probably had picked up the piece in another country. She admitted that she loved it for its color and sentimental value, but never wore it anymore. Star suggested that we restyle it into a wearable necklace. We took the single strand and made it into a shorter two strand piece. Interspersing it with small fresh water pearls and adding a complementary toggle clasp, it took on whole new life! We even had two beads left and made a pair of matching earrings.

This is a picture of Miriam taken just before she left here this afternoon wearing her "new" jewelry. I felt touched as she expressed her double delight, loving the new piece and enjoying the fond memories of her aunt.

Kathleen

Bowled over by Boulder

After more then 20 years, I'm still blown away by the mysterious nature of opal. One designer refers to it as the "captive rainbow". One type of opal that is especially fascinating to me is Boulder Opal. No it doesn't come from Boulder, Colorado. Boulder Opal refers to a special type of opal that occurs near Queensland, Australia.

Opal comes in infinite variety but there is one distinctive characteristic of Boulder Opals that gives them away. The presence of the brown ironstone matrix. In the area where these opals occur, there are ironstone formations that have cracks and small fissures. Opal filled those cracks in the form of a silicate gel which eventually hardened into brilliant crystalline opal. When cut from the rock with a natural backing of the dark colored ironstone, these opals flash with incredible colors. Also, boulder opals typically have an irregular surface where they were broken open along the seam of opal.



Even the thinner and sparcer seams of opal can be intriguing. Some boulder opals are more matrix than they are opal, but the colorful flash of opal peaking out through the brown ironstone is fabulous. Here is a particularly unique pendant we recently received that is sculpted to include both the beautiful patterns of the ironstone and a strong color seam of opal. The jeweler who created the mounting got extra creative and her freeform gold setting looks like something from the Jetson's. As usual, photos don't do these things justice, so if you can, stop by the gallery and I'll show you all the wonderful Opals we have on hand. Or click here to see a small selection on our website.

Star

KATHLEEN'S PICK...

Blogging is a new experience for me, and I'm having great fun with it! It's a perfect way to let you know what's new at the gallery. We all have our own different styles and tastes, and SPECTRUM certainly offers a "broad spectrum" to choose from.

Because I have the opportunity to daily observe, try on, and savor all the pieces we have, I have developed my own preferences that I would like to share with you in a new blog entitled "Kathleen's Pick."

Today's Pick is from the TRIPPWORX STUDIO where Tripp Gregson lets his imagination run wild! I recently had the opportunity to meet Tripp's mother and father and they had wonderful stories of Tripp as a young boy making artistic pieces out of any found objects. They saved many of his drawings and sculptures made during those childhood years and still proudly display them! From what I just said, you may think Tripp is in his early 20's but I think he is 40 something with children of his own. However, he never lost that creativity he had as a child. It's alive and well and stronger than ever!

Tripp is famous for his fish, crab and lobster sculptures made from used license plates, road signs and odd pieces of metal. Having been "weened" on lobster, my favorites are his lobsters. They even have names like Trey and Effie! We also have a four foot long Marlin and a couple of sharks that hang from the ceiling. If you are looking for a piece of art that is FUN and definitely unique, these pieces are all that and more! In fact, if you have an old, sentimental license plate, Tripp will made it into a piece of fish art for you!

If you haven't seen this work, please come by, it will definitely put a smile on your face!

Have a great day,

Kathleen

ANOTHER NEW ARTIST...

Exquisite DAHLIA KANNER sterling silver jewelry has just arrived!

Dahlia is from Rhode Island, and is a graduate of the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design.
Her work is meticulous in execution and her designs are inspired from the natural elements surrounding her life in New England. I especially like her "wave" rings which can be stacked or worn alone. She contrasts her pieces using oxidation, matte and high polish techniques. We sold several pieces within a day of their arrival, but still have an excellent selection to choose from.

WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS?

DREAMS OF WILMINGTON is near and dear to our hearts here at Spectrum. We have sponsored several fund raisers for them, having lots of fun in the process. They offer a rare opportunity for many young people who may not otherwise have the chance to participate in classes in the literary, visual and performing arts. For over a decade Dreams has educated and enriched the lives of so many children, we are fortunate to have them in our community. I'm enclosing a link to their website and would encourage everyone to take a look at the program, it's very impressive. Children are our future, and investing in them is a major key to that future.

Our Paint Around event in November will be another fund raising event for Dreams. On the 6th five of our artists, Phil Meade, Nancy Noel May, Ann Hair, Kristin Gibson and Jane Faudree will be working on a colloborative project where in the artist will rotate around five easels. The end result will be five unique paintings bearing the touch of all five artists. These paintings will be raffled off to benefit Dreams. Raffle tickets will be on sale starting on the sixth, and it will be the perfect day to stop by and cheer the artists on. It's an ideal time to visit with your favorite artists and see how they each work! Put the date on your calendar!

From the land down under...

Opals are the birthstone for October.

