Art and Nature!

Janet Felton

Nina Wommack

This weekend, there’s another wonderful opportunity to do some of your holiday shopping locally while supporting area artists and artisans and supporting land conservation efforts in the region. The “Winter Green: Gifts of Nature” Holiday Sale takes place this Sunday, December 6, from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm and the Johnson Education Center of the D&R Greenway.

"A selection of treasures by regional artists and artisans, including jewelers, will be on display for sale and special orders. These intimate and reasonable works have been chosen for seasonal giving with 35% of the proceeds supporting D&R Greenway's preservation and stewardship..."
Handmade calendars, recycled art, ceramics, photography, mosaics, jewelry, and baskets are just some of the items that will be available from artists Beatrice Bork, Maggie Creshkoff, Valerie Ramos-Ford, Jeanne Johngren, Robin Hepburn, Joy Kreves, Tasha O'Neill, Lynn Ebeling, Nina Wommack, Eva Mantell, Janet Felton, and Leah Targon. Author Sophie Glovier will also be on hand signing her best-selling compact guidebook: “Walk the Trails In and Around Princeton."

Directions to Johnson Education Center

While there, be sure to check out the two exhibits on display: Season's Greenings, A Gift of Nature (in the Marie L. Matthews Gallery) and Hey Mister: Is That the Ocean? (Olivia Rainbow Gallery).

Artisan Fever!

box by Annelies van Dommelen

It’s that time, again: fine crafts shows popping just when you need them. But, trust me, make your plans to check them out now, because these shows are like winter flowers: beautiful, unique -- and gone almost as soon as they appear! Keep in mind that many, if not most, of these artisan-based shows accept only cash and checks -- Here’s your chance to keep the holidays CitiBank- and AmEx-free!

The 36th annual Transformations show is at the Hopewell Train Station (Railroad Place and Greenwood Avenue) this weekend, Sat. 14 (10am-5pm) and Sun 15 (11am-5pm).

Featured artists/artisans include:

Connie Bracci McIndoe pottery and jewelry

Jo Freud fabric art on annealed wire

Bob Greenblatt turned wood

Carol Krickus elegant balsam pillows

Ken McIndoe ceramic tiles

Mar tha Mulford Dreswick baskets

Susan Nadelson hand spun and dyed wool

Christine Rist contemporar y jackets

Sally Stang jewelry and pressed flowers

Piroska Toth felting

Gail Trautz felting

Annelies van Dommelen heirloom archival boxes

Pat White & Isa Vogel weaving

Ellie Wyeth floor cloths, placemats, notecards

The End of the Road artist and craft show, at 25 Rock Road (off of Quarry Road) - a historic farm house in Lambertville, NJ - takes place Saturday and Sunday next weekend, Nov. 21 and 22, from 10am - 5 pm each day.

Piroska, Sally and Anneliies will be at this show, too, along with:

Judy Tobie paper vessels

Deborah Cyr fabric collage

Jeanne Walton elegant clothing

Chris Darway wearable sculpture

Martha Mulford Dreswick basket maker

Hanneke deNeve children's clothing, knits

Amy Whitney maiolica pots, wool duvets, roving

There will also be demonstrations of basketmaking, spinning, knitting, cider and donuts, and homemade soup. For information on End of the Road, you can email yates28@verizon.net

And the Covered Bridge Artisans are inviting visitors into their home studios November 27, 28 & 29th (10 am - 5 pm) for their Fifteenth Annual Holiday Studio Tour. The studios are located in and around scenic Stockton, NJ. For directions and a link to a self-guided map, click here.

In addition to the fine art paintings, stained glass, metal sculpture, and ceramics featured in the artist studios (The Art Colony studio (Prallsville Mill), Long Lane Farm, Sunflower Glass Studio, Swan Street Studio, and Moorland Studios), you’ll also find hand made jewelry, leather goods, ceramics, sculpture, yarn and other items offered by invited guests who will be set up in The Locktown Stone Church.

Whichever (or all!) of these 3 shows you visit, whether in Hopewell, Lambertville or Stockton, in addition to meeting some terrific artists and having the opportunity to purchase some wonderful one-of-a-kind gifts (yes, it can still be a gift if you buy it for yourself!) you’re also getting the chance to spend time in a beautiful part of NJ and possibly visit some lovely, historic buildings - all at the same time.