Nancy Plante is a jewelry artist, and owner of the Riverwalk Bead Shop and Gallery. She uses her creativity and intuition as an inspiration for running her business, in teaching, and in creating jewelry. She has a background in sales, law, and real estate, but most importantly, she knows how to bring a sense of joy and fun to any experience.
Wheat Weaving (Phoenix)   Chakra Meditation Beads       Herbal Products	Roberta Horsman is a wheat weaver, herbalist, gardener, and jewelry maker. She is inspired by the beauty and healing properties of plants and stones, and this is reflected in her art.
Mixed Metal Jewelry by Maggie Mehaffey	Maggie Mehaffey is a jewelry artist who creates funky, chunky, jewelry from silver wire, and semi-precious stones. She also does mixed media pieces in silver, copper, brass and woven paper. Her art is a personal journey, somewhat of an obession, but also a way toward balance. She thinks of herself as both teacher and student, open to discovering the new in any experience. "Together we are free to explore the limits of the materials at hand, as we discover our own expression of them." She teaches mixed metal workshops, wire wrapping,soldering, metal bead making and more. Check our calendar for a listing of her classes. www.maggienowdesign.com
	Erin Siegel     Erin Siegel is a jewelry artist whose designs make a statement with their delicate elegance. She incorporates fine chain, and wire wrapping with crystals, semi-precious stones, and pearls. She also includes her own hand-made clay beads with images and impressions from nature into her designs. In addition to teaching adults, Erin teaches jewelry making to children, and she gives private lessons to both adults and children. She also specializes in jewelry repair.
	Pam Mckay is a jewelry artist who utilizes nature's gifts from the ocean to create memorable and unique pieces of jewelry. She ventures near and sometimes far for her sea glass, stones and sea pottery. Each piece is authentic and has its own story to tell. Pam has a background in education and sales with a Masters in Special Education. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Chain Maille	Carol Cavallaro is a prolific chain maille jewelry artist. She uses a wide variety of styles and weaves to create necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. She teaches beginning and intermediate classes on traditional and original chain maille weaves. Check our calendar for a list of her classes.
Lori Morse Jewelry	Lori Morse Ever since I can remember, even as a small child, I have loved jewelry. Vintage costume jewelry, strands of ethnic beads, silver and gold, shiny and bright. Anything and everything with glitter, sparkle, and beads. In addition, I was constantly collecting interesting objects at garage sales, flea markets, in secondhand shops and in nature. At the time, I didn’t know that anything could be made with these “found” objects. I just knew that I had a love for beautifully unusual whatnots. It wasn’t until I started experimenting with beading and jewelry design that I realized that I could mesh the pre-fabricated with the found into a harmonious final product. I specifically make my jewelry to be funky and unique but also completely wearable. Some of my favorite materials to use are vintage beads, chain, and brooches; natural materials such as beads made from seeds, beach stones, shells; and sterling sliver, vermeil, brass, and copper. Each item you purchase from Be-Jeweled is designed and handmade by me. Each piece is one of a kind.
	Amy Nguyen   statement I have a great admiration for the craftsmanship and peaceful nature inherent in the intricate hand-dyed kimonos created by innovative Japanese artisans thousands of years ago. I am equally impressed by technological advances in textiles and resources that are available today. I explore these opposites--pushing in new directions--using hand hewn techniques while imbuing a contemporary sensibility in each piece I create. The materials themselves, both traditional and manmade, allow a synergy of age-old technique and new technology. I look to nature, architecture, fashion, and costume design for my surface design inspiration. As lines are broken and boundaries stretched within our world today, fusion is essential and, for me, is a quiet meditative journey. As with intricately folded origami, my process begins with folding or pleating a rectangular piece of white cloth, most often silk. I stitch and manipulate the fabric throughout the dyeing process until deep, rich color and layers of texture unfold. Detailed machine stitching reveals additional subtle texture and dimension. Just as unpredictable beauty emerges from the ordered law of nature, so my craft culminates in a process involving both planned manipulation and the element of chance. The excitement of working in this way--delving into an element of unknown nature--pushes me further. I am amazed by the rhythm and movement of textiles around us, by how a rectangular piece of cloth can be reconfigured to accent the natural curves of the human form in the same way that sleek, modern architecture can highlight a natural landscape. Past and present, old and new, curved and angular merge to create fusion. bio Amy Nguyen’s life is full of texture and color. From a young age, she remembers admiring the colored spools of thread arranged by her mother for quilting and sewing. Today, she uses these threads daily in her fiber work. As far back as she can remember, Nguyen has been sewing and creating. Mostly self-taught, she’s learned many of her techniques from books. She created her first full-size quilt as a teenager and then began stitching and patterning her own clothes. Her love of art and fashion continued throughout high school after which she went on to pursue a degree in studio art from the College of Charleston, SC. In her college years, she became involved in photography, sculpture, painting and costume construction, showing her first work at the Halsey Gallery, SC as well as building costumes for main-stage productions at the College of Charleston. After graduation, she began patterning and creating fashion designs and played a major part in creating the set from spandex for the 25th International Emmy Award Ceremony in New York City. In the mid-90s, Nguyen collaborated on a small project with Mary Edna Fraser, reknowned batik artist. Following this, Nguyen’s began translating her own paintings to work on cloth. While working at New York University’s Department of Design for Stage and Film, Nguyen was inspired further by her creative surroundings and costume designers such as Susan Hilferty. During that time, she began working with liquid dyes and first became fascinated by Japanese shibori. In 2004, she attended Penland School of Crafts to study with Yoshiko Wada and Joy Boutrup. Many doors opened from that formative experience and Nguyen began creating whole shibori pieces to be stitched into wearables and home decor. She continues her research and learning taking workshops with such surface designers as Jason Pollen, Surface Design Association president and Akemi Cohn, katazome artist. Nguyen’s work is available in galleries and boutiques, through trunk shows and through her website. She has been greatly inspired by living in Charleston SC and New York NY. She currently lives in Boston MA, with her husband, whose rich Vietnamese heritage continues to provide a strong influence on her fiber work.
