JANET VAN FLEET

Artist Statement:

Janet Van Fleet is a self-taught Vermont artist who works primarily with found wood and metal. The piece in this exhibit, Kingdoms, is about taxonomy – the effort to categorize things, to distinguish one thing from another. The left drawer has natural objects, the right one human-made things. In the case on top, other characteristics generate groupings – things with spirals, stones (and gallstones – can you find them?), string-like objects, disks (including buttons made of diverse materials – leather, metal, bone, wood, shell, glass, and plastic), cylinders… It’s fun to look closely and see if you can identify the principles guiding the groupings.

Artist Statement:

I’m a hand building ceramicist, currently working in Mad River Valley, Vermont.

I honestly can’t remember the time when I was not creating, I graduated from Fine Arts High School in Poland, and later obtained a Studio Arts Degree from Nazareth College in Rochester NY.

I came back to clay about a few years ago and couldn’t feel happier. These days you can find me spending hours at my studio and retail shop Atelier101 in Waitsfield, Vermont working on new collections and pushing the limits of what I can do.

I don’t make large runs of products, I make small individual works. When you own one of my pieces you will have an original that you won’t find elsewhere. I hope you enjoy looking through my shop and if you decide to purchase any of my ceramics, I hope they bring you some of the joy that I find in making them.

Artist Statement:

Vermont Spoon is a collaboration between husband and wife Jeff and Ellen Falsgraf. Jeff and Ellen started making wooden spoons together in 2015. “We get a lot of joy working on our spoons together; we give some away, we sell some, we keep some.”

Our spoons are hand carved from hardwoods that we source in nearby Bristol, Vermont from a mill that practices sustainable forestry. We want people to use our spoons for cooking and

eating daily! They are sturdy, well-crafted, useful objects made with our hands that can last a lifetime.

Artist Statement:

Current focus on wheel thrown ceramics. Body of work on view inspired in solitude and contemplation. The minimal forms are heightened by intentional surface treatment, both simple and complex, balancing function with aesthetic, allowing for the voices of imperfection, flaw, and mystery to work in equilibrium and adherence to the codes of an impossible symmetry.

Beyond the scope of current work included, are dreams of collections and series of particular forms I have made, taken further into realms of experimentation in scale, color, design and functionality. 

Artist Statement: 

My work in ceramic sculpture is connected to my interest in the energies of the natural world and universes in space. I am attuned to the vibrations of bodies of water, rocks, trees, changes and shifting of land as earthquakes & volcanoes, the sun, moon & stars.  I can form & fire clay just as the earth changes her form. This is my art.

Artist Statement: 

After moving to Vermont, she traveled back and forth between VT and NYC to gig with her band until 2008 when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis after years of ambiguous symptoms. Her creative outlet as a musician in New York City ended. After several years of being isolated and at an emotional place of sink or swim, she decided to do something creative each day. She took up painting. She became a self-taught artist. Starting with oil painting. She then tried pastel, acrylic, watercolor, pens. Anything new to keep exploring her life preserver of a creative outlet. Most days she sat in bed coming up with strange drawings, ideas and poetry. She carried a sketchbook to hospital visits. It became her purpose to keep going... sharing and connecting with other artists online. 

Artist Statement: 

A young boy stood silent and still by his mother's side … a very rare occurrence. What kicked his brain and imagination into gear were both the fluidity of the hot glass and the motion of the artists who skillfully reshaped its beauty as he watched traditional English glass blowing in an artists' village. But art was not something a lad from Sheffield England pursued beyond hobbies of drawing, some teenage years in video game graphic design, animation and development. A few decades later, I am no longer that boy, well not a 100% so. I’ve had a full career working with technology as an enthusiast, early adopter and a corporate professional. My experience includes roles as a computer programmer, engineering manager, information technology operations manager and web designer and developer. Yet none of that made much difference to me as I turned into that nine-year-old again when my wife and I entered the hot shop at the Tacoma Glass Museum. There we spent six hours watching the de la Torre brothers in action. That afternoon rekindled my fascination with art and glass blowing, which resulted in my pursuit of learning how to blow glass and applying my artistic skills and interests. This I’ve done through intensive training at Massachusetts College of Art, Pilchuck Glass School and The Studio at Corning Museum of Glass, plenty of research and reading, experimentation in the studio and serving as a teacher at Diablo Glass School and Snow Farm and as a teacher's assistant at Pilchuck and Corning. Living in Warren and surrounded by the beauty and community of the Mad River Valley has opened a whole new realm of inspiration and opportunity. 

Pamela Wilson

Artist Statement:

I work at the intersection of art, craft and social practice/performance. Trained from childhood in several traditional craft mediums, I use labor-intensive handwork processes to investigate what historical techniques, tools and mediums can reveal about human and ecological futures.

Employing a materials science/material culture lens, I work directly with raw materials and

consider how art objects can be broken down into component parts, generating new work from

this inquiry. An artwork exists on its own, but it can also be traced to plants, soils or clays, all

with their own web of social, political, geographic, economic and ecological considerations.

