Our Artists...Continued

Linda's journey in basketry began in the late 1980's shortly after moving to the edge of the Adirondack Park in Northern NY.  Her first basket was  6" melon basket.  Within a few short years she was making many different styles and types of baskets.  By the early 1990's she had opened a successful shop in her home, was teaching locally and had joined an artists' cooperative in Old Forge to sell her wares.  From there she has progressed to teaching and exhibiting around the country for basketry guilds and conferences.  In 2004, she launched her website:  www.AdirondackBasketry.com. 

Linda enjoys working with a variety of materials, allowing her imagination to roam freely as she creates her baskets.  Initially working with only reed, her interest quickly expanded to bark, then waxed lined.  When able, she enjoys being out in nature and harvesting white pine or red pine bark from downed trees.  She likes to incorporate woodsy elements into some of her baskets as it reflects her love of the outdoors and the Adirondacks.  She also loves to re-create the vibrancy of nature in her baskets through a technique called dye-painting.  Each unique in color, design, and shape.  The journey of exploration continued once introduced to waxed linen creating her miniature baskets.  Her love for designing, color, and pattern is expressed in each new piece. 

All of the baskets are hand-woven by Linda.  She uses the best materials available to purchase or harvest as she believes it is important to provide a high-quality product.  She takes pride in her work, taking extra steps to create a tightly woven, trimmed quality basket.  Baskets are signed and dated. 

Linda continues her basketry education attending workshops and conferences with other professional basket makers.  She also exhibits in select shows and conferences.  Recently recognized for her work on the national level in 2012 at the Annual Fine Furnishings Show in Providence, RI.  She was awarded "Best in Show for Fine Art/Craft: Body of Work".  The judges felt her work demonstrated "beautiful craftsmanship, variation in use of color, range of materials and scale of use." 

In 2013 one of her baskets was selected for the National Basketry Organizations "All Things Considered VII Exhibition", and in 2015 another basket was selected for "All Things Considered VII Exhibition".  These shows featured "benchmarks in excellence in traditional and sculptural basketry that demonstrate superior technique and original concept and design.  These traveling exhibitions were comprised of "baskets of the highest caliber, craftsmanship, and technical ability, which speaks to the intricacy of expression, intimacy of design, visual excitement and communication that highlight tradition and stretch the imaginations of the viewer to new insights of the scope of basketry in the 21st century."  The juried invitational exhibition in 2013 was in  

Gatlinburg, TN, then traveled to the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA, and in 2015 to St. Paul, MN, then traveled to Harvard, MA.  Linda was honored to be included in this exceptional exhibition of baskets. 

The basketry journey continues with teaching in new areas, adding new designs, building another website, and the joy of meeting others who enjoy the art of basketry. 

Tina started her journey in jewelry making with beads in 2005.  Several years later, she began selling at arts festivals in New York and in Florida.  Tina's biggest gratification comes from return customers, especially when they are wearing pieces purchased in previous years!

In 2014 at the Florida Society of Goldsmiths' Studio, Tina became "hooked" on silversmithing.  She began taking private lessons from Mary Ferrante, an accomplished silversmith, at her studio in New Smyrna Beach.  Many classes later, Tina now completes her own design and fabrication with sterling silver or argentium and stone setting.  Crediting her teacher with knowledge she so freely shared, Tina now does the same!  She has been mentoring young aspiring jewelry artists for many years and began teaching basic silversmithing many years ago!

"People ask me where I get my inspiration, and the truth is, from anything!"  My Serendipity Creations are just that.  They are ideas that start in my head, go through my heart and hands and ends with my eyes."

www.tinasiebel.com

www.etsy.com/shop/seredipitycreations

facebook.com/SerendipityCreationsByTina

Tanya is a lifetime North Country native, who grew up just outside of Massena, NY in a little neighborhood called "Baxterville".  She read a lot, played with the neighborhood kids, and really enjoyed watching her mom create beautiful items by crocheting, sewing, painting ceramics, and other crafts as well.

She married and had two children but felt compelled (probably from watching her mother enjoy these crafts) to make things by sewing, quilting, and crocheting baby items, household items and decorative pieces as well.  

Time went on, crafts were replaced by working full time jobs until her retirement in her early sixties.  She remembered a beautiful string of beads that her husband had and looked around for ways to make something beautiful with them.  Thus began the love of bead weaving to design little wall hangings, pouch covers, bookmarks, necklaces, and bracelets.  Her sister also moved back into the North Country and joined her in bead weaving as well!  While searching for beads and supplies on the internet and in stores, the sisters found other ways of making jewelry.  Through taking classes and watching videos, and learning from books and magazines, the two sisters learned to create with other metals as well.

She has had her jewelry sell in other venues in the area, and taught jewelry classes at the SLC Arts Council in Potsdam, NY.

Tanya, along with her sister, belongs to The Gallery at Lake Saint Lawrence Arts, a cooperative art gallery and artisan gift shop where she sells her work, teaches classes, and helps with running the gallery.

315-705-1241