Star has an Australian contact who brings us some beautiful stones whenever he comes over to the states. Whether it's your birthstone or not, opals with their fire and lightning brilliance, make wonderful pieces of jewelry.

Ninety-five percent of all opals come from Australia, the other five percent from other areas including Brazil and Mexico. We just happen to have a pair of stunning Mexican Opal earrings. Their orange color is unique and so different from the more traditional blues and greens. Next time you are in the store please ask to see them, we love showing them off because they are so unusual.

For those of you interested in the folklore associated with stones, the opal is believed to have significant healing power. It is reputed to help the wearer find true love, and bring good luck!

I'm always fascinated by stories that people have about the magic they have encountered with certain stones. If you are looking for true love, wearing a beautiful opal necklace would certainly be eye catching, and who knows what might happen!

Kathleen

What's old becomes new...

Before

Recently a customer brought in a white gold, diamond and sapphire ring she didn't wear much and asked me to update the style. She preferred yellow gold instead of the original white gold and she wanted something much bolder. We chose a pretty classic approach with an Etruscan flavor in rich yellow 18k gold and platinum bezels to set off the diamond and sapphires. Here are the before and after photos so you can see how it was transformed!

After

Ties that bind us

The newest addition of our family of jewelry artists is Randi Chervitz from St. Louis. Her collection, entitled "Uncommon Threads" is crocheted from fine silver wire over sterling silver armatures. Her jewelry is an expression of the common threads that tie people together, like the desire to adorn ourselves and to connect with our artistic traditions.

She first picked up her grandmother's crochet hook while studying metal-smithing in college. Her grandmother had taught her to knit as a child and she always loved the individual stitches that make up fabric. Immediately, crocheting silver and gold jewelry became her signature style.

We have a lovely collection of earrings and pendants created by Randi. They make a unique, contemporary statement with sparkle and style. Her forms are elemental and dramatic and yet airy and delicate at the same time.

Star

UNDER THE BIG TENT...

If you happened to drive by the Forum on Saturday you saw a tent in front of Spectrum. No, the circus wasn't in town, but the same excitement was in the air!

Kristin Gibson, our favorite Carolina Beach artist, was here showing how she hand paints her silk scarves, and helping many participants make their own silk ornaments using a less complex technique. Everyone expressed how much fun they had and how amazed they were at using simple techniques to create some wonderful masterpieces! It didn't matter how old your were (we even had a 3 year old) or how much artistic skill you possess, each piece was fantastic! Thanks to everyone who attended, we collected one hundred and fifty dollars for DREAMS OF WILMINGTON!

What is in the box?

Star and Nancy found some fabulous treasures on their last buying trip, and the packages are coming in daily! The "dynamic duo" surely know how to shop!

WOVEN GLASS is a new line for us. Located near Saratoga, New York, Terry Weaver left his career as an architect to become a glass artist. Wait until you see his hanging vases!
Because they hang you can see the light coming through the glass, adding even more brilliance to the fantastic colors. They are intended to be used as vases, but are beautiful on their own. Need a gift for some who has everything? This may be just the thing! I'm sure you'll want one for yourself as well! We also have some WOVEN GLASS ring holders. Each one is hand made and for nineteen dollars is a great buy!


Wilmington's own Sarah James recently brought in some of her newest pieces. Still using her hand made glass beads, she has added more hand wrought metal to emphasize a very contemporary look. There are hoop earrings, bangle bracelets, and stunning necklaces.

And still more is coming!

Enjoy these lovely cool and crisp fall days!


Kathleen

American Craft Week at Spectrum

American Craft Week is October 1 - 10.

Here are events happening here at Spectrum that week:

Friday, October 8, from 6pm - 8pm:
Open House featuring Gallery Craft Artists


We will be featuring North Carolina craft artists: Metal artist, Anne Cunningham; bead maker and jewelry designer, Sarah James; painter and textile artist, Kristin Gibson, sculptor, Tripp Gregson and jeweler designers, Star Sosa & Nancy Noel May. Enjoy refreshments and wine while ...checking out all the new creations. Learn what makes the "Art of Craft" so special.

Saturday, October 9, from 10am - 2pm:
Silk Painting Workshop with Kristin Gibson
This workshop benefits Dreams of Wilmington. Kristin's Textile Design background and love for color make for a winning combination as a visual artist and painter of fabrics. She has kindly agreed to do a workshop to demonstrate her technique on silk. A $5.00 materials fee lets you create your own piece of art to take home. Each participant will complete a 6x6 silk ornament. It will be such fun!


Jane

New, Sparkling and Very Kitchen Friendly!

One of our newest glass artists has sent us the most beautiful collection of oil bottles. They are so gorgeous that I would personally love to have at least three or four. The colors are delectable. Add your favorite oil, be it a rich sesame or an exotic olive oil and you have a great start to an unforgettable meal. These would also make a great hostess gift with or without the addition of your selection of an intriguing oil. Come by the gallery and see these lovely pieces by Dottie Boscamp.

Jane