Posts Tagged ‘artists’

I’m not quite to my winter breaking point, where I’m stir-crazy and ready to go anywhere with heat and sunshine. That usually comes in February. But I am counting the days until spring.

To help tide myself over, I like to look through my old garden photos. And while I was doing that today, I realized, holy cow, I’m sitting on a huge stack of amazing North County images!

As a field editor for around a dozen Better Homes & Gardens magazines, I’ve had the privilege over the years to scout some really beautiful locations, including a number of residences in North County. One of my favorites was the home of my friend Linda Mosley and her husband, Kim, where I discovered a sprawling woodland garden adorned with found treasures and Linda’s own captivating sculptures. Truly a magical place.

Before retiring to Austin in 2008, the Mosleys, both lifelong artists and educators, had lived in NoCo for many years, working at St. Louis Community College and contributing greatly to the local art community. These images, which I’m using to kick off my new Gardens of NoCo series, feature their gorgeous garden in June 2005. All of the pottery sculptures, including the innovative “lace” bodices, were hand made by Linda, in a studio not far from her herb garden. Enjoy!

Click any image and navigate with the arrows beneath it. To see more of Linda’s work, visit the NAC Gallery in Ferguson, which Linda had a big hand in opening.

If you’re looking for unique, handcrafted holiday gifts, make sure you head to Northminster Presbyterian Church in Dellwood this Sunday. Since 2002, members of this progressive congregation have worked directly with Peruvian artisans, selling their products in a fair trade agreement that allows the artists (usually women) to be fairly compensated for the beautiful items they make.

The project is a cooperative effort between Northminster and the nonprofit Partners for Just Trade, which also trains artisans from Peru’s poorest communities in basic business skills like budgeting, inventory management and marketing. “The partnership not only markets beautiful products, but it empowers local artisans to increase their skills and income,” says Northminster’s pastor Elinor Stock. “It’s a true story of empowering those who otherwise are victims of overwhelming global economic forces, which too often undercut the sustainability of local people.”

From 11:30am to 1pm this Sunday, December 6, Stock’s church will hold its big annual sale, featuring a lovely array of handmade Peruvian treasures at great prices: blankets, hats, gloves, bags, pottery, note cards and more. Don’t miss it!  Northminster Presbyterian Church is located at 1570 Chambers, one block east of W. Florissant. (314) 867-2881

"Wings of Freedom" by UMSL student Laura Pelsue is one of three pieces in the "Freedom Without Walls" installation at 7875 Florissant Rd.

Twenty years ago this month, the Berlin Wall fell, opening the borders between East and West Germany and heralding a new era of freedom and unity. To honor the anniversary of this landmark event, UMSL’s German Culture Center recently installed three student-designed sculptures to celebrate the U.S. German Embassy’s national “Freedom Without Walls” project.

"0813196111091989," resembling a stockade, was designed by Dustin Schmidt

Twelve UMSL students submitted proposals for the exhibit, but only three designs were chosen: those by Laura Pelsue, Dustin Schmidt, and Matt Grant and Kristen Franke. Probably because of its North County brilliance, UMSL was the only Missouri university invited to participate.

Under the guidance of sculpture instructor Noah Kirby (pictured in the video below), three teams of students installed the pieces in UMSL’s new Sculpture Garden, which sits right next to the fine arts building on Florissant Road.

You know you’ve noticed it, in that fun little nook just north of the bike bridge. The exhibits change every so often, and some look like sad craft projects gone awry. But some are also quite compelling, like this latest bunch.

To see the recent installation in progress and learn more about the art, check out this short video from Stephen Engelmeyer. The concepts behind each piece are actually pretty interesting.

"Light Beyond the Wall" (at night) by Matt Grant and Kristen Franke

The work of local artist and teacher Michelle Sindha Thomas will be displayed at Flo Valley's Gallery Admin through February. Photo: Nez Savala, Haz.SD

Michelle Sindha Thomas is a writer, artist and world traveler who was born in Kottayam, India. But today, she’s an art teacher at Hazelwood Central High School whose vibrant mixed media works are being featured in a solo show at St. Louis Community College’s Gallery Admin.

Thomas uses various mediums (acrylic, pencil, watercolor) to celebrate her multi-cultural upbringing and to explore themes of personal identity and memory. She says that her latest exhibit is about “expressing the experience of being a minority in the United States and making an invisible experience visible.”

A teacher of sculpture, computer graphics and drawing, Thomas has worked at Hazelwood Central for the past three years. Her exhibit will run through February 27, 2010, and she also has a larger portfolio on her website.

Gallery Admin is a cozy exhibit space located on the second floor of the Administration building at Flo Valley. Admission is free. Monday-Thursday 9am-6pm and Friday 9am-4pm. (314) 513-4861.

My friend and neighbor Jack Thomas is an incredibly talented artist who often holds great parties at his studio, a secluded 1930s factory not far from the Chain of Rocks Bridge. Last night, Jack hosted a Halloween Hukilau, transforming his studio into a tiki wonderland and drawing all sorts of interesting and fun revelers. The party featured a groovin’ live band and many clever costumes, plus a raging bonfire, good food, dogs, truckers, and a gorgeous Hawaiian backdrop painted by Jack.

That was my NoCo Halloween, and it was a blast! So what did you do?

click on images for a larger/crisper view

Tiki Jack's Halloween Hukilau 2009

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Painter Dan Fishback runs a studio out of his home in Florissant

If you’re ever driving past Parc Argonne subdivision on N. Lindbergh, you might see a small hand-painted sign that reads “Artist Open Studio.” That means Daniel Fishback is busy doing what he loves: creating vibrant original paintings in the fresh open air.

Working from his garage/studio on Mondoubleau Lane, Fishback paints landscapes, portraits, and luminous depictions of homes, commercial buildings and animals. When his studio is open, the public is welcome to stop by and visit. Fishback has a wide selection of both original paintings and prints for sale, and he even accepts credit cards.

A small business owner for 15 years, he became a full-time working artist in 1999 and now participates in regional art shows throughout Missouri and Illinois. Just last week, he won second place in the drawing/pastel category at the St. Charles Plein Air Competition, meaning he created his winning entry in the open air while others were able to watch him work.

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