Felted Bags by Carol Presberg	Carol Presberg have been a fiber artist for over 30 years, and was a sheep farmer for 25 years. I work in a variety of media and techniques (felting, knitting, weaving, etc.) Among the materials I use might be handmade felt, handspun yarn, leather from clothing found at yard sales and flea markets, antique fur given to me by friends, contributions from nature, buttons and beads, and waxed cordage. I am heavily influenced by Northern cultures: Sami, trans-Siberian, and the northern Native Americans and Canadians. Elements of the Scottish and the Scandinavian can also be seen in my work, as well as some Tibetan, Mongolian, and other northern Asian cultures. Why I am attracted to cold climate peoples I'm not sure. I suppose it's because they bundle up in the material I like to work with best: felt, wool, leather, and skins. I am passionate about fiber. The material drives my work. I use material for my inspiration, so, for example, if I have a beautiful old piece of leather, a really earthy-looking piece of felt, some incredible handspun yarn, I will build a piece around it. In the same way a squirrel skull, a beautiful bead, or a lovely spiral branch may inspire me and be incorporated into one of my pieces. Right, collaboration-2 detail. Weaving by Eva Fleg Lambert. Felt by Carole L. Presberg. I also work in collaboration with other people either using their work in mine or sending them my work to use in theirs. I enjoy collaborating, and you will see some examples of collaborations on this web page. Over the last few years my main focus has been small bags/pouches/vessels. Most of my bags are small, too small to carry as a "handbag", but really too big to wear around the neck. They are meant to either wear at the waist (with the strap tucked into or around a belt) or to hang on the wall as you would a piece of art. In my house, they hold things like knitting needles, glasses, spindles, jewelry, etc.
Pendant Carvings                             These Pendant Carvings are Animal Totem representations carved in ancient wooly mammoth ivory, fossilized bone, caribou and deer antler, and buffalo horn. In native traditions around the world, totem animals are believed to hold important lessons and to offer spiritual guidance on the path of life. Each totem animal carries its own special power and message, and exemplifies qualities that can serve as guides on the journey toward self-discovery.	Terri Talas - Wild Bone and Antler Carvings     For more than thirty years Terri Talas has created a wide variety of art portraying the animal and nature world. Her reputation for exceptional artistic versatility was acquired through the numerous murals she produced for museums and nature centers, her book illustrations on nature and the animal world, and the distinct beauty of her animal spirit bone carvings and wildlife portraits.  Her bone carvings, paintings, and other artworks can be found in corporate and private settings as well as museums and state agencies. Her studio is in the coastal community of Newburyport, MA.   The goal of my work is to explore the meaning and symbolism of the natural world and to express their essence through my art.  I feel that the subjects I‘m drawn to carve and paint have actually chosen me to speak for them.
	Doug Johnson Bead Artist   The Loom   The Bead Bunker I first came in contact with seed beads in 1970. At first I strung them into necklaces using different patterns of color. I loved the colors and was soon shown how to weave them on a loom. Being a guitar player at the time I decided to make a guitar strap out of beads. So I built a long loom and started weaving a strip of beads to be sewn onto leather. As I was weaving this long strap, I thought it would be nice to get wilder and make a scene out of beads. Imagine a house and barn or even a little village. So I built a loom that could hold four strips in a row, each strip was 25 beads wide (like my guitar strap) so I ended up with a piece 100 beads wide. I wove each strip separately and sewed them together when they were done. It was not until 1990 that I figured out how to connect the rows on the loom ending up with a solid piece when taken off the loom. I started with about a dozen colors and could not find much more for years. I only made a handful of pieces over the years. Then in 1986 I found an ad in a magazine for the Garden of Beadin in California. They offered hundreds of colors of beads which got me into beading steadily. I built a bigger loom and started making pieces of 40-50 thousand beads. As time went on I found more and more sources of beads, built a larger loom and started making pieces of 100,000 beads. Now I am making pieces of two to three-hundred-thousand beads. I stayed exclusively with size 11 seed beads. They are the most common and offer the largest selection of colors. I now have close to a thousand shades of beads.