Artist Statement:

In the last 3 years, while struggling to find something to calm my mind during the pandemic, I rediscovered my passion for clay. I do love throwing on the wheel, but hand-building is really where I find my flow. Often, I have no idea what I will create until I get my hands on the clay. I am very experimental with clay and like to see how it might hold together in boundless forms. I enjoy making my own stamps and those, along with other textures and imagery, find their way onto most of my pieces.

Artist Statement:

I have collected cloth for over forty years, having formed a primal bond with a pale, bluish-green blanket early on. As a little kid, I carried it around with me, sucking on its satiny binding (and realizing decades later why the smell of mildew has always been a comfort to me). The cloth I collect is mostly old, and often with traces of age and use. I combine and assemble cloth in new contexts, some inspired by their histories and inherent content, others by formal concerns, art history, or serendipity. I hand sew using vintage thread, which I like for its subtle colors. I compose until I am compelled to stitch. I often aim for ambiguity regarding what’s old, new, mended, untouched, manipulated, or created. I use cloth for its meaning as much as its formal or tactile qualities. All come into play in the work, and in the play.

Artist Statement:

First and foremost, working with clay fulfills a desire to create, to meditate, and to connect with other people. My work is an exploration and search for the joy that well designed, functional pieces can bring to everyday moments through interaction. After spending many years making art that was either impermanent or existed simply to be looked at, I wanted the things I make to live on without me, to have a life, to be touched and used, to age and to have relationships with others. I am intrigued by the mug in the cupboard that always gets reached for first and why. Is it just the way it feels in the hand or is it more? Ultimately my goal is to share a love of clay, design and life with others through making, teaching, sharing and celebrating.

Artist Statement:

For the past 30 years Rebecca has been painting trompe l’oeil murals in both public and private settings. That career began with trompe l’oeil floorcloth. A floorcloth is made of canvas and painted with latex paint, then coated with multiple layers of water based polyurethane. The type of rug is thought to be the predecessor of linoleum. These works are completely used as rugs and hold up amazingly well to regular wear.Whether painting directly on the floor or creating a canvas floorcloth, I have always felt the floor is useful for displaying art. I consider the floor to be like a fifth wall. Humorous situations in daily life are my favorite subject. A lot happens on the floor!

Artist Statement:

Utilizing collected fabric waste and debris Kelly Hickey creates social activism quilts, textile assemblage and art installations which address issues concerning the environmental impact of textile manufacturing, overconsumption and pollution. Focused attention on body language and animated communication has been an important part of how she reads materials and uses them as a medium. Working with previously owned fabrics and clothing she looks for the evidence that nature or the body has worn into creases, pockets, torn hems and chewed necklines that can provide details of unspoken habits or lived experiences. Through a combination of hand and machine techniques she intentionally reveals these patterns and imprints them with her own marks adding to the storied layers of  material history. Kelly’s artworks are created in her home studio and often go through a series of outdoor weathering for many months before being fully realized. 

Artist Bio:

Noel Bailey is a potter and teacher, living, raising, working, and playing in Vermont’s Mad River Valley. Born and reared in Southwest Colorado, Noel is enchanted by vibrant landscapes through the continual pursuit of gorgeous lines and hydrologic idiosyncrasies. He has a M.F.A. from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a B.A. in Art Education from the University of Northern Colorado. He spent many summers with renowned makers and workshop presenters at Laloba Ranch Clay Center in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Through a home-town apprenticeship with Potter Bill Wilson, he learned he could be a potter.

Anna is an international speaker, writer, podcaster, and designer. She works with law enforcement, victim service agencies, state and local agencies, the Department of Defense, universities, businesses, and organizations to be part of the solution. She is an authority on addressing stalking, sexual assault, suicide prevention, navigating the criminal justice system, empathy, believability, the importance of multidisciplinary teams, and works to educate people on victim-centered practices. Anna addresses these complex subjects with her energetic nature and positive voice for change, awareness, and justice.

But at her heart, she is an artist. Her deep love of textiles has welled in her soul since she was a young child. Having stepped away from art for over a decade, she is slowly dipping her toes back into the water with the creation of her textile knots. Each of her pieces is named after someone who was pivotal in her historic court case.

Artist Statement:

Creating functional glass that reflects nature. Samantha’s river reflection barware magnifies like looking into the bottom of the river. Her cloches have dried flowers and found treasures to give them a new life, re-inventing a time capsule. The pendant lights create a calming look, using a classic glass crackle technique by dipping the piece in water while it’s still hot just cracking the surface. Each piece has a connection to nature.

