Art From The Heart of North Carolina - Dreams Come True at ARTworks Vass

Yesterday marked the one month anniversary of the dream-come-true that is ARTworks Vass.  The month flew, and we're enjoying the entire experience even more than we'd ever imagined. 

We love the classroom.  

We love the gallery.  

We love the special events.  

We love creating here.

We love our Artists in Residence.

We love the ART in all of its forms - Visual, Musical, Performing, Written, Culinary.

In fact, we love being even a small part of this wildly creative community!

Thank you to each of you near and far who have supported this dream.  To those who have listened, encouraged, laughed, cried, planned, supported, painted, built, created, displayed, worked, volunteered, cooked, attended, collected, promoted, performed, served, and generally loved us through our first month; thank you.  

We couldn't have done it without you, and we're looking forward to all that the future holds for us in this magical place.

Thank you for supporting ARTworks Vass.

Thank you for supporting ART from The Heart of North Carolina! 

Spotlight on Blue Horse Market!

My jewelry, artfully displayed at Blue Horse.

Last weekend, I was lucky to spend a bit of time wandering one of my favorite local stores, Blue Horse Market.  Blue Horse, owned by the talented Sharon and Jeff Augustyniak, is located near my hometown.  Sharon and I met when I owned Artist Alley, when I represented her work.  Now the tables have turned, and I'm grateful for the opportunities that they've created for me.

Blue Horse is so much more than 'just another store'.  With craft beers, a large wine selection, antiques, comfy couches, hot coffee, handmade goods aplenty, farm fresh food offerings, and more; this modern country store has become an integral part of our community.

The following photos don't begin to do it justice!  If you're in the neighborhood, do yourself a favor, and stop.  If you're not in the neighborhood, make it a destination.  I promise you'll be glad that you did.

A glimpse at some of the kids' creations at Blue Horse.

This repurposed bed frame promotes local businesses and our community.

North Carolina Pottery and other treasures.

Sharon's handmade Mat and Frame,
my Ode to The Sandhills,
Amy Smith's Canvas Earrings, and other treasures.

From floor to ceiling you'll find treasures at Blue Horse Market!

Blue Horse Market is located at 3196 Vass Carthage Road, at the 

intersection of Niagra Carthage Road, in Whispering Pines, North Carolina.

Their phone number is 910-949-2996, and you'll also find them on Facebook.

So Me!

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that "So Me - Artisan Wares and Jewelry Studio" in Glenshaw, PA, will now be representing my work!  This is my first gallery relationship in the Pittsburgh Area, and I couldn't possibly be more excited. 

During my visit at So Me yesterday, I *meant* to take oodles of photos to share with you.  In fact, I even spoke this intention aloud. 

And then....... I lost myself in the variety of handcrafted goodness that fills this gem of a store. 

And then...... I pressed my nose against the glass of the window into the studio of owner, Amy Klein-McGinley.  (Amy is also a Goldsmith, Platinumsmith, and Jewelry Designer.)

And then...... we had the best conversation about the arts, my delivery, and the joys and challenges of gallery ownership. 

And then...... I met Amy's Mother and daughter. 

And then...... I floated out of the store with a smile on my face and absolute certainty in my heart that I'd found the perfect home in Pittsburgh for my work. 

And while I don't have photos to share with you today, I promise that they'll be tops on my list during my next visit.  In the meantime, please enjoy this single pilfered photo, and visit So Me for yourself.  You'll be glad that you did!

So Me -  Hartwood Town Center, Glenshaw, PA

Where In The World Are Jean Skipper Originals? Galleries and Boutiques

What a wonderful year it's been so far!  One of my top priorities in 2013 will be to build and strengthen my relationships with the galleries and boutiques that represent my work.  Watch for more frequent deliveries of my latest creations and also the addition of trunk shows, demonstrations, and classes at many of these venues. 

