Mother’s Day weekend was rainy, yet full of promise for the annual Plant Sale at the OSU Extension Office Learning Garden in Hood River. Master Gardeners hurried through their tasks setting up the sale as I set up my table full of garden art. You know I’m an avid gardener. I was in the Master Gardener program for a number of years but alas, ran out of time to volunteer.
They kindly invite me back each year to participate in this special sale, as a provider of colorful glass garden art. Who doesn’t need a ladybug or two in their garden?
Of course, they know I’ll be an excellent customer while there! This year my favorite purchase was Red Wiggler worms! I was so excited to set them free into a warm area of my garden. I feed them daily to make sure they don’t wander off, but stay and work my soil.
This trio of sweets had a table of treats to keep our energy levels soaring.
All in all, most people that came through were buying plants of course, not art. The worms, treats and my garden art were picked up here and there, but most visitors to the Learning Garden had their heads down reading plant descriptions and checking out the best plants to buy.
Living Between Studio Tours
May 17, 2011
For my studio sale I pack up all my personal possessions and turn my cabin into a Glass Gallery. Usually it’s only for a Sunday afternoon. As you read in my last post, this year I’m participating in back to back weekend studio tours, so my living area will look like this for a week! I love seeing all my work surrounding me instead of boxed up waiting for the next art show, but my dog is used to having her toys thrown for her evening entertainment. Not this week!
My studio has all my experiments, and seconds displayed along with tools and mica for glass artists that I sell. This means I can’t work for a week. Guess it’s a good time for a staycation! You’ll find me in the garden….
Oh, and if you didn’t get to the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour, you can still come up and see my work during the White Salmon Artists Studios Open House on Saturday May 21 from 10 am to 5 pm.
Annual Studio Sale with a Twist
May 12, 2011
My annual studio sale is a bit different this year. I’m excited to be taking part in the Gorge Artists Open Studios tour this Saturday and Sunday, May 14 & 15 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Normally I only open my studio for one Sunday afternoon in the winter, but this year I’ve stretched it into two full days and moved it to spring.
This time of year you’ll have a lovely walk through my garden to my cabin-turned-gallery-filled with shimmery sparkly glass. There’s not a lot blooming yet, but my daffodils are still vibrantly nodding their heads for you.
My friends, Angela and Jean will be here helping me again. You can see what all goes into the transformation from cabin and studio to gallery setting in this older post.
The upstairs living area looks wonderful with all my newest work including home decor, jewelry, vases and so much more! In my studio I’ll have tools for glass artists along with my ‘firsts’ and ‘seconds’. In my shipping/storage room I’ll have all my series that I’ve currently discontinued. There are some great bargains to be had!
Hope you can join us! Send me a note if you need directions. Linda at Steider Studios dot com.
Oh, and if you can’t make it this weekend, guess what? The White Salmon Arts Council is hosting a studio tour of local artists next Saturday. Yes, I said I’d be on their tour too!!
Everyone that lives with me knows there will be no throwing dog toys in the house for the next 10 days!
Epilogue of the Event: Glass Gallery 2011
May 5, 2011
The 2011 Gathering of the Guilds took place this past weekend at the Portland Convention Center. It’s the largest event of it’s kind, run by artists for artists in the Pacific Northwest. The show includes Portland Handweavers Guild, Guild of Oregon Woodworkers, Creative Metal Arts Guild, Portland Bead Society, and Oregon Glass Guild. It was initiated 28 years ago by the Oregon Potters Association and we other guildss have joined slowly over the last 10 to 15 years.
Above is my booth just before the Glass Gallery show opened. It took awhile to get it to this point. I’ll show you:
A group of Oregon Glass Guild volunteers ready to assist in the big empty building as artists arrive.
Alice Geyer, our State President along with Gayle Larsen from the Mid Valley Chapter arrive bringing a truckload of artwork. And all the ingredients needed for our Pavilion!
The pipe and drape goes up while more artists arrive and unload their work.
Once the pipe & drape is set up we can start building our booths. My walls & lights have to go up first. No, I don’t turn them on until the show starts!
