A trip to New Zealand in 2000 exposed me to felting…a return trip in 2004 got me hooked.

Felting is an ancient craft dating back thousands of years. It is the actual making of the fabric from wool by using a little soap to change the ph, water and agitation, commonly known as elbow grease.  Once the fabric or piece is partially made, it is then worked and molded, called fulling, to strengthen and harden the fabric.  Wool is the only fiber that will do this.

Each piece is unique and sometimes it seems to have a mind of its own.  I love the feel of the wool in my hands and working with it until its final form is something that brings pleasure, awe, joy, question or just plain laughter to me or someone else.  There is never crocheting or knitting involved but the laying out of wool roving in fine layers until the desired thickness is ready to be worked.  What happens next is up to the wool and my own ability to be flexible when the creative design ends up going a different direction than planned.  There’s the joy, the surprise and pleasure in the final creation.  I hope each piece you see and touch brings you that same kind of feeling.

The intense intimacy of weaving fascinates me. Each thread passes through my fingers several times in the completion of a finished piece, endearing it to me. The weaving process, in which I respond to the unique voice of individual threads, is rewarding and peaceful. I weave what I love, I sell what I can, and then I weave some more.

I work with variegated threads, hand-dyed by three different dyers. Overall color mixes include Bolds, Neutrals, Pastels, with specific color overtones of Blues, Greens, Reds, Browns, Purples, Blacks. Metallics are frequently used in the rayon chenille and mohair/wool mixes.

James “Bud” Bottoms is a native Californian who lives in Santa Barbara by the sea, where he has spent his life swimming and diving. His art education began at Jefferson Machamer School of Art in Santa Monica from 1947-48 and continued at the University of California-Santa Barbara from 1948-52.

Although much of his sculpture is of sea mammals, he often combines them with humans to express our essential inter-relationship. He has the unique artistry to capture their playful spirit in everlasting bronze. In particular, his admiration for the intelligence and beauty of dolphins and whales have inspired his work.

He also delights in using his grandchildren as models frolicking with dolphins, sea lions, and turtles; they express the joy he wants to achieve in bronze. His fascination for and love of earth’s creatures lead him to sculpt snails to condors, wherever he finds beauty.

Oscar Bucher has been widely exhibited and collected in the U.S.A., Europe, New Zealand and has been selected as an American Master in Clay. His work is also represented in many publications.

He was educated in Switzerland and came to Santa Barbara in 1961. He established the Ceramics and Glassblowing Programs at Santa Barbara City College and continued teaching as head of the Ceramic Department for 30 years.

Currently he enjoys creating his unique porcelain and stoneware artwork in his studio in the Santa Barbara foothills.

“The excitement of the creative process leads me to strive for a delicate balance between pure form and glaze, smooth surface and texture. The possibilities are so extensive that for me there are always new avenues to explore.”

“In my high-fire ceramic work I purposely select glazes and surfaces that could be termed experimental rather that predictable in effect. I am intrigued by the mystery fire adds to the process. As flames are in direct contact with the piece, the fire becomes a participant, creating, in effect, a metamorphosis by fire.”

Diana Contine infuses her original designs with crosscurrents of culture, time and place, body and soul, to create wearable art that transcends the whim of fashion. From the organic flourish of Art Nouveau to the tactile earthiness of tribal beadwork, from the high-tech sculpted precious metals to recycled antique glamour, Diana draws from the familiar to the sublime and the result is beautiful, wearable, timeless beauty.

Besides an unerring eye for design, Diana's work is also imbued with a deep sense of respect and affection for the Divine feminine. This alchemy of gems, crystals, color, movement, symbol and talisman resonates with Diana's intention to balance and wholeness. These pieces are far more than wearable art, they are meditations on the Spirit of beauty.

A seasoned painter, I’ve studied art all my life, painting professionally over 30 years. I feel fortunate to have lived and raised my family in Carpinteria for the last 24 years. Always appreciating the surrounding beauty of the area and its wildlife, I try to capture these elements in my paintings.

My art educattion includes Santa Barbara City College and UCSB Extention in the late 70’s, early 80’s with teachers Robert Frame, and Ron Robertson among others. Later painted for other companies and artists. Now I’m painting in my Carpinteria Studio recording the beautiful surroundings we all enjoy here in Santa Barbara County.

Awards include Best in Show to benefit the Santa Barbara Audubon Society, First Place Surf’s Up Show, among others. Public and private collections include B. Eric Rhodes of Plein Air and Art Connoisseur Magazines, CEC at Arroyo Burro Beach, and private collections worldwide.

More about Kim's Fabrics

Kim Snyder’s Collage Purses and Hand Painted Silk Chiffon Scarves.

I collect fine fabrics such as antique kimono silk, fine cotton, Japanese shibori fabric, as well as hand painting my own raw silk and other fabrics. The purses are basted on silk sandwiched with batting then collaged fabric design with temporary basting glue. I free motion machine stitch the fabric down leaving raw edges. The raw edges fray and soften with time. If you like a crisper look you can trim loose threads and iron with spray starch.