	Julie Schmidt   As a self-taught metalsmith, Julie Schmidt has created jewelry since 1994 with all the right curves and twists. Each handcrafted design fuses vibrant metals with stitching or cold connection and heat. Julie enjoys working in sterling silver, copper and brass and she often combines them in the same earring, pendant, brooch or bracelet. Her love of movement, texture and form speaks with whimsical and organic inspiration that complements your style. Julie designs, produces and etches her name into each unique creation. Earlier in her career, Julie worked for a number of world-renowned jewelry artists and designers. Her studio is located in a refurbished button factory that serves as an artists’ haven in the historic seacoast city of Portsmouth, NH. Julie Schmidt’s designs are in fine galleries from coast to coast.
Kay Bice Photography	Kay Bice   I am Kay Bice, a self-taught photographer who has been photographing for many years. My nature work began many years ago as a child with inspired walks in the woods with my grandfather. Over the years I have developed a unique relationship with nature. I am a seeker of the intricacies, nuances and elusiveness that nature brings to our lives. Photographing human nature thrills me. Capturing the precious moments, the energy, the love, and the light that shines within our human spirit is and honor and a joy. Through portraits, weddings and candids I naturally embrace the silent glimpses where the cherished memories of our lives are exchanged. I observe the world of humankind and nature through guidance and intuition using the medium of photography to share what I witness with you. It is my hope that each one of you who experiences my work will travel within your own world and the world around you with a more sensitive eye toward each other and the beauty that surrounds us all.
Ridabock Glass	Peter Ridabock About the Artist:   Peter takes a painterly approach to the surface design of his glass. Large fields of solid color are balanced by more intricate and defined design elements. Layers of contrasting colors and patterns merge and then separate, creating windows in which to view the depths below. The imagery, although intentionally abstract, recalls life beneath the ocean. Forever moving and sustaining life, the ocean is a constant source of inspiration for him to draw, and has provoked such well know glassworks as the WAVE series, the BARNACLE series, and the SHORELINE SHARD series. Another strong force influencing Peter's work is music. He appreciates a wide variety of music and use music to renew his spirit and free his soul. Creating music, as in creating handblown glass, involves an orchestrated team of players. Each player is fine tuned and synchronized under the direction of the maestro; each contributes his personal rhythm in response to the group's rhythm and each is dedicated to the final piece - a masterpiece , that will move its audience and have them call for more! The culmination of these inspirational forces can be seen in their Oceanic Concert Series; which is a visual testament to their love of the sea and music. Some of the pieces in this series suggest musical "sea instruments" - like trumpets (i.e. OCEAN JAZZ sculptures), while others might make one think of miniature "sea symphonies" (i.e., SEA SYMPHONY sculptures) and "waves" that rock and roll (i.e., ROCK & ROLL WAVE vessels). Peter is proud of the fact that Ridabock Glass is a small studio, geared towards creating original, one-of-a-kind work. The production is limited because Peter is involved in the execution of every glass piece. The work is such a personal expression of Peter's, that only he can make it. It is this personal touch that makes Ridabock pieces truly works of art, of the highest quality. Superior quality design and craftsmanship are Peter's first priority, and this is why his hands can be seen in every glass piece they make; a claim not all glass artists and studios can make. Peter is always creating new visual and technical challenges for themselves, and hope that some of the joy in making his glasswork is passed on to the people who purchase it.
Dichroic Glass                          Dichroic Glass                                               Kiln Shelf                         Earrings                                                              Bracelets	Designs by Lifah   Linda F. Desmond    ABOUT THE ARTIST   Linda has worked in various media for over 30 years-oil painting, fabric art, stone faceting, lapidary work, beading, PMC (Precious Metal Clay), and silver-smithing.  The addition of Dichroic glass to her portfolio is a recent one; the brilliant colors make this an exiting inclusion in her jewelry.   Every piece of glass created is unique.  Small pieces of glass are hand cut and arranged in several layers.  They are then fired in the kiln at temperatures up to 1500 degrees where they melt (fuse) into one piece. Some pieces are fired multiple times to produce a specific effect.   Each piece is numbered, signed, and photographed by the artist allowing for similar or matching future pieces to be made upon request.   “What makes this media exciting for me is the lack of 100% predictability of the glass and how it will fire - you can plan what you want or hope to produce, but never know exactly what you have created until you open the kiln twelve hours later. “   In her professional life Linda is Project Management Professional (PMP) and independent consultant (providing both certification training and project management consulting).  With a degree in Mathematics and minor in Art, for many years the creative side has taken a back seat to the technical one, and now finally is being given it’s much deserved priority.