It’s easier if I display my wall art prior to setting up tables. At this point, my neighbors haven’t arrived, so I can spread out. As have the pavilion folks that are also setting up and painting pedestals.
Most of my work is unpacked, lots of tweaking yet to be done. Where are my neighbors?
So close, but in my haste I didn’t notice the sloppy edge of a table covering, so I had to remove the glass and pull down the table covering. A few more things to stash and my booth will be ready. Let the show begin!
In random order, a few of my friends and neighbors at the show. Alexandra Farnham
shared a booth with Vandy Hall. Blown glass.
Dianne Muhly’s booth ready for customers. Fused glass.
Ken Hashagen and Julie Vincent of Corte Glass ready for action! Sharing a booth with Kathy Engholm of Indigo Crow Studio. Fused glass.
My friend Carolyn Crystal, a torch-worker had crowds all weekend……
…as did Cynthia Morgan, Becky Magnuson and Carol Carson who shared a booth. Fused and cast glass.
Jim Aden of Jaidenglass was there early to help set up and stayed late to help clean up. My thanks to Jim and Dean Wirst for loading my car when the show came down!
Lyn Kennison’s Blue Eyed Creations booth. Fused glass.
Jane Godfrey about to make a sale. She and Sondra Radcliffe, both of Ambiente Art Glass have wonderful stained and kilnformed work.
Ann Cavanaugh and Joann Wellner shared a large space. Kilnformed Glass.
My booth neighbor, Eli of Mazet Studios had a crowd all weekend and was still selling after the show closed! Very impressive work from his torch.
Debra Fenzl of MSR Studio. Her beautiful torchwork won a prize in the pavillion.
Dennis Hoerauf of Nature of Glass. I love his blown glass!
Sue Purr Designs, Sue Bradley makes cat glass in her kiln.
My friend Serena Smith working her booth filled with lampworked beads. She was also the Glass Pavilion Chair this year.
I thought the Group Booth was particularly beautiful this year, chaired by Greg Frye. Greg with Cindy Lacey.
Don Bietschek of Aquila Glass School was excellent at running the demo area this year.
Our Glass Pavilion was gorgeous! Thanks Serena & crew including Jim & Jayne Simmons who ran out to buy more paint!
This event is a huge undertaking with many people taking the reins of important tasks in order to stage a premier glass show.
I’m simply going to list their names and tasks, but want you to know they all contributed so much more than just chairing a committee. Indefatigable comes to mind:
Charlene Fort, our Queen Bee, heading up the entire Gathering of the Guilds as well as our Show Chair for Oregon Glass Guild.
Mike Yamrick (State Treasurer) – he who writes the checks and cashes us out!
Susan Arnot and Jayne Simmons…advertising and PR. Did you see our Facebook page? It’s not too late to ‘like’ us – we plan to post upcoming events there for you to follow!
Serena Smith took on the monumental task of organizing and setting up the pavilion.
Don Bietschek organized the demonstrations, including the recruitment of demonstrators.
Alice Geyer and Gayle Larsen led the mosaic portion of the demonstration. The finished mosaic will be donated to a women’s shelter in The Dalles, OR.
Victoria Miller donated the mosaic that was displayed and raffled in the Information Booth.
Lesley Kelley organized the volunteers and I can tell you she is organized. Her husband, Kevin was the go-to guy for errands, ran the credit card machine, and even worked security – following potential perpetrators of petty theft around the building.
Donna La Plante produced the beautiful postcards and helped set up the floor plan.
Jim Piazza and Bill Cooper were instrumental in setting up the pavilion and running the information booth. Not to mention their sleuthing skills at following would-be-shoplifters.
Jim (our unofficial photographer) and Jayne Simmons worked tirelessly setting up the pavilion and doing all sorts of odd jobs throughout the weekend.
There are so many more people involved, I’m sure I’ve left out a number of folks. It’s a volunteer organization and we all volunteer to make the show happen. Those above gave their time to perform major tasks without which, there would be no show! I applaud everyone involved for a show well done!!
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