North Shore Arts Association Looks Back at a Stellar 2015 Exhibition Season Coming to a Close

John Terelak, "Evening Light"'Fifty Years At the Easel'

As the North Shore Arts Association brings its 2015 Exhibition Season to a close, we extend a heartfelt "thank you" to our loyal patrons and supporters, our outstanding artist and associate members, our colleagues and partners at Ocean Alliance, Rocky Neck Art Colony, Rockport Art Association, SeARTS, Marblehead Arts Association, Mrs. Nan Blue, Nella and Steve Lush, Mr. John Terelak, Mr. Frank Kaminski of Kaminski Auctions, the Antique Appraisal Day appraisers, Colleene Fesko, Virginia Salem, James Callahan, Peter Murphy and so many more artists, individuals,  business and corporate entities, each contributing in very special ways, to make the NSAA 2015 Exhibition Season a resounding success!
We are already hard at work planning a full roster of exciting and groundbreaking exhibitions and events for 2016:

• A joint venture between Ocean Alliance of Gloucester and the North Shore Arts Association culminating in a fundraising art exhibition and science-based lecture series investigating the health of the world's oceans and the sustainability of the amazing creatures who inhabit this endangered environment. Ocean Alliance has donated 86 original roof slates from Gloucester's historic Paint Manufactory building to used  by NSAA artists as canvases in the themed exhibition with both non-profits sharing equally the proceeds of the fundraising event.
• NSAA is pleased to have been  selected to host the annual New England Watercolor Society Exhibition which brings together the myriad talents of NEWS artist members, many of whom are also NSAA artist members, and NSAA will be the venue for the NEWS sponsored Mary White Watercolor Workshop, led by the internationally renowned watercolorist, Mary White.
• The North Shore Arts Association will present an exhibition entitled "Icons of Cape Ann" which will celebrate the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Cape Ann and that of our own institution as we approach our centennial year.
• The North Shore Art Association Annual Fundraising Auction to be held on Massachusetts' "tax free" weekend.
• The Antique & Arts Appraisal Day, with the return of the fabulous appraisal team of Colleen Fesko, Virginia Salem, James Callahan, and Peter Murphy!
  
  See you in the Spring!
  
  
  Special Exhibition Highlights from the 2015 Season:
  
  
  
  Bob Blue, "Gloucester Morning"
  Bob Blue Retrospective Exhibition 'Gloucester and Beyond'
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Jim Gibbons, "Looking Out"
  'New Artist Members Exhibition'
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Donald Allen Mosher, "Low Tide, Corea"
  'In Memoriam': A Tribute to Past NSAA Members

  
  
  
  
  

  
  Nella Lush, "Family Roots"
  'A Forty Year Collaboration' Steve Lush and Nella Lush

  
  
  
  
  
  
  Jody Regan"Watercolor Sketch"
  'North Greets South Paint Out'
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Jack Jones, "From Back Beach"
  'Selections From the NSAA Museum Collection'
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Jeff Weaver, "The Work Float"
NSAA Annual Fundraising Art Auction

John Terelak, "Snow Evening"
John Terelak Solo Exhibition ' Fifty Years at the Easel'

Tom Nicholas, N.A.,  "Snow Country"
'The Artist's Greats Exhibition'

Appraiser Colleene Fesko
NSAA Antique Appraisal Day 'Ordinary or EXTRAOrdinary?"

'NSAA Holiday Festival of Fine Arts & Fine Crafts'

North Shore Arts Holiday Festival showcases the Best of the Best this weekend Nov. 14 & 15!

The NSAA Holiday Festival of Fine Arts and Fine Crafts is almost here! We are excited to welcome the participation of such fine artisans as: Trudy Allen, Dorothy Arthur of Dot's Pots, John Bassett, Robert Bliss of Bliss Ceramic Studios, Judith Bly, Friedl Brosch of A.F. Brosch Woodworking, Susan Burton, Jane Danikas, Elaine Daly, Jackie Ganin-DeFalco of Cape Ann Designs, Michael Foley of M.S. Foley Stoneworks, Ellen Garvey, Deborah Guertze, George Hilton, Michele Kenna, Susan Kenna, Lisa LeVasseur of belle + me designs, Carmela Martin, Fran Nola, Valentin Zev Rejman, Susan Riach of Susan Riach Designs, Ronald Ross, Gail Roy, Laurie Cox Schreiber, Pat Toches, Jim Trudeau of Wheelworks Pottery, Anna Vojtech, Paige Wallis, Beth Williams of Beth Williams Studio, and Chris Williams of Chris Williams Sculpture.
Celebrate the upcoming Holiday season with artists, neighbors, and friends and share the fun of shopping locally. Your purchases will support Cape Ann and New England artists and artisans as well as the non-profit North Shore Arts Association! See you November 14th & 15th at the NSAA! Meanwhile, more tantalizing sneak peaks:

Dorothy Arthur of Dot's Pots

Upon retirement after 26 years teaching the Visual Arts in the Salem Public School System, Dorothy returned to her lifelong interest in clay. In 2011, Dot's Pots was born and Dorothy began working on a series of lanterns that combined her interests in ceramics and architecture. The ideas for the motifs of the lantern cutouts were inspired by the various window styles of historic Salem, MA buildings including Old Town Hall, Hamilton Hall, Peabody Essex Museum, St. Peter's Church, Custom House as well as homes on Federal and Chestnut Streets. Trips to New Orleans, Italy and Ireland have expanded her collection of Architectural windows into a Travel series.

Dot's popular Nature Lantern series currently include dragonflies, leaves, vines, ocean creatures, and seasonal themes. House plaques, baby plaques and birth announcement ornaments have been added to her production as well as new kitchen wares including olive oil bottles and cruets of all varieties . http://www.dots-pots.com


 

Judith Bly
Judith Bly has had a life-long interest in creative expression. Her parents collected art and had an antiques shop in their Bronx home. After years of water color painting, Judith discovered bead design as a new way of realizing her artistic needs. She is a self-taught bead designer, having informally studied various art media and craft. Judith is a retired psychotherapist living in Rockport and also exhibits at the Newburyport Art Association gift shop. www.rockyneckartcolony.org/_artists/bly.php

Ellen Garvey

"A glassblowing class was an escape from my demanding career in high tech. It wasn't long before I was hooked! So now I spend my time in the glass studio experimenting with the forms, colors, and techniques of this challenging medium. It's an endless process with unlimited possibilities and a lot of excitement. Now the other side of my brain is in the driver's seat!"  www.eglassylady.com

Jane DanikasPresenting fine jewelry and gems!


Elaine Caliri Daly
Offering ornaments and angels!

George Hilton of George Hilton Creations

Master craftsman George Hilton, a retired Lynn, MA Fire Lieutenant, draws on his own extensive personal and professional experience to create the stunning works of art that bear his name. An avid hunter and fisherman, George was a licensed taxidermist for twenty-five years. He was renowned in the industry for his remarkable ability to capture and recreate the essence of wildlife fish and game. Expert Harry Kenerson, sportsman's journalist, once said of George Hilton in his featured article, "He mounts the best rainbow trout I have ever seen."

In the 1990's when Jurassic Park was all the rage, George created a sensation by hand painting and mounting dinosaur head. "Hilton Heads" soon caught the attention of The Sharper Image and George's dinosaurs were chosen as the featured item in the Christmas Catalogue. CEO Richard Thalheimer of The Sharper Image wrote of George's works of art "Few handmade collectible have generated as much admiration and conversation in our offices."

Now George has applied his extraordinary talent to create stunning works of art to carving and painting wooden birds. Because each life sized bird is crafted one at a time, each bird is an original and comes with a certificate and brief history of the species itself. The process of handcrafting each bird is a laborious one, but once the final touches, including glass eyes, are added, if they looked any more real, you'd have to feed them. http://www.georgehiltoncreations.com



Michele Kenna
Presenting fabulous wall hangings and more!

Susan Kenna of Art Felt Creations
I am involved in the ancient art of needle-felting. All my items are made of pure wool. To make a necklace, I begin with a small tuft of wool and begin to felt it on a foam pad with a wooden handled needle. I keep poking the felt until I form a small bead. I continue to felt the bead until it is dense. When the bead is finished, I take other pieces of colored wool, and needle into the bead a design. Each bead is individually made and then designed. My necklaces have as many as 11 beads, but I also make necklaces with a single wool bead. I string my necklaces on sterling silver or round leather cord. I use sterling silver or vermeil toggle clasps. My purses and handbags are done the same way, using large amounts of wool layered 5 times to make the piece well-built and strong. I also use felt punches which have 10-12 needles per punch to felt the wool. After the piece is finished, I needle-felt a design into the finished produce. The piece is then wet felted to make the wool dense. All purses and handbags are lined and have either a zipper or snap closure. www.artfeltcreations.com


Carmela MartinOffering works on tile and vibrant color!