Art With a Passion!   Original Paintings, Bags, Coasters, Journals, Greet Cards	Victoria Kapsambelis   what i do I am a designer and artist. I love shape, form and color and like mixing them all up into patterns that make sense and project a particular feeling. Everything is about design: how two leaves fall on the ground, how a font looks next to an image, how an image draws you in or out, how color can change your attitude. I have spent over 25 years in the print and design industry and understand how to get things printed and how to migrate files to the web for a cohesive look and feel. I have also spent nearly 10 years in the world of variable data publishing, web-to-print solutions, and cross media campaigns that span e-mail, print and web landing pages. what i've done Adjunct Professor: AIB: Lesley University Digital Prepress and Print Production management Design | Technology | Integration Consultant VK Consulting Director Digital Media Pride Printers Inc. Director Consulting Services Pageflex Inc. Creative Director Bitstream Inc. Print Management Database Development Process Corp Bachelor of Science Biochemistry
Roger Cramer Clay Vessels - Common and Sacred	Roger Cramer: About the Artist Currently by avocation I am a studio potter and have been so intermittently since the spring of 1970 when Bud Wilkinson, the Potter of Dayspring, set my imagination on fire for this work. Since this first encounter with clay, I have been drawn deeply into the work because of it’s creative energy and the tactile response of such supple material. Pottery as metaphor has also been a rich gate of spiritual inquiry. Shortly after meeting Bud, I had a crash course in throwing with Richard Lafean, studied with Nancy Joy at the Corcoran School and took a year of courses at the School of the Chicago Art Institute. After moving to Columbia, Maryland, I worked as a part-time studio potter and made clay bodies for local potters. Since then I have continued to study at workshops with some amazing artists: Jim Kempes at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, Wayne Higby and Stewart Kastenbaum at Haystack in Maine, and Jim Romberg and Biz Littell at Laloba Ranch in Colorado. All of my inner and outer life as a potter has evolved part-time alongside my primary work for 30 years as an Episcopal priest, the last 24 years at St. Paul’s Church in Newburyport, Massachusetts. My clay work now moves in two directions: raku and ^6 oxidation porcelain. Shown here are a few raku pieces, with my porcelain work eventually being available as well. Both my clay work and website are very much works in progress so I hope you will return from time to time to see what is new. In addition to clay, “word” and “spirit” have also been central to the language of my creative life. I have lead occasional workshops on spirituality and clay work and will announce when such events are available in the future. As with many who are drawn to the spiritual life, reflective writing has also been a “gateway” for me to the inner journey. So you will also find on my website an occasional meditation, poem or (heaven forbid!) even a prayer! Please contact me to let me know if anything you see or read on my website is stimulating. Clay, word and spirit are all part of the Great Conversation.
	Lucinda Talbot Mixed Media Collage and Egg Tempera   Inspired by the beauty of the Atlantic coast and the mountains of Maine, I concentrate on visual forms that develop as light sails over the land, illuminates a line of trees along a pond, or spotlights a shell on the beach. I use collage, acrylic inks, watercolors and egg tempera on paper and prepared panes to abstract the essence of these natural phenomena. I play with paper and paint, dripping, building up textures and layers, relying on my intuition to interpret ocean elements, mountains, and beach. Often the jazz music I play on the piano is included in my work. I began my art career as a studio art major at Michigan State University and continued my studies with teachers in Maine, Canada, and Michigan. I have exhibited nationally including the National small Works Show: An American Landscape, juried by the art critic, Carl Little. I am a signature member of the Society of Layerists In Multi-Media, a life-long learner, a clinical therapist, and I facilitate Creative Spirit groups to help others access the healing power of art. I was one of the founders of the Art Alliance, a cooperative gallery, and now am the Owner/Director of the First Light Gallery.
Mandalas by Lynn McLoughlin        Earth                           Air     Fire                          Water A mandala is a sacred art form organizing our personal relationship to the universe. The symmetry of mandala designs visually reflects this organization. A mandala is like a map or a journey. The center is the destination point. Often, obstacles appear along the way that must be overcome. To create a mandala, Lynn begins by meditating on a specific theme. During her meditation, she finds her own center, taps her creative spirit, and accesses images and symbols that relate to the theme. The center of the mandala is its essence: it holds an image that symbolizes the main theme of the work, a theme closely connected to the idea of self. The surrounding layers of the design—their order and placement—relate significantly to the center. As the design grows outward toward the edges, the symbolism grows more universal but maintains connection with the center. Some mandalas are constructed from the center, and others begin from the edges. The process of creating a mandala is also a meditation. Lynn selects the medium depending on the effect she seeks. Most mandalas are in pen, ink, and watercolor; others are in colored pencil or collage. All paintings are hand done, with no digital enhancement or manipulation. A description of the symbolism of each mandala is available, but Lynn encourages viewers’ own interpretations. Each viewing may stimulate a new interpretation. Enjoy contemplating these mandalas, and be open to their inspiration!	Lynn McLoughlin I have been using my degrees in Art and Education for over 20 years as a freelance artist and private art teacher. After having had traditional art and education training and public school teaching experience, I transformed my standard approach to creating and teaching art into a unique form of healing arts. I combine meditation with the art experience. This process connects my inner and outer worlds to a higher power, in this way, my art becomes a true expression. With this approach, I have personally and professionally witnessed amazing transformations - this experience has made me committed to this form of art. I love using the ancient art of the "Mandala" with its symmetry and symbolism to express complicated ideas. I also work in clay using it as a metaphor for transformation. Nature, personal experiences and spiritual messages are always a part of every piece I create. Art is truly a spiritual experience and I hope you will enjoy a similar kind of inspiration when you look at my work. The passion flower was the original inspiration for all of my spiritual art work. This magnificent flower blooms for only a day. First visualized in a meditation, the flower became a symbol of my creative spirit. Its message: use creativity with passion every day!