I like to embellish the purses with stones such as turquoise, fresh water pearls and sterling silver wrapped sea glass and hand stitched on.

The approx. 14x72 inch hand painted Silk Chiffon scarves are elegant sheer a loosely woven fiber with a soft beautiful drape and crepe like texture. They float like a feather on the summer breeze!

See Kim's Fabric Designs
with prices and order info.

At the age of thirteen, I moved in with my uncle, a sculptor, who had a studio in the basement of his home in Washington state. I’d watch him take natural objects – wood, clay, and stone – and peel away the layers to reveal what only he knew would lie underneath. I’m reminded of my uncle when I create a new piece of jewelry; I try to let the raw materials present themselves naturally, almost as if they are whispering to me.

After a couple of years in college studying the things I was supposed to study – I began to study art, first in Italy and then at the School of Visual Arts in New York, before rounding out my education at Otis Parsons in Los Angeles. My uncle’s voice was always in the back of my mind.

Shannon Len began experimenting with jewelry at the early age of 6 years old. She has vivid memories of collecting shells, beach glass, and beads while on a summer trip with her mother and sister in a Volkswagen bus traveling to Vancouver, Canada. She created jewelry throughout the campgrounds, on the beach, and anywhere she could set herself up to string. Her passion for jewelry remained with her, but while studying art during college, she found herself fascinated with many other mediums including sculpture and painting. After taking a jewelry course at San Diego State University, she fell back in love with this art form in a whole new way. Soon after college, she moved to Hawaii to paint large murals in private residences throughout the islands. Currently, Shannon Len is residing in the Central Coast of California where she is inspired by the natural beauty of the ocean and her tranquil surroundings. While creating out of her home studio, Shannon’s interest in jewelry throughout the history of exotic cultures is continually fueling her next adventure to far away lands in search of beautiful jewels.

• Attended public schools in Santa Barbara, California

• Served in Navy as draftsman illustrator, 1955-57

• Santa Barbara City College (AA) studied with Charles Atkinson, sculpture with Paul Lindhardt

• California teaching credential in graphic arts

• Taught at Adult Education and local schools

• Participated in art advocacy positions: YES Store 1969, Noh Store 1986, and Art Soup 1995

• Whamo Disc Designer of the Year 1979

• Represented in many private and corporate collections, including Phoenix Art Museum and Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Personality, culture, history, and art are woven into the vintage material that Georganne Alex has chosen for her line of accessories and clothing. Nowhere is this more apparent than in her use of the Japanese kimono, a primary source for inspiration and design in Georganne’s work.

“Every time I unroll a kimono or take apart a garment to reuse, I am inspired by the texture, color and story the garment tells. For instance a kimono can reference a person’s age, sex and class as well as the season and occasion on which it was worn. I believe something of the original wearer’s soul has been imbedded into each garment”.

Her years spent as a Marriage and Family Therapist have given Georganne a unique perspective on social and personal relationships. “Much is revealed by what a person wears and how they put it together”, she believes.

“In addition to the inspiration drawn from old garments collected with care, I am often inspired by the natural world. Color combinations, the juxtaposition of textures woven together, hidden compartments and fastenings have all been inspired by nature and translated into my work.”

“The Goal of my ceramics is to bring art into peoples everyday experience. I enjoy putting the Funk back in Funktional!”

Danny Dastrup currently lives in Marin County, California.

During the late 1960's Ashleigh became involved with the Hippie scene in San Francisco's Haight/Ashbury district, where he began producing the illustrated epigrams known as Pot-Shots or Brilliant Thoughts which led into a whole new career. In 1973 he and Dorothy moved to Santa Barbara, where Dorothy's family had been living since her great-grandfather, a clipper-ship captain, retired there in the 1870's.

Ashleigh's work was first published on postcards, then became a syndicated newspaper feature, and was eventually collected in a series of books. It also appears on many licensed products.

Lynn Richardson

Born on August 28, 1942 in Los Angeles, California, Lynn Richardson is an artist residing in Santa Barbara, California, who carves Netsuke and Ojime in the Katabori style, using porcelain from Arita, Japan. The pieces are fired to 2400° f., using glazes and underglazes for a variety of effects. Lynn graduated from San Jose State College in 1965 with a B.A. in Art Education. She is well known for her intricate pen and ink, water colored illustrations and graphic artwork used in advertising and for private commissions.

She was drawn to carving porcelain after observing her late husband, Armin Muller, and their friend David Carlin carving netsuke together in Armin's studio. She very much enjoys the quiet, but intense process of turning a tiny ball of raw clay into a small, beautiful, functional object. "I find carving similar to the process of my drawings in execution and design, with the added surprises that working in three dimensions can bring."

Nature endures despite the pressures of population and development. As a member of the Oak Group I have been proud to contribute 50% of the sales of my work in our group exhibits towards environmental protection organizations. These include the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County (LTSBC.org), The Environmental Defense Center, The Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, Marin Agricultural Land Trust, and many others. Many successes have occurred in Santa Barbara County, including the Douglas Family Preserve, Sperling Preserve, and the Arroyo Hondo Preserve.