David Munyak

Artist Statement:

Woodturning is about curves and curves fascinate me. A beautiful curve can give a sense of movement to a static object, creating a sudden feeling of tension in the observer and releasing it just as quickly. I strive to incorporate these qualities into my work by creating seemingly simple forms with both bold and subtle curves, often defined by crisp edges or transitions. Beautiful local hardwoods are my chosen medium, especially those with exciting color or figure which often isn’t visible until the piece is underway. The form is frequently changed to highlight these features. I occasionally embellish pieces with other materials or by carving or applying various wood-burning techniques. The creative process in woodturning is similar to sculpting; begin with a rough blank and ‘simply’ remove what doesn’t belong. However, the way in which material is removed differs tremendously. A sharp gouge applied to a piece of wood spinning on a lathe results in a stream of chips flying through the air while a form is revealed. This is simultaneously thrilling and awe inspiring. As I work, my body is in motion in a sort of slow dance, moving the tool over and through the spinning wood, following an invisible line which becomes visible as the tool progresses. The line is evaluated and if it’s not quite right, another cut is taken following a different invisible line until the line is right or there’s no wood left. The immediacy of woodturning is alluring to me after years of building objects that required detailed designs before construction. Each object is turned freehand. I frequently touch the work with my hands to evaluate wall thickness and surface smoothness. This, coupled with ongoing visual assessment of overall shape, relationship of curves, figure in the wood and other aspects, helps to achieve my goal of visual and physical balance in a piece. There is a delicate balance between the visual and tactile aspects of my work. Success occurs when the shape of an object captures the attention of a casual observer who, upon picking it up, realizes that how it feels interests them as much as how it looks. My search for the perfect curve continues, drawing inspiration from nature, other design disciplines and the female form.

Artist Statement:

I got into rug hooking from my Dad. My father is a photographer and enjoys taking pictures of graffiti and other art forms. He then decided after taking some pictures he would then blow them up into poster size and then trace onto some tracing paper and from there put on a canvas and hook. While I was working I found hooking very relaxing and now enjoy it even more and am finding images on my own as well as still sharing some from my Dad. I have been hooking for about 8 years. I love color and putting my own color scheme together as I plan my rugs.

Artist Statement:

In this exhibit, the artist, Charlet Davenport, uses figurines and cobalt blue plates, reminiscent of period Staffordshire china, to bring to life scenes from the Longfellow poem “Lady Wentworth.” This famous 19th-century poem told the story of how Martha Hilton, a young chambermaid, became the wife of Benning Wentworth, the powerful and influential royal governor of New Hampshire. In 1760, the marriage of the 64-year old governor to his 23-year old servant (some sources say she was 33 years old) was considered scandalous, especially since Wentworth had announced his intentions to marry Martha at a dinner party and commanded one of the guests, the Reverend Arthur Browne, to marry them on the spot. 

Artist Statement: 

I founded my glass studio in 2011, excited to explore the infinite potential of glass as

a medium. I work in fused and kiln formed glass and live and work in Vermont, where my studio looks west to the Adirondack Mountains. My works reflect my meditations on the beauty and stillness found in the natural world. I am inspired by the seasonal changes in Vermont's fields and forests, our rugged granite peaks, and the open skies of the Champlain Valley. I love to find order within chaos, exploring complex patterns and deep detail, using elements created through multiple kiln firings and then slowly built into vessels and wall pieces that, although they are intricate on close examination, express balance and peace from afar. My work can be opaque or transparent, playing with the possibilities of glass. In 2014, I was awarded Best in Functional Glass at the 2014 Taos Art Glass Invitational, a biennial event that brings the best in international, regional, and local studio art glass to Taos, New Mexico. My work has been published in Lenox Living Magazine, The Citizen and The Shelburne News.

Artist Statement:

I am drawn to art because of its powerful ability to connect people.

Everything has energy. That energy transcends time and space. It is in the materials, transferred to my hands and back again into the objects I create.

Creating is an expression of what it means to be human.

I pursue making in search of meaning and as a means for creating connection.

My hope is that I can create everyday objects that elevate our ordinary experiences. 

Artist Statement:

I have an affinity for pots of the ancient civilizations particularly Asian, Etruscan & Greek. The taper of an amphora, the roundness of a moon jar or an uncomplicated stroke of a brush are the things that have always captivated me. These aspects can be seen in my work but there is also a modern interpretation of them that comes through my hands, my spirit, my voice. 

To me a good pot shows both directness of design as well as the hand of the artist. This is what I am always striving for with my pots; designing to a final, intentional form is always a challenge that I look forward to. The path from idea, to prototype, to something that I feel good about as an art piece or functional pot is where I find the most satisfaction as an artist. I enjoy being both a functional and a Raku potter.  Serving two masters has led me to become a more proficient potter as well as having a clearer voice coming through my work. 

Artist Statement:

I’m drawn to the tension between highly controlled stitchwork and the ambiguity of emergent processes inherent to working with natural dyes, rust printing, and thrifted fabric. Hand stitching forces me to slow down, to ground myself in pattern and repetition, and to honor cloth as a precious resource deepened with use and ongoing repair. 

The placemat is a simple object that is both utilitarian and ceremonial. Everyday we rest cups and bowls haphazardly onto surfaces, but there is something about the ritual of laying down a piece of cloth that concentrates our attention to what is in front of us. A carefully set table conjures an aura of formality even as placemats are tasked with the unglamorous job of catching crumbs and protecting the table; they are both rag and altar cloth.