Fran NolaHandcrafted angels to bless everyone on your list!



Valentin Zev Rejman

Zev Rejman creates distinctive, handcrafted metal art and jewelry, using silver, gold, bronze, and copper toned brass, in unique and original patterns inspired by life and nature. He applies the latest etching techniques to create a palette of shapes and textures. Zev founded Etched Vintage Art Studio, Inc., and helped in pioneering the chemical milling etching process on metal sheets. Rejman's designs are steeped in the historical evolution of countries from around the world. The etched designs are characterized by rich surfaces and textures, and convey vivid depictions and unique perspectives.

Susan Riach of Susan Riach Designs

Having the great fortune and gift of an artistic spirit and while completing metalsmithing classes, I realized that designing, forging, hammering, and sculpting little pieces of wearable art was to be my passion. My unique hand forged and hammered jewelry creations in sterling silver, are bold, strong, and contemporary, yet make a simple, classic, and elegant statement complementing the flow and contours of the body.

I take my inspiration from the organic and architectural elements which surround me, and design from the simplicity of the soul.

So as I strive to bring you exceptional pieces designed and fabricated one at a time, by my hands, from my studio in Salem, NH, I hope you love my work as much as I enjoy creating it for you. I invite you to visit my website to view my collection of neckpieces, pendants, bracelets, and earrings. 

www.susanriachdesigns.com

Ronald RossOffers one of a kind hand made ornaments!


Gail RoyShowcases her superb hand felting and fiber arts!


Laurie Cox SchreiberBeautiful hand painted floor oil cloths and more!


Pat TochesUnique pottery and ceramics, both practical and works of art!

Anna Vojtech
Anna has illustrated various books for children, mostly folktales and stories about nature. Her pictures are full of flowers and animals, or giraffes and elephants, or of little birds and chipmunks. Folktales are also about people, their nature and their spirit. Through her illustrations Anna has brought readers closer to our Native American heritage as well as the traditions of other nations. Nature has always been a strong source of inspiration for Anna. She spent years combing through the forests and meadows searching out rare wild flowers. Parts of her extensive collection of botanical paintings were published in various magazines, and as a book "Wild Flowers for All Seasons". They have been exhibited in the USA, Canada, and England. www.avojtech.com

A Wealth of Talent on Display at NSAA Holiday Festival Nov 14 & 15!

Trudy Allen

Among the many media she's mastered, NSAA artist member Trudy Allen of Gloucester brings her love of experimentation to her recent work, exploring the unusual medium of Alcohol inks applied to non-absorbent materials such as ceramic tile and Yupo, a synthetic, 100% recyclable, and waterproof paper, to create intense, vibrant colors and exciting results.

Susan Burton

"I've been working for eighteen years primarily as a painter until I discovered the wonderful world of gourds! After some reading, research and MUCH experimentation, I was hooked! The use of hard shell gourds has a very rich history in early primitive cultures and the challenge is creating fresh designs while honoring the past. I use a palette of mostly natural earth tones, using leather dyes and wood stain. This approach lets the natural beauty of the gourd surface to still be apparent. The carving (some are deep bas relief) or incising is accomplished with dental and machinists burs."  www.susankburton.com

Robert Bliss

NSAA artist member Robert Bliss is a self-taught sculptor, an art that began in his childhood and continues to this day. After years teaching sculpture and having received much acclaim and many awards for his work in sculpture, Robert decided to try his hand at making decorative tiles because it was a satisfying way to capture nature. He is inspired by the ocean and its shore. He sculpts the original work in clay, makes a mold, hand presses the tiles, and lets them dry thoroughly before firing. After the bisque firing Bob and his wife, Karen, glaze the tiles and then they are fired a second time bringing out the beautiful, glossy, ocean-inspired color. Bliss Ceramic Studio production encompasses custom hand-sculpted ceramic tiles, ceramic pendants and sculpture in the round. www.blissceramicstudios.com