Chinese Brush Painting   Zen Tea Lights	Bruce Iverson - Chinese Brush Painting About the Artist Bruce Iverson is an artist who has specialized in Chinese Brush Painting (sumi-e in Japan) since 1972 with master Chinese brush painters Jean Shen, Ning Yeh,  and I-Hsiung Ju.  He has exhibited in group and juried shows throughout the United States and has had several one-man shows in New England.  He has traveled to China for a deeper understanding of the context of brush painting and is a juried member of the New Hampshire Art Association.  His work is grounded in a three thousand year old tradition in which the tools, techniques and philosophy of this Asian art form have had a lifelong resonance.   About the Work Artist, Bruce Iverson brings a 3,000 year-old tradition to life. Using a style called “hsieh-i”, Iverson paints spontaneous strokes of watercolor to create images of the natural world on handmade rice paper. According to tradition, the artist wanders outdoors, observes nature and then paints what is most vividly remembered. In all cases the painting should express “chi”. This term can best be translated as breath or spirit...the energy that gives something life. To create his works, Iverson uses very simple yet elegant tools called the “Four Treasures”....hand ground sumi ink, bamboo brushes, a carved inkstone, and handmade rice paper. Though sometimes appearing simple, the art of Chinese Brush Painting demands a high level of skill, concentration, and knowledge of the materials. Once the brush is committed to paper, there is no turning back or touching up...success or failure in an instant! The best pieces result from times when heart, mind, and hand are in accord and are in fact “written ideas”. The traditional red seal or “chop” is a handcarved stamp in Chinese characters which designates the artist’s name, studio, or a poetic idea. Bruce has been painting in this manner for over thirty years and has studied with three master Chinese brush painters...Jean Shen, I-Hsiung Ju, and Ning Yeh. His work is part of corporate and private collections in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia. Bruce teaches workshops and classes in Chinese Brush Painting, has a greeting card line, and is a juried member of the New Hampshire Art Association.
	Leslie Ishihara About the Artist: My lifelong passion for art and jewelry led me to Maine where I studied graphic design, jewelry making and metalsmithing at the Maine College of Art. After earning my BFA and working for several years in the graphic design industry, I decided to leave the field to raise a family and to focus on designing and creating my own jewelry. Coastal New England has proven to be the perfect creative environment for me and a continuous source of inspiration with its natural beauty, centuries old architecture, and ever-changing landscapes. Although I still enjoy graphic arts there is nothing that compares to creating a piece of art with both hands. Whenever I was asked about my art and jewelry, I would typically explain that I love to take a raw piece of metal and transform it into something simple and beautiful, hence, Bare Metal Designs. However, the finished pieces are not always “bare” since I enjoy playing with patinas, gemstones, and resins but the process always starts with a bare piece of metal. I’ve always been a believer that less is more and although some pieces can be technically complex, they each have a clean, classic feel. Nothing that I offer is cast in multiples from molds; I make each piece by hand from raw metal, so there may be very slight variations in each item if more than one of the same piece is ordered. In fact, as I create a new piece it will be shown here so there is a chance that you may receive the same item pictured! The majority of what I create is made of sterling silver but I also incorporate touches of 14k gold, copper, precious and semi-precious stones, and beads. I also do custom work for those who have their own unique ideas or who would like a variation of my designs. I also welcome wholesale inquiries.
Zelda's Native Art Show at Riverwalk Gallery Drums   Deer Antler Rattle                             Hickory Nut Rattle	Zelda Hotaling     As a Teacher of Natural Ways raised in the Native American Traditions, Mohawk of the Haudenosaunee, I have been a drum maker and storyteller since 1992.  I share with others how to recycle the fibers of the earth to create drums, rattles, personal shields, capes and more.  When creating a custom piece, I talk with you and then through dreams and prayer your special piece is created. "HEALING CAN COME THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CREATING YOUR OWN SPECIAL PIECE."  “I ASSIST PEOPLE IN THEIR AWARENESS OF THEIR LIFE JOURNEYS.”   I offer many modalities for healing and transformation through workshops, personal guidance and creation of your drum, personal shield, rattle or mask, as well as offering individual healing sessions  by phone or in person.  I trust that you will find something that “calls” you to a deeper connection with your spiritual self. ________________________________________________
Small Stone Sculptures	Richard Colburn Richard Colburn works in wood, bronze and stone. The images on his stones are produced by sandblasting, the same method used to engrave headstones. Stones are selected for their shape, color, and consistency. Most of the stones used are from local beaches and gravel pits. Prehistoric petroglyphs, ancient hieroglyphs and celtic engravings are central themes in his designs. He also uses original images and common symbols. Richard lives and works locally.
