Exhibitor Spotlight: James Redding

James Redding

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

12

Website:

www.jamesredding.com

 

About the Artist or Work: 

I am the artist in residence for Bucks County Magazine, and have been a resident of beautiful and historic Bucks County for 27 years. I am inspired by the beauty all around me. I really enjoy painting historic buildings, as well as nature scenes. The history in Bucks County is amazing and there are so many wonderful scenes. I have painted so many of them. The subjects to paint are endless! I am an artist who specializes in realism.I am also known to paint in painstaking detail. My medium is acrylic, which I enjoy painting on canvas. I also enjoy painting in watercolor and oils.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

My inspiration is found in the beauty that is everywhere in beautiful Bucks County. I am a studio painter, but many times if the weather cooperates, I grab my camera and head out to explore and hopefully capture the inspiration for my next painting. When I painted the Thompson-Neely Grist Mill, I saw the perfect opportunity to capture the scene in the middle of a snowstorm. The result was fabulous.There was an old chain link covered in snow hanging off the post as you entered the scene. It was key. The snow was coming down heavy, but the fresh snow falling onto my subject the Grist Mill, was captivating. I tromped back in to the house later that day, covered in snow and shivering, but happy!

Favorite Restaurant or Shop in Doylestown:
Coffee and Cream

Exhibitor Spotlight: Twigcrafts

Twigcrafts

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

2

Website:

www.twigcrafts.etsy.com

 

Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Twigcrafts-Handmade-Ceramic-Tile-Gifts/106271562793354

About the Artist or Work: 

Our Tiles are handcrafted in Historic Bucks County, PA by Isabel O'Brien and Donna Kudra. Our designs are inspired by antique stamps and molds. Individually created, glazed, and fires, each piece is unique.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

Anywhere, but especially antique molds and designs.

Favorite Restaurant or Shop in Doylestown:
Ooka

Exhibitor Spotlight: Peter Hewitt

Peter Hewitt

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

2

Website:

www.peterhewitt.com

Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/PeterLHewitt  

About the Artist or Work: 

After 30 years as a scientist, I have rediscovered that the great beauty underlying the physical world is replicated throughout nature. My passion encompasses wild landscapes. Extreme environments challenge our sense of the possible.

My love of nature was kindled growing up in the woodland and seacoast areas of New England. I have been married for 29 years and live in Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania where my wife and I raised our two children.

 

Where do you find your inspiration? 

I like images that capture a feeling from a location and a moment when we slow down our lives a little. Photography is my way of slowing down. When I find interesting and rare moments, I like to make photographs of what I see so that it can be enjoyed again and shared with others.

Favorite Restaurant or Shop in Doylestown:
The Sweet Spot Caribbean Bistro is my favorite restaurant. Excellent food, nice ambiance, great location and good company. I have a semi-permanent exhibition of my photographs on display at the Sweet Spot. Karen and Serge Tancrede (owners) would be happy to introduce you to my work.

Exhibitor Spotlight: Sarah & Hannah Cornwell

Sarah & Hannah Cornwell

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

4

Website:

www.sbcollections.com

Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sb-Collections-Jewelry
  

About the Artist or Work:

We are two sisters who have been working together to design and create jewelry for almost 10 years. Our main design element is freshwater pearls and we also work with a large variety of semi-precious stones. In addition we create sterling silver hand stamped jewelry and we love pairing the silver with our pearls and stones.

Where do you find your inspiration?  

Nature: color shades of water, color variations in leaves, patterns in moss, the swirls in sea shells, cloud patterns, shades of color when the sunsets, smooth pebbles, and just about anything!

Favorite Restaurant or Shop in Doylestown:
Andres Wine Bar, 86 West and Penn Tap Room.  We have little kids so we are also at the Doylestown Book Store very often.

