Members working on new art

Wednesdays are busy days at the studio, painters and potters use this day to work on art and share their latest information.  The Village Artists are a group of artists and a non-profit working art studio/ gallery.  We share the space and have comradeship with fellow artists.

Carol Downs, a potter, was working on an interesting piece today.   A custom order incense burner, one cannot wait to see the final product!

Here Carol displays one of her beautiful bowls.  This glaze has flecks of green and gold. Lovely.

Joyce Riley is always working on a new project.  Look for Joyce at local Farmers Markets this summer.
Here is one of her lovely platters.

Wednesdays are good days to work on new art as well as sharing lunch with friends!
Come and join the fun.  We are accepting new members.  Please contact us by calling the gallery and visiting our website at


http://www.villageartists.org

Our gallery is open to the public the first Saturday of every month.

The Mayor Came to the Grand Opening!

We had a great turn out for our Grand Opening event and the Mayor of Homewood came to support us!

Here we have a photo of member Sharon Lorch and Mayor Richard Hofeld.

Member Barb Heine stands in front of her watercolor painting.

Member Richard Brennan displays his newest stained glass creation.

Member Sallie Pasquinelli did a great job hanging our gallery.  She stands before her beautiful jacket, a piece made from hand-sewn paper!

Kiln and slumping glass

I have graciously been given a free kiln!  I answered an ad on Craigslist and it was made available to me from the Beverly Art Center.  It is a Skutt model 181 dating from 1965 to 1979.  It currently does not work- but I am hopeful.  My goal would be to have my own kiln and wheel and be able to do more work at home.  I am interested in slumping glass besides throwing pots.

Slumping glass involves heating Dichroic glass to a temperature of 1000 to 1400 degrees F , then you must follow four steps: heating the glass, soaking the glass, cooling the glass and annealing the glass.  All of these steps can be accomplished in the same kiln that heats ceramics.  These steps are followed to allow the glass to become smooth and melt and finally cool to room temperature to avoid cracking. The "slump" comes when the heated glass slumps into a smooth ceramic bisque mold.

I personally have never tried to work with glass but I look forward to trying it.  Our lead potter and president, Joyce Riley, has fused glass to the bottom surfaces of her pottery bowls.  The look achieved was one of water and reflection, a beautiful effect and she told me that all these pieces sold!!  Great job Joyce.

Here is an example of fused glass featured project by Delphi Artist Karina Foster in the Binet Catalog. Lovely example of a slump mold bowl!

We are starting classes again

The Village Artists will be starting classes again at our new space.  Artist, Pat Moore, has graciously accepted the teaching position. 
The classes are as follows:

2011 Class Schedule
1957 Ridge Road
Homewood, IL 60430
708.798.4774

This beautiful art work is by Pat Moore, our Instructor.

Kids Classes ages 5-9 -  Instructed by  Artist Pat Moore

Art Variety 1
Saturdays: 2PM-3PM, May 7, 14, 21, & 28
Fee: $60 Materials included

Youth Classes ages 10-18 - Instructed by  Artist Pat Moore

Art Variety 2
Saturdays: 3:15PM-4:45PM, May 7, 14, 21 & 28
Fee :$75 Materials included

Teens and Adults Classes - Instructed by Artist Pat Moore

Mixed Media
Mondays: 3PM-4:30PM, May 9, 16, and 23, June 6 &13
Fee: $75 Materials not included

New Art Work by Barb Heine

We would like to take this moment to highlight the new art work of one of our members. Barb Heine is a potter and a painter of watercolors.  She has a new project she has been working on for the up coming Open House.  Barb is painting original watercolors and placing them inside vintage jewelry, trinket and music boxes.  She finds these boxes at local antique shops and estate sales, she refurbishes them and creates a new work of art.

 This one is titled "Red Hot Chili Peppers"

"Crocus First Light"

The inside contains a velvet lined space for jewelry or trinkets and some have mirrors.

"Ski Slope in the Pines."

Some of the them contain Music Boxes.

Barb states, " I love painting watercolors and I love vintage things.  I am a great collector of antiques and when I see these boxes they speak to me!  Each one deserves a special little painting all its' own, no two boxes are alike.  I hope our patrons come to our Grand Opening and appreciate all the hard work we've done in our new space."

                                                              Artist: Barb Heine

The Grand Opening/Open House that Barb mentioned is On April 29-30th.  Friday night from 5-8 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm, the public is welcome.  Location: 1957 Ridge Road, Homewood IL