Finally Winter and the Winter Gallery

I just went out to close up the chicken coop for the night and it was snowing.  Slow, serious, flakes with lots of night darkness between them.  Winter, it’s finally beginning to feel like winter.  This year I’ll welcome it, the first winter in our new house, the first winter in my new studio.

And on Saturday, December 8th we’ll have the first Collective Arts Winter Gallery.  I love the idea of a winter gallery.  Bringing art, light, creativity and warmth to a dark and cold time of year.  Nancy and I came up with the idea and Mandy was quickly on board.  There was no way to have a show at the New Bedlam Farm (not yet, although I’m sure well figure something out for the future) so we came up with the idea of a Pop-Up Art Show at the old coffee house, where Nancy used to work.  Bean Heads has been closed for 7 years (there’s still a 2005 calender on the wall) but it was a favorite place for people to gather and I think lots of them will come to the show just to revisit it.  I used to go there on my way to work,to get a bagel and coffee after my yoga class.  So there’s lots of memories, but also new beginnings.

Cambridge NY is our new town.  Jon referred to Battenkill Books as “his” bookstore the other day at a book signing.  A woman thought he meant he owned it.  But like the town itself, the small business’ feel like they’re ours.  So having our first Art Show at Bean Heads, in our town of  Cambridge, feels like home.

And Jon’s going to bring Red (our new dog) to the show between 12 and 2pm.  Jon will be signing copies of his latest books Dancing Dogs and Lenore Finds a Friend (or any of his books which you can buy at our bookstore, Battenkill Books,  just four doors down from Bean Heads.  (we’ll also be selling Jon’s notecards and some of his photos)

It’s a new beginning for Mandy too, who will be introducing her new Stairway Healing Arts Center by holding two free meditation circles at 11am and 2pm.  She’s transformed one of the rooms upstairs from Bean Heads into a meditation space. Jon and I have already joined Mandy there for half hour mediation circles.   It’s like leaving the world for a while and coming back clear (a wonderful thing to do especially this time of year).

And, I’m crossing my fingers,  I think Suzy will be coming from Pennsylvania and bringing her spinning wheel.  Suzy spins her wool then knits it into wearable art.  She was at my Functional Art Show at the Pig Barn Gallery last year.  This year she’ll have baby hats, shawls and cowls and her own roving (she raises goats) for all the spinners.   She just emailed me this photo of her latest cowl, soft and warm for the winter that is here.  Gabi Moore will also be demonstrating how she works.  Gabi is a watercolor artist and will be there to show us how she makes her paintings as well as selling them.

There will also be new creations from the rest of the artists which of course include Nancy and me.  (Nancy just posted one of the necklaces she made for the show on her website spinningglassstudio.com, she’s offering it for sale online if you can’t make it to the show).

The other artists are Jane McMillen (see her enchanting  felted creations at Littlehousehomearts.com) Carol Bolinger Green who is just finishing up some of her new intuitive paintings, and Bill Smith who has just started a new series of paintings made from shreaded canvases woven together.

And of course, it’s not only art.  Lisa from the Round House Bakery at Pompanuck will have some of her delicious baked goods and coffee.  (we’re trying to convince her to open a bakery in Bean Heads after the show) And there will also be some local soap makers.  I hear their product is a bit different from what I’m used to in homemade soap, but I don’t have all the details yet.   I’ll let you know as soon as I do.

So please come and share the fun if you can.  Our  small town of Cambridge is also having their holiday weekend  on the 7th, 8th and 9th, so there’ll be plenty to do. If you have any questions about the show just email me at [email protected].