Exhibitor Spotlight: Val Sivilli

Val Sivilli

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

1

Website:

http://civilianart.com

 

Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/CivilianArt?ref=hl    

 

About the Artist or Work: 

Val Sivilli has fully realized the true power of the T-Shirt. Her work enjoys a depth and a resonance that few artists have. Civilian’s images have a hopeful, positive edge that is never too sweet or too simple.  Val is a painter & a print maker. She prints objects, bodies and text onto fabric. Late one evening, about 20 years ago, she ran out of fabric. She printed onto some of her old T-Shirts, the only fabric she could find at 1AM. Thus, one fateful night, Civilian was born.  The popularity of these shirts created a dilemma. Val has an MFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts. Like most art majors, she had absolutely no business training. Luckily , her T-Shirts sold very quickly and without much effort. Val reluctantly hopped onto the T-Shirt train as it was leaving the station. She gradually allowed that train to take her wherever it wanted to go. Civilian, by the fact of its fast and easy success, has taught Val how run a small, local business. Civilian helped to connect Val with her community on a very deep level.  Val has owned and operated Civilian Art since 1992. She has a full screen-printing shop in her studio. Civilian creates images for many community based projects as well as for many local businesses and events. She designs the graphics, writes all of the lyrics, and prints all of her own T-Shirts. It is a labor of love for the last 20 years.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

Making good art specifically for a T-Shirt is a true challenge. T-Shirt art has it’s own voice, it’s own demands. Creating both wearable and provocative images requires a deep connection to the human spirit. There is a level of responsibility to this art form unlike any other form of art. It demands respect for the individual who will wear it. T-Shirt art has become the single most popular and accessible art form in the world today. Rarely has any art form been collected by as many people as the T-Shirt. The art world, in all of its grandeur, can only dream of being embraced by the public with the same passion that the T-Shirt has been.

Favorite Restaurant or Shop in Doylestown:
The BookShop and Lilies of the Field and The State Theater.

Exhibitor Spotlight: Timothy Neal

Timothy Neal

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

4

Website:

www.WoodWorksbyTim.com

Facebook 

http://www.facebook.com/woodworksbytim
  

About the Artist or Work:

I would describe my work as eclectic in that I enjoy making a variety of unrelated items...from the simple, to the very complex. Whenever I can, I employ materials from sustainable or recycled sources. My cutting boards, trivets and bowls are made from domestic hardwoods, but incorporate colorful exotic woods which differentiate them from the mass market items. Each of my hand turned pens are one of a kind creation made using a variety of woods and acrylic. My Pennsylvania Spice Box reproduction is simply a labor of love employing intricate inlay, and traditional construction techniques. I often start a project with only a gross idea of what I want to make...materials on hand, and flashes of inspiration guide me the rest of the way. More times than not, these types of projects turn out better than those that were preplanned.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

Necessity is my inspiration. I rarely make anything of a purely decorative nature. Function must go hand in hand with athetics.

Favorite Restaurant or Shop in Doylestown:
Mosquito Grille

Exhibitor Spotlight: Michael W. Heayn

Michael W. Heayn

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

2

Website:

www.mwheaynphoto.com

Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/mwheaynphoto
 

About the Artist or Work:

Award winning photographer Michael W. Heayn was a photographer for the Conshohocken Recorder, head photographer at the Valley Forge Freedom Foundation, staff photographer at The Times Herald, photographic instructor, A.D. Eisenhower School, Norristown. Also he has been a Competition Judge. Michael has been a Professional Photographer for over 41 years. 37 of those years he has been the owner of Michael W. Heayn …photographer. Michael has done thousands of weddings and events, family and individual portraits and commercial photography. A new addition to his studio has been Fine Art Photography that has won him various awards for his work. His most recent awards were the Award of Excellence from the Ocean City, NJ Boardwalk Art Show, 1st Place for professional photography in Cape May Art Festival and Best photography By Professional from the Greater Norristown Art League. In addition to his above accomplishments, Michael was Mayor of Ambler, PA for 16 years, also President and Building Chairman of the Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard of Ambler.

Michael W. Heayn photographer uses the highest quality archival quality inks, papers and canvas in the making of his Fine Art Photographic images. All images are created, produced and printed by the Artist. Michael sells a variety of Fine Art images from cards to matted and framed prints in various sizes. His 13x19 inch or larger prints are matted and framed to fit an 18x24 or 24x30 inch frame with a Museum quality rag mat, conservation glass and acid free backing. The canvas images he prints are on high quality canvas with a UV protective lacquer to give them many year of viewing pleasure.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

Life itself is my inspiration. To be able to do what I love and to capture and share what I see with others gives me great pleasure.

