Linda Bishop-Surbeck, beading/jewelry
I have been greatly influenced in art by my parents. My father, who was a dairy farmer here in Skaneateles, was a great metal worker and welder. My mother was an oil painter who also created bisque dolls. After finding a small bead store in my town by accident in 1997, I became inspired to create my own jewelry. My next great discovery came at a bead store I was teaching at in 2005, one of the other classes they were offering was PMC (Precious Metal Clay). I now create my own pendants, and sometimes beads, to use in my creations. In 2006 I ventured to New Jersey to become certified in PMC. I am always increasing my skills and imagination!

My work will always be unique and I prefer not to make more than one of a particular piece. There will always be some subtle changes in color or design each time. However, I do make exceptions for special orders, such as wedding party jewelry. Please keep in mind all special orders require a 20% down payment.

I truly enjoy sharing my passion for beads and PMC by teaching at different locations in New York State. If you are ever interested in having me come to your location or group please contact me.

Steven Fland, wood sculptor
In my art I wish to convey my passion for wildlife especially birds.  In all of sculptures, I want the viewer to come away with more than the species anatomy and color, but to understand something beyond such as behavior, species interrelationships, habitat, and even seasonal information.  All the while striving for strong sculptural design forcing the viewer’s eyes along the piece and create interest from all angles. Visit Steven’s website : www.stevenflandgallery.com

Susan Hadzor

Gretchen Hamlin, glass and jewelry
Glass is a fascinating medium; very flowing, forgiving and mesmerizing to work with. The fact that a compact cylinder of glass can be shaped and stretched to great lengths to produce many feet of potential beads is a constant source of wonder to me. Glass overlays and inclusions afford endless possibilities, and I am always thrilled and sometimes surprised by the results in both the hot shop and later when the beads are combined to fashion my colorful jewelry. I select high-quality and somewhat unusual findings to add more variety to the finished product; sterling silver and gold-filled beads add extra sparkle to the glass, while anodized niobium enhances the whimsy of each piece.

Ed Levine, watercolors
When creating my artwork, I attempt to consider all the rules that I’ve learned and taught, and follow only those that I feel are appropriate for that day and that painting. I often remind myself to keep it simple, to be direct, and not to add even a single brushstroke that is not necessary. I remind myself that I, not a gallery or client, have to be satisfied with this painting. The principles and elements of design, are second nature to me after painting for over thirty years and are a part of every painting. In the end, a painting is all about choices, what to do, and more importantly, what not to do.

I take the privilege of making my paintings richer than life, more colorful, often with more striking compositions. I design my still life’s so that they are comprised of elements that are a comfort to me. My landscapes are of very specific places, but remind me of others that I’ve seen and experienced throughout my life. It is my desire that the viewer will also find them to be familiar and heartwarming. Visit Ed’s website : www.edlevineartwork.com

Bob Ripley, watercolor
Bob received his formal art training from Syracuse University, but he has been creating artworks since he was a young boy. Watercolor painting is Bob's medium of choice and water-based creatures are his favorite subjects. Trout, ducks and loons and their environments predominate his work. He spends much of his free time afield collecting reference for his nature-based paintings. Bob and his wife live in the rolling countryside not far from Skaneateles.

David Lisi, potter
David Lisi, a native central New Yorker has been making pottery for over 20 years. David started working with clay at age 16 as a student at Henninger High School and continued at SUNY Onondaga as a psychology major and an art minor.  However, after graduation David continued to study ceramics at SUNY Onondaga under the renowned Professor Andy Schuster for three more years. David has been a member of the Syracuse Ceramic Guild for 10 years. Through the guild David continues to learn new techniques working with clay. 

Sandra Philips, decorative painting
Sandra Philips is a decorative artist as well as a portrait artist who paints in acrylics and oils. Her passion for decorative art leads her to paint on multiple surfaces that are either functional or decorative. Combined with her love of the holiday seasons her work spans the spectrum from unique and detailed hand painted ornaments torefurbished sleds and toboggans. Sandra is known for her paintings on sleds, often taking commissions painting on treasured sleds from owners' youth.

Originally trained in oils Sandra has taken lessons from portrait artist, Karen Patton of Wichita Kansas. She has painted pet, home and people portraits including a full length life size painting of Dolph Schayes for the Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame.

Sandra has taken private art lessons since she was a young child and continues her training with multiple yearly seminars. She is a member of the National Society of Decorative Artists and a member of the North Syracuse Art Guild. Visit Sandra’s website :  www.sandyphilipsartist.com

Susan Popenger, fresh and dry flowers arrangements
Susan Popenger is the farmer and florist for Pods & Poppies, a family owned flower and herb farm located in the hills south of Skaneateles.