Purple Sage Pottery Studio Purple Sage Pottery is made of stoneware or porcelain clay which is very durable and sure to give you many years of service and pleasure. It is lead free, and dishwasher, microwave and oven safe. Each piece is wheel-thrown and/or slab-built over custom made drape molds. Many pots are carved or embossed with ocean, plant or geometric patterns. The pottery is then reduction fired in a gas kiln to over 2200º F. The flames, hungry for oxygen, react with the glazes to give depth and luminescence in often unpredictable and dazzling ways. Iris Minc, the owner, makes an extensive line of reduction-fired functional stoneware. In addition she has a new limited line of works in porcelain as well as a selection of one-of-a-kind vases and flower arranging containers and sculptural leaf forms. The Studio Purple Sage Pottery is an old carriage mill with high ceilings and good natural light. The well-equipped 2500 square-foot studio is divided into two main large work spaces, a small studio, a gallery space and a kiln room. The custom-built 70 cubic-foot gas kiln is the center of the studio's operation. The gallery, which is open almost year round, features mostly Iris' works. Twice annually, once in the spring and then again in the fall, the whole studio is transformed into gallery space and 12-15 other clay workers join Iris to sell their wares at Purple Sage Pottery.	Iris Minc   About the Artist By Iris Minc I had my first life altering experience with clay as a Junior art major at Michigan State University while taking a year off from going to Principia College, a very small liberal arts college in the Midwest. There was something about touching clay and working with it that just transported me. I was in love with clay. At that time I didn’t really understand much about clay. I was amazed and mystified by what I saw some of the graduate students create. The whole firing process was a mystery to me. I had no idea what I really wanted to do with clay, but I knew I had to work with it. I had from a child always loved making things. I had worked with fabric, found objects, wood, paper and sheet metal. Those materials I understood, but clay seemed to have some magical power that I couldn’t quite grasp but that I knew I had to pursue. Now 30 years later, after having been a production potter for over 25 years and having taught pottery for over 15 years, I still love clay. I love the way clay goes through multiple personalities as it changes from very wet and soupy to buttery to very malleable and impressionable like soft putty, to leather hard, to brittle and dry. Then like alchemy it is transformed by the heat of the kiln into bisque ware, impervious to water and ready to absorb the glaze, and then once again in the heat of the fire the dry powdery glazes melt and acquire luscious gemstone like surfaces while the clay turns a toasty brown. I love all the stages of clay, each having different possibilities in the creation process. I feel I have come to know clay and my gas kiln to a degree, but there is still a mystery about clay and the firing process that intrigues me. I feel that my work has reached another level in the last two years. I’m excited about my new work, almost the way I was excited about clay when I was first starting out. Right now I am most excited about handbuilding with a very coarse dark stoneware, but I'm also really enjoying throwing with porcelain. Nature and flower arranging have been a big inspiration in much of this new work. I find that more and more I will have ideas that combine my imagination with the organic way clay naturally moves and works as well as how the glazes and kiln works. The forms made of the coarse dark brown clay are organic, strong and sculptural. While beautifully complementing flowers and plant material, for me these pots are about the clay and how it moves and sometimes cracks to the touch of the hand or tool and how the glazes interact with its rich dark brown color. The pieces made in porcelain are totally opposite the affore mentioned work. They are comparatively small in scale, finely tuned, and mostly functional ware. I use a very white Grolleg porcelain which makes the glazes clear and bright. Still, I strive to maintain a looseness in the porcelain work. My favorite pieces are the ones that happen by some act of grace. As much as I strive to be in control of the forming and glazing processes and of my gas kiln, I find that when I trust the higher power that moves through me, something happens in spite of me which is much more beautiful than anything I could have planned. My new challenge now is to really trust my inner voice and let it lead
Pins With a Past	Judith Klein       Judith Klein hangs out on street corners, at busy intersections and auto body shops, in breakdown lanes and motorcycle graveyards, collecting small pieces of metal that have fallen off speeding cars. She then treats the metal before combining pieces and adding glass beads and semi-precious stones (mostly fire opals from Mexico) to create one-of-a-kind brooches, bolas and lavalieres. Her favorite haunts? Route 128 in her hometown of Beverly, MA, the intersection of Routes 133 and 1, the lower East Side of New York, Maurice Avenue in Queens, and the street in front of Bagel World in Danvers, MA. “It’s a risky business,” she admits, “but someone’s got to do it.”
