THE COLOR WHEEL AT VON LIEBIG GALLERY

See the exhibit of The Color Wheel at the von Liebig Gallery in Naples produced by the Southwest Florida Fine Craft Guild.  The show opened October 9 and will last through November 6, 2014.  I hope you will be able to see the wonderful variety of the Guild.  I have three baskets in the show and one won Honorable Mention. The Guild produces fine art in fused glass, fabric, stone and metal sculpture, jewelry, wood and clay.

Forest Magic

The center of this basket is called Serpentine.  I love the colors of the green mixed together.  I have several of these stones and no two are alike!  I paired this stone with Yellow Turquoise faceted pendants and Chinese Turquoise smaller beads.  There are also some Yellow Turquoise chips accenting the base with a checker board pattern of waxed linen thread. 

Approximate Size:  10 X 8 X 3 inches

Color of Life

This basket spotlights an unusual agate called an eye agate.  Rather than the center of the forming sphere being one solid ring, different rings form around individual eye sediments to form several rings.  Lots of points of interest in this moving stone.  The Muhly Grass that I grow and harvest is nice to weave making a strong and substantial feel to the basket. The pendants and beads are also agates.  The round eye motif is repeated in the round beads.

Approximate Size:  12,5 X 9 X 3.5 in

Sea Turtle Ashore

This basket was made for the upcoming Florida Speaks show at the Visual Arts Center of Punta Gorda in September, 2014.  I started with twined palm inflorescence, very young at first then older and heavier on the sides.  I only made a half of a basket because then I coiled a wall of Florida Long Leaf pine needles on the inside, followed by a second wall of Muhly Grass on he outside.  Then the fun, decorating.  Peacock feathers from my neighbors, palm seeds and pine cones, and many other pieces I have gathered.  I wish I could say I carved the turtle, but I can't!  Finished!  A fun Florida basket.

Approximate Size:  9 X 9 X 4.5 inches

Honeycomb. Honeycomb

While looking for stone slabs in North Carolina this past spring I came across a stone I had not considered in other years.  This is called Honeycomb Calcite which is a very soft stone.  I saw candles made from these stone where a ball or pillar is hollowed and a candle or lamp fixture is placed inside.  Since the stone is translucent, the light makes a warm glow. Some of the honeycomb pieces have white lines, hence the name.  I used  Carnelian ball pendants and Citrine chips with a checkered board design on the sides.  This basket has already taken its first prize in a show this summer at the Visual Center, losing only to 3 paintings. 

Approximate Size:  10 X 8.5 X 4

Carribean Ice

This base stone I have had for several years.  I went way overboard in purchasing this piece because it is called  Larimar.  Larimar is a stone only mined in the Dominican Republic and used exclusively in jewelry.  Many people wonder why a larger size basket may be less expensive than a smaller size.  It's all in the price of the materials.  The pendants included in the Muhly Grass coils are Amazonite with Laimar chips for accents.  I did price a a string of Laimar beads:  over $300, so I passed on them!  This is a very distinctive color and a wonderful detailed design in the stone.  No, I won't be making another one.  The price of Larimar has tripled since I bought this piece.

Approximate Size:  9 X 7.5 X 3.5 inches

Jewels of a Morning Mist

This is an unusual Agate slice in the base of this basket.  Shades of white show crystallization in two different modes making a stunning focal point.  The  brown and Quartz Agate pendants, faceted Agate beads, and Quartz chips are the jewels of the mist.  The sides add more interest with exposed pine needle shafts exposed in the coiled Florida Lon Leaf pine needles and Muhly Grass.  These rich brown tones would make a wonderful centerpiece.

Approximate Size: 12 X 11.5 X 4.5 inches