Entering her 9th year in business, the farm has grown from a half acre and sales at 2 farmer's markets to over 3 acres and sales at markets, local country stores, weddings, parties, and a weekly delivery service. They conduct workshops with garden clubs, the BOCES Adult Education program, and at the farm. Their floral designs have been on exhibit at local art shows, including the Everson's Fine Art and Flower show and Rochester's Memorial Art Gallery's Clothesline Festival, as well as the AAUW's Women in Art shows. They also participate in the Skaneateles Art's Council events and most recently have been honored with membership in the Skaneateles Artisan's gallery.

Susan is a Master Gardener with Cornell Cooperative Extension and is a strong advocate for farming with sustainable practices, which the farm has followed since its inception.

Susan's floral arrangements are enhanced by the wide variety of flowers, herbs, trees, and shrubs they are able to grow in our region. The farm has over 200 varieties available and they try new varieties every season, giving their arrangements a fresh and unique look. The colors, scents, and textures provide endless inspiration for Susan to express her art with flowers.
 
 

Teresa Vitale, faux-painter/decorative painter
I’m a self-taught artist for over twenty years. I have been creating original one-of-a-kind art on a wide variety of surfaces. My work can be found in numerous commercial & residential establishments in central NY. I thrive on creating art on furniture, fireplace surrounds, architectural moldings, wallpaper, and trompe l’oeil murals, to name just a few. While some of my work is designed on fixed surfaces such as walls, most of it is “transportable” which allows it to be carried with the owner even if they move. My newest endeavor along these lines is the creation of my surface designs on wallpaper that can be painted off-site, installs as easily as wallpaper, and can even be removed and brought to another location if the owner so desires. This collection is comprised of hand-painted wallpapers with companion architectural elements such as pillars, moldings, fireplace surrounds, knobs, etc. My passion for old world art, architectural elements, gardening, nature, is evident in the wide variety of subject matter I create. For me, art is life and life is art. I grew up in Porto Empedocle in Sicily where art was and is a way of life. Now I live in a 156-year-old farm house which feeds me with inspiration each and every day. Visit Teresa’s website: www.tav-designs.com

Tricia Tucker, oils, acrylics & pastels
I started painting about five years ago while going though a difficult period in my life. Prior to that time, I expressed my creativity by sewing, crocheting, gardening, woodworking, restoring old houses, through culinary endeavors, entertaining, and raising children. While painting, I found a combination of peace and passion, and I was pleased to receive encouragement and praise from family and friends.  One friend in particular, an artist friend of mine, encouraged me to pursue this talent and newfound passion. Consequently, I began taking various art classes at a community college followed by doing some local art workshops.  Now, whether I am painting with acrylics or oils, whether I am drawing with charcoal, crayons, pencils, or pastels, and whether the subject matter is a figure, a portrait, a landscape, or an abstract, the thread between all of my work is that I share a glimpse of myself – mind, heart, and soul.

Helen Woodmansee, watercolors and etchings
Nature in all its many aspects is a source of never ending inspirations for my art work. I rarely have a detailed finished painting in mind but try to let ideas and methods lead me on and the work develops. It’s exciting to combine different processes and media to a satisfactory completion while keeping my artistic identity.

I have a background in earth science (geology BS and MS) at Syracuse University as well as college art classes wherever my husband’s work has taken us. After showing in a number of galleries (including my own 1980 -1988) I have been delighted to be a founding member of Skaneateles Artisans.

Sharon Terry Utilizing Semi-Precious Gemstones, Sterling Silver, Gold-Filled Vermeil, Pewter, Glass, Ceramic

Several years ago I visited and revisited a local bookstore to thumb through ornament magazine. Once I decided to take the leap & actually purchase the publication I spent that afternoon reading the articles and admiring the beautiful photographs of the work of acclaimed jewelry artist. Immediately upon closing its pages I got up from my chair & was pulled by some force to the back of our grown up daughter’s closet. I discovered an old plastic sewing box. I spent hours that afternoon with the memory of my grandmother and over those hours began remembering that she had for a short time in her life experimented with making jewelry and these were her beads.

I took a class to learn to affix a clasp and the rest is history. Once my jewelry seemed to draw attention and others encouraged me with my creations, I began to sell my work and create custom pieces. I do not copy the work of others, although I learned from them. Each design comes out of my own head in the moment that I sit down to create. Gem stone beads are my passion although I do use glass and other materials as well. I guess the bottom line to all of this is the healing nature of the work itself; it brings meditative focus and rest to my mind and body.