Jackie De Falco

Sea glass collecting has been a tradition of seaside residents and visitors for years but it's only in the last few years that collectors have begun to come together, compare "finds" and demonstrate their creativity in displaying or using the sea glass. Jacqueline hopes to share the beauty of sea glass through elegant, wearable art. The idea for Cape Ann Designs evolved after a year of creating and selling hair accessories under the name Beach Glass Barrettes by Jacqueline. Cape Ann Designs evolved from there-to reflect the indigenous nature of the artwork and the desire to make the connection between the natural beauty of the region and sea glass. After the first year, with input from customers, partners, and experienced designers the line was expanded to include a full range of hair accessories and jewelry. Jacqueline will also design custom pieces from her collection or yours! www.capeanndesigns.com

Michael Foley

Working as M.S. Foley Stoneworks in Gloucester, the majority of Michael Foley's hand carved stonework is in local granite, and to a lesser extent, Berkshires and Vermont marble. He's had gallery exhibits and shows on Cape Ann, and in Nashua, NH and is an award winning artist member of the North Shore Arts Association. "Geometry and the love of natural materials are the driving forces behind my work. As a lifelong carver and career machine design engineer, I find beauty in both the gifts of the earth, as well as the wisdom of mathematics, which helps us to see our humble place in the universe. My sculptures, in their small ways, attempt to transform the fusion of these beauties into expressive forms, frozen in time, but warmed by each human hand which reaches out to touch them."

www.msfoleystoneworks.com

Deborah Geurtze
An artist/printmaker, Deborah Geurtze produces intricate etchings and monotypes that reflect her deep connection with nature, a force that directs both her life and her work. In describing her work, the artist notes, "Wilderness-its patterns and complexity-are a continual source of inspiration. My panoramas explore the ever changing natural world and give expression to themes of passage-from dark to light, along a country road, from man-made to overgrown, chaotic splendor."
Deborah attended Rhode Island School of Design and studied printmaking with Robert Bero at the State University College of Potsdam, NY. After teaching abroad at the American School of Tangier, Morocco, and at Vail (CO) Mountain School, she returned to upstate New York where she worked for 25 years. In 2011 Deborah moved to Rocky Neck. http://www.rockyneckartcolony.org/_artists/geurtze.php

Paige Wallis

A multi-talented mother of two, NSAA artist member, painter, illustrator and gifted costumer/milliner, Paige Wallis states, "I'm primarily a two dimensional artist/painter and up until fairly recently I'd never been much for head adornment. But, in 2012, I had the privilege of attending the Edwardian Ball in San Francisco and instantly fell in love with the art of it all. So much incredible-and incredibly inspiring!-music, performance, art, and fashion! My eyes were opened to just how much fun hats, fascinators, and various other over-the-top fashion accessories can be to make and wear. Look for Paige Wallis' table at the Festival where she will be presenting her one of a kind hats and fairy houses, as well! Prepare to be enchanted! www.soothedbyrainfall.net

Lisa LeVasseur of belle + me designs
When Lisa LeVasseur and Anne Malvaux got together one day in the early summer to share some sauvignon blanc and make fun of the latest fashion trends, they decided to sit outside and take in the calming view of the ocean from Anne's front deck. The only problem was the weather. It was somewhat windy and there was a bit of chill rising off the water. Anne ran inside and grabbed a scarf and offered one to Lisa. Lisa said she would love to wear it but didn't want to cover up her gorgeous hand-crafted necklace just purchased earlier that day. The two ladies looked at each other and in that instant, of both necessity and vanity, their idea for belle + me scarves was born.With belle + me scarves, you don't have to choose comfort over style. Now you can have both because Lisa and Anne have created an exclusive line of beautiful scarves that come with the jewelry already on it! But don't worryThey also make the jewelry element easy to remove so that you can take it off one scarf and put it on any other scarf of your choosing, ultimately creating many different looks using just one piece of hand-made jewelry!Their tag line "Fun. Flirty. French." says it all! www.belleandmedesigns.com

Jim Trudeau of Wheelworks PotterySince 1985, Jim Trudeau of Wheelworks Pottery has specialized in wheel-thrown functional pottery finished in beautifully colored, durable glazes.
Jim Trudeau of Wheelworks Pottery holds a degree in Fine Arts from Washington State University and displays his work at art exhibitions and galleries throughout the United States. Visit Jim at the NSAA Holiday Festival November 14th and 15th to see a fine selection of pieces that reflect the process and rhythm of wheel throwing. www.facebook.com/WheelworksPottery/