Stained Glass Art	Kristine Arnold Art has always been an interest of mine. Through the years, I enjoyed drawing with chalk and pencils. From there, I moved to painting with watercolors, oil, and acrylics. When I was introduced to glass, it became my preferred art medium. I also enjoy the technical aspect of design and production of leaded glass by following a method that has been used for many years. After drawing a pattern, each piece of glass is cut and then ground so they fit together. The window is then built by using an H shaped piece of lead to frame each section of glass, and then soldered at the joints. Putty is then inserted between the lead and glass, and finally the piece is cleaned. By using this method, any window created has the strength and integrity to be an exterior window. In addition to traditional windows, I also create 'bud vase' pieces, whereby an actual bud vase is incoroprated into the panel. All bud vase pieces are one of a kind and the vases most often are found in antique shops. All vases can be removed from the glass panel if needed. Along this line, I have also designed many pieces with objects such as geodes, shells, and crystals incorporated, creating a unique and specialized piece of art.
Rachel Kohn Electrical Tape Art         Four Seasons    Holiday Images	ELECTRICAL TAPE ART? WHAT IS THAT? It all began in December of 1992...I was wrapping holiday gifts and decided to use some stickers I had on hand to decorate holiday packages wrapped in brown paper. I just let my mind wonder and had a blast decorating the packages. I was living on Beacon Hill at the time and found myself browsing the aisles of Beacon Hill Hardware looking for picture hooks or something random and then I saw it...A rack of colored electrical tape! The light bulb went off in my head and I bought one role of every color and an Exacto knife. That evening I created my first piece of tape art: A city park scene emerged from the stickers and tape. I have been playing with tape ever since. I love the elasticity and movement it allows and the vibrant colors it comes in. What began as a unique way to wrap gifts has evolved into a passion, bordering on obsession, for tape. Wherever I go, I keep searching for different colors of tape to play with. My formal “training” was two drawing classes taken as an undergraduate student at UMass Amherst in the late 1980’s. In 2005 I started taking classes toward a Certificate in Graphic Design at the Museum of Fine Arts School in Boston. (In between which, I earned two masters degrees – Social Work and Public Health – from Boston University.) My art collection continues to grow as I explore shapes, color and the use of negative space to bring to life images and designs and new surfaces on which to display them. All of my work is 2-dimensional and the graphic style lends it self well to printing and reproduction. I am excited to continue creating new artwork and building my graphic design portfolio. What does “Kokoro” mean? Kokoro is the Japanese kanji (word) for heart, core, and spirit. I was looking through an English/Japanese dictionary while thinking about my artwork and what I was currently working on (a series of heart designs) and literally flipped to this word – Kokoro. The meaning resonated and I liked the minimal lines of the written kanji. Eventually, I created my logo using a formal interpretation of the type written kanji and, in my usual form, used the negative cuttings of tape to a sort of reflection of the kanji back onto itself. And now I call my studio and business Kokoro Designs as a constant reminder to myself to step back, simplify and tap into my core when creating a new design
Metal and Stones Mixed Metal Jewelry	Mary Jo Griffin About the Artist: MJo (Mary Jo) has had a life long love of rocks and stones, from preschool days (when her Dad gave her a beach bag for her stone collections and her Mom gave her the "First Books of Rocks and Minerals" for her stone "research") to studying geology in college. As time went by, MJo designed needlepoint, competing in local art and craft shows, while gradually expanding her designs to include primitive metal embellishments. Today, after studying with local and nationally known goldsmiths and jewelry artists, MJo's style of combining silver, bronze and stones into funky and organic creations continues to evolve as the "ingredients" form, color and texture speak to her.
Beth Bell Pottery	Beth Bell’s journey with clay began 19 years ago at the Worcester Center for Crafts, where she developed her unique, playful style. Still a student of clay, Beth finds that learning and teaching are two sides of the same coin. Her combination of passion and patience helps her students find their own voice in clay whether they are hand-building or throwing.
	Joelle Guerard Silversmith I have been working beside my mother, goldsmith Kathy Guerard, for the past 25 years.  We share a studio in York, Maine.  Mom has taught me to pay attention to details......especially the wearable comfort of jewelry.  I love to hear that my work has become “everyday wear” for so many of my customers.  It is equally important to me to have comfortable as well as eye catching jewelry. Living near and loving nature influences the majority of my designs. The “Tree of Life” is one of my most popular designs, and one that I love to make.  Each tree is hand cut with a fine saw blade starting from the roots up.  The majority of my work is in sterling silver, but I also work with gold, copper and brass.
Kim Pauley's Reversible Happy Bags Three sizes reversible shoulder bags with pockets on both sides (Two Bags in One) Mixed fabric yoga mat bags, reversible head bands and belts	About the Artist: Kim Pauley's handcrafted, fabric pocketbooks were dubbed The Happy Bag by one of her customers, and the name has stuck. Since venturing into handbags last year, Pauley has made more than 1,000 bags, each with its own color, pattern and unique design. Some feature longer handles; others come with pockets or rings. The 100-percent cotton, patterned bags — which have been compared to Vera Bradley but with a look all their own — are available in five sizes and are all reversible. Pauley, a single mom of four grown children who lived in Newburyport for more than 30 years before recently moving to Amesbury, has set up a studio for JustKim at Cedar Street Studios in Amesbury, where she makes her pocketbooks as well as fabric belts and yoga mat bags. Her bags and other creations are also sold at Sisters We Three in Newburyport, Riverwalk Bead Shop and Gallery in Amesbury and Joncien boutique in Rockport. While Pauley continues to help manage The Dance Place and also works for SkyTax, a service that prepares tax forms primarily for flight attendants, JustKim bags have become a large focus for her these days. "I really enjoy making the bags, as it nurtures the creative side of my life."
