WEST CAPE MAY – The Cape May Artists Cooperative Gallery has organized an event-full weekend Dec. 9 through 11. Festivities kick off on Friday night, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. in the new ballroom of the Wilbraham Mansion, 133 Myrtle Avenue, West Cape May, with a special preview reception for the Holiday Art Extravaganza show and sale. More than 20 local artists will present new handmade art, great for last minute gift giving or a special treat for yourself. Many of the artists have made limited edition Christmas ornaments for the occasion. Refreshments will be served. On Saturday, the show and sale runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be open to tour-goers when they visit the Wilbraham Mansion during the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities’ Christmas Candlelight House Tour. The featured artists include:
• Lisa Bernstein: Hats, bags, wreaths, ornaments, pillows, pins, and wrist warmers, made from recycled sweaters.
• Karen Bosna: Painted floorcloths.
• Betty Campbell: Turned wooden items and small pastels.
• Barbara Colosi: Hand painted porcelain and wrapped jewelry
• Cindy Mahoney Crawford: Inspired by nature, sterling silver, semi-precious stones, pearls and Lucite jewelry
• Diana Cutshall: Seed bead jewelry and Christmas items. Everything is sewn together with a needle and thread, one glass bead at a time.
• Eliza Dietz: Holiday Inspired Jewelry and Ornaments
• Phil Dietz: Designer jewelry fashioned from sterling silver and 14k gold filled with freshwater pearls, faceted gems and cabochon stones
• Diane Flanagan – unique & quirky stained & fused glass items & ornaments.
• Rich Flanagan – original paintings & prints
• Lee Hajduk: Nature Photography: Birds, Butterflies, Flowers and other wildlife images from around the world.
• Barbara Hoepp: Felted Wool Accessories
• Patricia Neville: oil paintings and handcrafted ceramic jewelry and ornaments
• Christine Peck: Fine art photography
• Anita Roth: Sea glass and beach inspired photography
• John Safrit: Original watercolors
• Mary Stewart: Bags, hats and scarves, each one of a kind, each made with love.
• Jody Swope: Mermaids, sea angel tree toppers, stockings and other sea inspired gifts for your home and holidays.
• Michael Taylor: Custom workworking.
• Louise Zemaitis: Bird and butterfly related art- prints, note cards, and clothing.
On Sun., Dec. 11, the Co-op will participate in the “Second Sunday” Gallery Walk. The Gallery Walk is a partnership of the Artists Co-op, Gail Pierson Gallery, Splash, SOMA NewArt Gallery, Spirit Catcher Gallery and Mad Batter Restaurant and runs from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. It’s easiest to start your gallery walk at the Artists Co-op in the West End Garage, 484 West Perry Street, Cape May, where there is plenty of free parking, and spend your afternoon enjoying the beautiful and unique work each gallery offers. “Second Sunday” featured artists at the Artists Co-op are Betty Campbell, Cindy Mahoney-Crawford and Patricia Neville.
Betty Campbell, a versatile local artist, captures the beauty of nature in all her art. Campbell’s wood turning truly transforms nature into art. What begins as a log left at her backdoor by a friend or neighbor is transformed on her lathe into a wonderful wooden bowl, candleholder or vase. Betty says, “For me, it is all about the wood — the look, the smell and of course the touch. I am a storyteller, trusting my hands and my intuition to find the tale the wood needs to tell, what is hidden inside waiting for my tools to uncover.” Betty also explores the colors of the vibrant sunsets along the Delaware Bay in pastels.
Cindy Mahoney Crawford has been making jewelry for 15 years. She was in college and taking drawing/printmaking/painting classes but wanted to try a different medium, something that was easily portable and didn’t take up too much space. Cindy puts a lot of thought into creating her jewelry She describes herself as “ a perfectionist when it comes to this type of craft. I have to sort through cultured freshwater pearls and stones to make a set of earrings match in size and length. I love creating jewelry; it shows my style and love of color.” Cindy uses only sterling silver with her pieces because she wants high quality metal that can easily be cleaned when it gets tarnished. Her inspirations come from nature and color. She calls herself a jewelry junkie and loves vintage pieces. She likes the character of the past, especially the jewelry of 1900 through 1950 because of the detail in the pieces. Cindy is currently the art teacher at West Cape May and also teaches for the Center for Community Arts. Cindy is married and her husband is also an artist working mainly in photography. They live in Villas.
Patricia Neville is a native of Cape May County and studied art at York Academy of Arts and received her BFA in Art Education at Rowan University. She continues to take art workshops both locally and internationally. She has been a high school art teacher for sixteen years and has been an active member of several local artist groups including the Cape May County Art League, the Riverfront Renaissance Center of the Arts, New Jersey chapter of the American Artists Professional League and The Saint Barnabas Group. Her current series of oil paintings depict still-lifes reflecting her experience of nature based on the everyday findings along the beach and the bay. “My recent series of work embody the natural world focusing on my love of nature and my surroundings. As a native of South Jersey I have always been enamored with the surf, sand and beauty that is unique to Southern Jersey. I tend to focus on connections between textures, patterns and light found in nature. My paintings represent these natural occurrences which evoke emotions through the use of intensified color and light.”
The Artists’ Cooperative Gallery is a group local artists who have joined together to showcase and sell their work as well as educate the public about their art forms. December’s featured artists as well as other artists from the Cooperative will be on hand to meet the public and discuss their work. Light refreshments will be served.
Co-op manager Diane Cutshall is delighted that Second Sundays are now a city-wide celebration of local art. “We began Second Sundays so the community could meet our artists and learn about their work. Now the opportunities for artists are so much greater with the wonderful gallery scene that has grown in Cape May.” The Artists Cooperative Gallery is open Friday, Saturday and Monday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 609-770-8261 for information.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
