.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;} &>
 

News For and About the Artisans and Retailers of the Adirondack North Country Region

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Recently Discovered Craftspeople

Discovered along the Artist at Work Open Studio Tour last weekend in September

Pam Belleville,
www.pamsjewelrydesigns.com, has dichroic fused glass product lines; clocks, tick-tack-toe boards, and others, which may be of interest to shopowners for resale. She can produce the lines a few at a time in her kiln. At this time her kiln size limits her to creating only one plate at a time so plates are not yet an option for wholesale.

Pam and Beth, more below, seem to be tempted by the idea of sharing a booth at Buyer Days but, at least, for Beth, her need to create always changing pieces may rule out attending the show. The Adirondack North Country Buyer Days is scheduled for March 31 and April 1 in 2010 in Saratoga Springs at the City Center.

Beth Johnson, another fabulous artist, http://www.bethjohnsonbeads.com/, both jeweler and basketmaker, and Pam Belleville, have opened up a gallery and artist consignment shop called Art on Park at 87 Park Street in Tupper Lake. Since the beginning of July, their works and those of others such as Dan King (wonderful metal worker - his dragonfly is to die for), potters Peter Shrope and Mary Lou Reid, photographer Paul Chartier have been for sale at Art on Park.

Splitting the very large storefront with a beauty salon has resulted in sales which would not have taken place otherwise. Art on Park is another example of an unusual partnership which hopefully will continue to benefit both businesses for years to come.

With Gary Casagrain's Gallery across the street, Saundra's Random Acts of Art around the corner on Cliff, and the numerous other shops along the street, Tupper Lake's downtown has both beautiful works by artists from the region as well as out, all suitable for accessorizing one's home or as gifts.

Discovered at the annual Field, Forest and Stream Days held at the Adirondack History Museum in Elizabethtown last weekend in September

Georgette Bacon, of Nicholville, NY (http://www.dragonflylanegourds.net/) creates fabulously decorated gourd works, and in addition, necklaces with pieces of gourd with images painted on. The gourd work, including the jewelry, is well coated/varnished. Georgette is very interested in attending Buyer Days. Georgette who started making and selling her gourd work two years ago did well at Field, Forest and Stream Days. Do visit her website to see the quality.

Also at the show was Funny River Trading, http://www.funnyrivertrading.com/, selling her recently started Traditional Arts and Herbal Folk Remedies line of Bath and Beauty products. L. A. Monroe, a basketmaker and weaver, was encouraged by the owners of Dartbrook Rustic Goods, http://www.dartbrookrusticgoods.com/ in Keene, NY to develop the bath and beauty line.

L.A. Monroe supervises, for an agency near Lake Champlain, a group of disadvantaged people who are creating wonderful baskets. Their baskets, of all sizes and shapes, are sold at craft shows under the name Mountain Weavers Fiber Arts Guild for very reasonable prices. Shopowners looking for a wide range of locally made baskets may contact L.A. at 518.546.9552, x 121. They may not be set up to do wholesale accounts at the present but the work is so good, and they are so proud, and they are so many, at least 12, that it is worth exploring.

Labels: , ,

Friday, September 04, 2009

New Cafe and Giftshop in Chazy

The Station Cafe and Gifts at the former train station in Chazy, NY serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with some local ingredients. The gift shop features silver jewelry, home decorations, picture frames, children's clothing, greeting cards, hats and holiday decorations in season. Carolyn Tetreault, owner, says the gift line ideas come from her three daughters and daughter-in-law, the Altanta Gift Show, and shops in Saratoga and Warren counties. Press Republican, Sunday, July 26, 2009, Business, p. D3, by Dan Heath, staff writer

Chazy Giftshop Owner Researches Movement to Support Local Businesses


Carol Tetreault, owner of The Station Cafe and Gifts, is researching the 3/50 project, a nationwide movement to encourage people to choose three independent, local businesses and spend $50 a month in each. The Web site, http://www.350project.net/, states that is half the employed population did that it would generate $42.6 billion in revenue. It also states that for every $100 spend in local independent stores, $68 comes back to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. If that same money is spent at national chains, $43 comes back to the community, while none returns if the money is spent online. Press Republican, Sunday, July 26, 2009, Business, p. D3, by Dan Heath, staff writer

Adirondack Harvest Hosts a "Taste of Essex County"

On Sept. 19th, the Essex County chapter of Adirondack Harvest will host "A Taste of Essex County" celebration at the Essex County fairgrounds in Westport as part of the 6th annual Adirondack Harvest Festival Week. To participate, contact Laurie at 518.962.4810 x404. http://www.adirondackharvest.com/. Essex County Cornell Cooperative Extension monthly printed newsletter, August 2009

Photographing your Art with Harry Wirtz

On Sept. 19 in Glens Falls, from 10am to 3pm, photographer Harry Wirtz will instruct artists working in a variety of mediums; paintings, watercolor, sculpture, etc., how to photograph their fine work in a digital format. $15 Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council (LARAC) members/$20 non-members. To register call: 518.798.1144 x2 or email: programs@larac.org. Lake George Arts Project, summer edition quarterly newsletter

Revamped CustomMade.com Targets Homeowner Appreciative of Custom Woodwork
Custommade.com currently hosts 400 woodworkers and receives about 750,000 hits a year, which equates to around 2,200 visitors a day. Visitors to Custommade.com can search for custom woodworkers in their area and learn about specific styles, techniques and specialities.
The website was revamped in May by the new owners, Mike Salguero and Seth Rosen, who are Boston based. Woodworkers can subscribe with a minimum of $180 for a posting of nine photos. Woodshop News, August 2009, p.9, by Jennifer Hicks, staff writer

Movie to be Shot in Tupper Lake Looking for Local Product Placement

Shooting will begin September 28 for the movie "Recreator" targeting the 15 to 30 youth market. They will be looking for opportunities for local product placement from companies like local breweries and coffee shops. To discuss opportunities, email producers at recreatormovie@gmail.com. For more information, go to gregoryorr.com who will be directing first feature length film with "Recreator."
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, August, 26, 2009, p.14, by Jessica Collier, reporter

NYFA Provides Seminars in Upstate NY to Fund Creative Time For Artists

New York state artists attending the Sept. 15, 10am to 2 pm seminar in Lake Placid and the one in Woodstock on Sept. 21, noon to 4pm will learn about the application process for $7,000 unrestricted cash grants awarded to 100 artists per year since 1985 by the New York Foundation of the Arts (NYFA). Seminars are free. For more information, visit www.nyfa.org/afp. Art News, Fall 2009, St. Lawrence County Arts Council quarterly printed newsletter, p.6.

Potter Sue Young Provides High-Quality Technical Oversight of Mural Project

Inspired by the Champlain Quadricentennial, Sandra Morse, Bucky Seiden and Sue Young, supervised the transformation of 2,000 pounds of clay into artistic creations, helping mostly seventh-graders transfer their poster designs onto clay tiles. The mural, an artistic interpretation of local history, 38 feet in length and rising 10 feet in height, was installed on an exterior wall of the Clinton County Government Center in Plattsburgh.
Visit the mural to see the tiile work of 1000 Clinton County students. The official unveiling was held on August 12, 2009. Lake Champlain Weekly, August 5, 2009, p. 7, A Thousand Pairs of Hands Make History Come Alive! by Benjamin Pomerance, regular contributor

Labels: , , , , , ,