Right now, you'll find my work at the galleries and boutiques that follow:

• Aria - Apex, NC*
• Artestry Hideaway - Beaufort, NC*
• Artful Living Group - Carolina Beach, NC
• Blue Pelican Gallery - Hatteras, NC **
• Books to Be Red - Ocracoke
• Carolina Artists Colony - Sanford, NC
• Circa - Asheboro, NC
• Just Be - Greensboro, NC
• NOFO@The Pig - Raleigh, NC*
• Painted Mermaid - Southport, NC
• Pea Island Art Gallery - Salvo, NC
• Plum Crazy Boutique - Duck, NC
• River to Sea Gallery - Wilmington, NC
• SaxArt Gallery - Saxapahaw, NC*
• Seagreen Gallery - Nagshead, NC
• Swank - Southern Pines, NC

If you're in the neighborhood, please visit these amazing independent local businesses.  (I promise that you'll be glad that you did!)  Behind them you'll find owners and employees who are witty, warm, and wonderful.  And in addition to my work, you'll also find many other unexpected delights...North Carolina Artwork, a fresh brewed cup of coffee or tea, brunch that's cooked to perfection, "meet-the-artist"opportunities, books aplenty, custom framing, yarn, and craft supplies just to name a few.

If you have questions about a particular shop, or my teaching and trunk show schedule, please visit these websites or contact me anytime.  I'm looking forward to seeing you in 2013! 

*   Recent additions to the galleries and boutiques that represent my work.
** Brand new to me!  My first delivery will take place in March 2013.

Recapturing My Life and My Free Time Since Artist Alley

Since closing Artist Alley at the end of August, friends have been asking, "What have you been doing with all of your free time?!?!?" To be honest, I haven't had that much of it yet. As someone who genuinely likes to be busy, this is a good thing, indeed!

In the past few months, I've been cleaning and organizing my home, my studio, and my storage space. This is a work in process, and I expect that it will continue for quite some time. I have so many treasures and so many great ideas dancing in my head. Now I'm working to ensure that my digs are conducive to fully exploring each and every one of them.

I've spent time with family and friends. For me right now, this translates into more time at home with the ones I love. I savored an evening with friends and a First Friday Opening in Southern Pines...as a guest! Ken and I traveled to Greenville, NC for a weekend wedding, and we dilly-dallied through The State Fair and Vollis Simpson's whirligig farm along the way. I enjoyed a lively meeting with The Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild, a gallery-hopping day trip with mixed media artist Amy Smith and her kiddos, and a play date in the envy-inducing studio of of the talented Jeanne Rhea. (I've been posting photos of all of these adventures on my Facebook Page, and I hope to share more details here soon too.)

I've also been creating like a madwoman; I've been volunteering two days each month at Artist Gallery of Southern Pines; and I've joined The Carolina Artists' Colony in Sanford. And in the midst of all of this, I'm working to increase the inventory of my creations at the galleries who represent my work. This task often fell to the bottom of my to-do list during my days at Artist Alley, and I'm making slow and steady progress toward rectifying the situation. I'm ever so grateful for the nurturing women who own these galleries. They have been oh so patient with me, and my future blog posts will provide more details about each and every one of their creative spaces and the manner in which they support their fellow artists.

In the past month, I've been up and down the road bound for shows in Norcross, Georgia; Holden Beach; North Carolina; and Atlanta; Georgia. This weekend brings a trip to Savannah for a show at Telfair Art Museum, and I'm so looking forward to it! Each show has been an absolute treat, and in Holden Beach I had the privilege of spending time in the company of one of my favorite artists, Mary Neligan and her family. Mary and her husband Richard create the funky fish that adorn the walls of my home, and her family welcomed me into their home with open arms.

(This photos shows Mary's first-ever funky fish

as it's displayed outside of her sister's front door.)

During this time, I'm also rediscovering something that's been missing in my life...moments of solitude, grace, and gratitude. I'm listening to music again, and I've caught myself singing along. I'm pausing to be in the moment, and I'm taking photos along the way. I've shed a few tears at the sheer beauty that surrounds me, and I've found myself smiling for no reason at all. Dare I say it? Amidst the chaos, a bit of peace is creeping back into my life, and I'm ever so grateful for it.

It's a lovely way to spend my free time.