Hand-carved Wooden Bowl by Bill Weber
Christmas Candles
Natural, Organic Balms; even toothpaste from Petite Fleur Skin Care
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Fiber Artist, Ellen Lewis
“If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last thought life
If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder without any such gift from the fairies, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.” Rachel Carson
My inspiration for creating fairies comes from the quote above of Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and author from the early 20th century.
My childhood was filled with adults that saw the beauty of the natural world and taught me to keep alive this inborn sense of wonder.
It is my hope that each fairy, unicorn, or dragon I create will encourage and nurture this sense of wonder.
Whether you are 6 or 96, I hope my creatures will kindle your imagination, inspiring you to experience the awe-inspiring beauty of the natural world, and play.
Ellen Lewis, Fiber Artist
John Marchello, Silverware Artist
John Marchello creates jewelry, angels, and bud vases from recycled silverware. Here is how he got started:
I got started crafting silverware jewelry early in college. My dad had started experimenting with bending silverware and didn’t have the time or energy to take it to more than one store and a few craft shows. I was an ambitious student who wanted to put what I learned in school to work in real life. Creating silverware jewelry allowed me to do this. My favorite part of making silverware jewelry is the process of turning something old and dirty into a new object that can be cherished once again. I believe that our culture has trained people to not regard what happens with products after they’ve been used, and this disposable mentality leads to all kinds of harm to our world and ourselves. My goal is to inspire people to reconsider how they use products.
Susan Davis, Fabric Artist
Fabric Inspirations by Susan Davis
Susan first learned to sew in 7th grade Home Economics, graduating quickly from pot holders to skirts. She honed her skills using her mom’s old machine–her advice, encouragement and patience were invaluable! Susan, after years of sewing most of her own clothes, bedspreads, curtains, slip covers, and gifts, eventually burned out and put the sewing machine in the back of the closet.
Around the year 2000 Susan’s fingers started itching to sew again. She bought a new sewing machine, some quilting books, took some fascinating classes and has never looked back. Currently, Susan is not interested in sewing clothes, but does find great pleasure in sewing almost everything else. She finds sewing delightfully creative and finds using patterns as well designing her own creations equally fun and challenging.
Like all quilters, Susan loves exploring quilt/fabric shops, but is also drawn to working with recycled jeans, silk ties, men’s shirts and wool sweaters— often combining these materials until pleased with the effect. Susan is am so fond of using found metal objects in her wall hangings.
In closing, Susan feels she is blessed to have had a mother who taught and encouraged her. Susan is also happy to have found Artistica, initially working as a guest artist, then becoming a full partner in 2014.
Pine Hill Pottery
Potter, Pam O’Hara
Pam’s distinctive colors and glazes are warm and comforting to the touch and her artistic talent shines through in her beautiful shapes of her vessels. Pam is one of the owners of Artistica Gallery.
Growing up in Cincinnati, Pam used to gather the natural clay from the creek bed and form objects d’art. At least her mother thought so…. Fast forward to after college graduation and she decided to take a “clay” class from Charlie Blosser at Oakland Community College and she caught the “bug” once again. And the rest is history, as they say.
As a resident of Dexter for many “moons” she has taught clay classes to both children and adults in the community and Ann Arbor. Pam has exhibited in galleries in Michigan and Ohio. She can be found at Artistica in downtown historic Dexter, on South Main Street in July for the annual Ann Arbor Art Fairs, The Annual Potters Market in December and other local art shows.
Getting her hands into the “mud” is truly her bliss!
One Acre Ceramics
Sarah and Thomas Gelsanliter
One Acre Ceramics pottery and tiles are handmade by Sarah and Thomas Gelsanliter at their studio in southeastern Michigan. Sarah and Thomas often draw on the colors and patterns of their surroundings while creating their work. Luminous glazes and intricate designs are the hallmarks of the art pottery and tiles made at One Acre Ceramics, and each piece is hand-crafted to be both beautiful and functional. With his background in design and tile-making, Thomas draws and hand carves all of the designs used at One Acre Ceramics. Covered jars, vases, candle holders, and other vessels are thrown on the potter’s wheel by Sarah. Both artists work on the pieces at different points in the process, allowing them to create finished work that neither could have achieved alone. Working together also allows them to draw on their varied backgrounds in clay and means daily conversations about designing new pieces, expanding surface treatments, and solving technical challenges.
Fiber Artist, Connie Pickering Stover, “Fragments”
Connie’s colorful Needlepoint artwork series, “Fragments”, just arrived at Artistica Gallery and we couldn’t be happier! Her bright and bold colors make a cheerful backdrop to our store.
Beautifully and creatively framed, her fiber art is composed of hand painted thread, hand made Thai paper, a splash of watercolors and a bit of acrylics. The needlepoint is about 2.5″ square – overall size is 9″ x 9″. Back hanger.
Sharon Czekala
Sharon Czekala established The Great Lakes Natural Soap Company in 2004 in the Great Lakes State. Inspired by her own travels, Sharon chose to go with what she knew – her home state.
Using that inspiration as the foundation for the business was an easy choice. Sharon has traveled to every corner of Michigan, and wants everyone to experience the state’s natural beauty as she does.
Sharon says, “Through our brand we hope to connect you to treasured places and Michigan memories. Maybe we’ll inspire your next trip. Or give you a way to share your treasured place with someone else.”
Deb and Lary
Classic Jewelry Creations
We’re Deb and Lary. After working in the corporate world for over 30 years, we wanted to develop a business of our own that would enable us to connect with our customers, express our creativity, and make people smile and feel good.
So…in 2014 we created Classic Jewelry Creations. Our jewelry is an eclectic combination of repurposed, vintage, and newly designed pieces. With some of our newly designed pieces, we often use metals such as copper and stainless steel. Our metal alloys of choice include pewter and brass. We also like to combine interesting metal components with natural stones that our earth has created.
Anita Spencer
Glass Bead Jewelry
I am drawn to a love of the natural world: rocks, plants, birds, and sea life. This interest finds expression in beads that are organic in design, color, and texture. I also am guided by a need to be organized and to be technically precise, as evidenced in beads that are more graphic in design. And always, my work is driven by my curiosity and desire to experiment and learn new techniques. Enjoy!