Susan Kenna's   Colorful Hand Felted Bead Jewelry	Artfelt Creations    Susan Kenna: In 2003, Susan was introduced to needlefelting by her friend, Sue Young, a potter in the Adirondacks. She immediately fell in love with this ancient craft, eventually turning it into a business. Susan was born in Boston, MA. She spent her youth at Fenway Park and Boston Garden rooting for her favorite teams. She married her husband in 1992. After her daughter was born, Susan became a stay at home mom. She spends many hours at the YMCA where her daughter is on the gymnastics team. Here she can watch Andrea and felt at the same time. Today, Susan lives in Beverly with Larry, Andrea and their four cats.
Joanne Vien Gold and Silver Wire Wrapped Stones and Dichroic Glass
Funky Button Jewelry	Carol Walker Morin     Fabulous Folk Fantasy Paintings
Earrings, made of her own invented GUZALI liquid art medium, have come from a long list of other ways this medium has been utilitzed in her art work over the years. Guzali is a, patented and trademarked, three-dimensional liquid art medium that Leslie has developed for working into her art and earrings. Her earrings are made by dipping leather into Guzali, adding color, etiching, sanding and then, sometimes, finishing with a glaze. There are variations in colors and designs on all Guzali Earrings. No two are exactly alike. Many Guzali Earrings are reversible. The handmade sterling hooks make it easy to remove the earrings from the hook, flip them over and reattach, provided there is another color and/or design to expose. Beginning in the Midwest, Guzali was mixed in the kitchen sink and poured into ketsup bottles to be used on canvas in a 3-dimensional application and sold at art fairs. This work was well accepted by the public and Leslie spent her time divided between raising 3 children and mixing and painting with Guzali and working at other jobs, including ceramic tile and radio. At one point, in this long run of uses that GUZALI was getting in the arts and craft field, Leslie introduced the GUZALI formula to CRAYOLA, who recognized its art-worthiness and took out a license for 3 years. After this time, it was turned back to Leslie with the statement that it was too expensive to manufacture and therefore no longer of use to them. While under license to Crayola, Leslie stopped painting with GUZALI, and when the license agreement ceased, she began to use it for crafting primitive, uniquely designed, one of a kind, earrings. These have been produced for several special shops in Maine and MA and through art shows in her area.	Leslie Aisner Leslie is an artist, whose passion for design started in childhood with inventive work in the arts, leading her into all kinds of shows, fairs and stores as well as teaching “The Creative Experience” at a community college in MA. Her artwork includes drawings, paintings, stick & face art plus her new “Primitive in Nature” earring line sold in select stores and galleries. She lives in her 300 year old seaside home, where she often hosts openings for local artists. Artist and inventor, Leslie Aisner Novak has lived by the sea in Newburyport MA for 20 years, raising her business Howda Designz while working at other jobs and being an artist. Replicating an old circus seat from 1929, Leslie brought back to market a portable seat to care for the back, reinventing the way it was made and patenting the newer version. Bags, too, developed a larger product line. From L.L. Bean to Brookstones and from J. Peterman Co. Catalog to Solutions catalog, the HowdaSeat and the Howda Bags traveled the catalog circuit. From New York to San Francisco, the Howda Designz Company traveled to Trade Shows. Now, primarily, an internet Website Store (www.howda.com), Leslie is selling all the standard items plus the newest seats, the HowdaHUGs, designed for children with sensory integration disorders and the autism spectrum that includes aspergers, other attention related issues like, Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and other undiagnosed conditions that just make kids fidgety. The HowdaHUGs provide cradling and rocking that allow these children to be more peaceful and calm and to attain focus in school and in the home.
SUZ Bath and Body	Susan Davis SUZ Bath and Body is a New England cottage industry focussing on high quality artisan bath and body products. All products have been tested on gnarly Yankees with attitudes, so you know the products have been through the wringer. Inspired by springs filled with lilacs and maple sugaring, hot humid summers, brilliant Fall colors, and long winters around oak fires unique to my home. All soaps are hand cut, with natureal uneven tops - more soap for you, less in the soap bin. I use organic vegetable oils in my soaps, and am a member of the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild. I am happy to share my love of the craft of soap making with you and hope that you love the products as much as I love to make them!
Glass Pendants	kevin Caron     Glass Artist     Holiday Ornaments
	Wendy McKee is a jewelry artist whose mixed media background includes: stained glass, textile painting, batiking, fiber art and macrame. Her delicate wire wrapping technique incorporates precious and semi-precious stones, pearls,and Swarovski crystals to create elegant jewelry with graceful presence.
	Micro-Macrame     Julianna Goldstone learned the art of micro-macrame when living in Peru. She incorporates fiber and semi-precious stones from Peru in her elegant, one of a kind necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.