On to Aspen, Colorado skiing and then opening a bakery, IRENE'S in Basalt, Colorado in the '70's.

Next stop the Santa Ynez Valley with my stained glass and then Santa Barbara and the Cabrillo Art Show, my collage and the Goleta Valley Art Assoc.

I finally found my calmness with hand building clay and the Santa Barbara Art Assoc.

I am a Teaching Assistant with the SB High School Special Ed. Transition Program. The community is our classroom from SBCC , the MTD, and job coaching. I embrace what I can share and learn with my students whether it is Art, Phys Ed ,or “street smarts .”

Every year I journey for a week on a supported camping /bicycle trip exploring the USA and inspiring my art.

Thank you for sharing it with me.

Ana Victorson

Internationally acclaimed, award winning artist. Ana has shown her
work in San Franicsco, Malibu, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara at the
Diana Bottoms Gallery. Currently her work is being featured in Santa
Barbara at Gallelry 113, Santa Barbara Arts Gallery, in Ojai at the
Around the Corner and Plush Surroundings Gallery, in Cambria at the
Bronze & Gold Gallery, Burlingame at the Tribecca-house-home-
Soul Gallery, in Sausalito at the Art Brokers Inc. Gallery. Ana
also curates the shows for the Visual Arts of Santa Barbara and the
Malibu Art Association.
Ana was born in Bolivia, South America. She immigrated to the U.S.
at an early age. Creativity has always been a driving passion in her life.
She is constantly exploring the magic of color, variety of media, acrylics,
oils, encaustic wax, watercolor, collage and always seeking new ways of
communicating her emotions to the mysterious journew of life. Ana
feels that the true work of art is born from the artist.

Katie Stuart

As a young child I visited Disneyland and saw a man melting glass and forming animals. I was mesmerized! How could he be melting glass? As I knew it, glass was not flowing and pliable. This was my first experience with lampworking and the beginning of my great love of glass.

Today I have a teaching studio in Santa Barbara, California, sharing my passion for making beads. I love the process of melting glass, combining colors and designing jewelry.

These glass beads are created by hand using a torch that mixes propane and oxygen to enable a flame hot enough to melt the glass. After winding the molten glass around a thin metal rod, I shape the bead and surface decorate with many colors of glass. The beads are annealed at 940 degrees for 6 hours to make them durable.

I hope you enjoy your artglass jewelry for years to come.

The two sisters, now together again in America after a life of travels and adventures in many cultures, have settled down to making art together. Their work is bound to reflect multiple influences, but is grounded in their great appreciation for all folk art, in a strong common esthetic sense, and, most of all, in their great joy in the creative process.

I grew up in Lompoc, CA. When I was young I was introduced to art by my grandfather, Ray Stalker. His hobby was oil painting and I used to watch him paint while I made pencil drawings from his art books. I was more involved in sports than art at that time, competing on my high school tennis and track teams. I also studied classical piano for 11 years.

Throughout my life I have continued to participate & compete in many sports: tennis, racquetball, downhill skiing, volleyball (indoor & beach) and now golf. In the early ’90s I took all the classes for a certificate in interior design, exploring another avenue of color and design. Some of my other interests are cooking, gardening, traveling and reading.

My painting career began Fall 2002 when I finally did something I’d dreamed about doing since I was ten – enrolled in a watercolor painting class. I organized an Art Critique Group, “Women With Paint,” a few years ago and I’m also a member of MAG (Montecito Artists Group), SCAPE, GVAA and the SB Art Association. Recently I spent two weeks painting in Italy with local instructor Cathy Quiel.

Anthony hand-builds all of his pottery rather than wheel-throwing it. For his Raku orbs, he first hand-shapes a sphere, then alters it to a shape that pleases him, smoothes and polishes it, and then carves geometric openings in the top. Each piece is unique – he does not repeat the orb shape exactly, or the shapes of the openings. He uses several different Raku glazes on each pot, overlapping them for different color, texture, & sheen effects. When making Raku pottery, Anthony makes only non-utilitarian shapes, since the pieces are more fragile than high-fire pottery due to the processes involved and the special clays required by these processes.

From the first time I saw bronze being poured and the forms you could create with it I was hooked on sculpture and metal smithing. It has taken me down a long and satisfying road.

After moving to Hawaii in 1967 I was fortunate enough to make my living for five years as a professional sculptor. Along with a friend, we operated a foundry where we cast aluminum, bronze and iron. While in Hawaii, I had several one-man shows, participated in many group shows, did commission work and won my share of awards.

In 1982 I moved to the Southwest and became involved in an unrelated business. I started making jewelry because I needed the creative outlet. I just don't feel right if I'm not making something with my hands.

After 911 my wife and I decided to move to the north coast of Oregon where I took up metal smithing full time. It was the right decision.

At this point in my life I enjoy the scale of jewelry. I also collect and study Asian metalwork.

My background is in video/film production, sculpture and advertising.