Favorite Restaurant or Shop in Doylestown:
Maxwell's on Main

Exhibitor Spotlight: Bezalel Jewels by Jennifer Roche

Bezalel Jewels by Jennifer Roche

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

5

Website:

www.bezaleljewels.etsy.com

Facebook 

www.facebook.com/ilovebezaleljewels
 

About the Artist or Work:

Jennifer creates jewelry that is more like wearable art out of recycled sterling silver and gold with lots of unique or rough gemstones. Very artsy style that is wearable with jeans or your little black dress.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

The stones are so amazing to me like works of art. I don't buy a stone unless I can see the piece I would make with it.

Favorite Restaurant or Shop in Doylestown:
Starbucks!!! Or Jules pizza

Exhibitor Spotlight: Bernard Hohlfeld

Bernard Hohlfeld

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

5

Website:

http://roundwoodstudio.webplus.net

Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/bernard.hohlfeld
  

About the Artist or Work:

Artistic & functional wood-turning of bowls, boxes, urns and vases.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

Inspiration comes from sculpture, painting, ceramics, other artists, but mostly from the nature of the wood itself.

Favorite Restaurant or Shop in Doylestown:
Nat's Pizza

Exhibitor Spotlight: Maryann Valentino

Maryann Valentino

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

2

Website:

www.mareswares.net

Facebook 

http://www.facebook.com/mareswares
 

About the Artist or Work:

Self-taught, self-inspired. I love creating unique pieces of jewelry, which are sometimes asymmetrical- it's nice thinking outside the box! I pride myself on my one-of-a-kind creations. Its nice knowing that you won't run into someone wearing the exact same piece of jewelry that you are wearing.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I love geometric shapes, so I like finding different ways to work with them. Not to mention my love of "up cycling" as seen in my many cork items!

Exhibitor Spotlight: Jo Ann Palmer

Jo Ann Palmer
Silver Wolf Productions

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

1

Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Silver-Wolf-Productions
 

About the Artist or Work:

Jo Ann Palmer has always had a love for gemstones and silver jewelry. Her inspiration grew when in high school in Connecticut she took her first metalsmithing class. Later at Seton Hill College she continued studying both three dimensional art and business management. As part of her degree she was apprenticed to Jennifer Gourley of Earth Dance Jewelry. There she was exposed to many different styles of silversmithing, and learned the art of beading.

After college Jo Ann spent several years in the business world learning the practical applications of running a small artisan business. During this time she continued her metalsmithing education through art centers and retreats.

Since starting her business, Jo Ann has embraced the idea of jewelry as wearable art. Causing her to create pieces that encourage joy, personal growth, and transformation.

Where do you find your inspiration?

My pieces are inspired by nature and my sense of whimsy. My love of the spiritual and nature has motivated me to expand my artistic vision.

Exhibitor Spotlight: Matt Schrier

Matt Schrier

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

5

Website:

www.shadesofgreenphoto.com

Facebook 

http://www.facebook.com/MattSchrierPhoto

About the Artist or Work:

I have an appreciation for the beauty of nature in all of its seasons. From the first leaf-fall to the last snow-flake I am in constant search for scenes and subjects that I can capture in a moment in time. Shapes and form, colors and shades - they all appear in their own time and place, often unexpectedly. I explore the mundane as well as magnificent, looking for an expression of grace and beauty.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I find inspiration simply by being aware of my surroundings. I will often see something - whether it be a cloud formation or sunset or something else - that makes me think about the possibilities of creating a compelling image, either right then or in the future. If the time is not right I might return to a place at a later time, possibly months or even years later.

  

Exhibitor Spotlight: Tonya Perri

Tonya Perri

10 Valley View Dr

 

Years of Participation in the Arts Fest: 

3rd Year

Website:

www.tonyalov.com

Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/TonyaLovJewelry
 

About the Artist or Work:

Tonya Lov Jewelry began in my workshop in Collegeville Pennsylvania. My interests in abstract painting and three dimensional arts blossomed into my love for hand painting and sculpting my porcelain clay. I have been creating my porcelain and beaded jewelry for almost 20 years.  My jewelry designs are lightweight, fun, funky, textured and at the same time they have an earthy flair to them. Each piece is hand crafted from kiln-fired porcelain clay, hand painted with a white gold luster, and finished with a variety of beads,chains, and cords.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I get a lot of my inspiration from nature with all the colors and the textures that surround our environment. I also am inspired by people. When someone loves my jewelry it makes me so happy that I just want to keep creating to make more people happy.