Open House Events This Weekend

Fern House Studio is involved in two open house events this weekend.

Jodi Clayton is having an open studio at One Lupine Fiber Studio at 170 Park Street in Bangor. The open studio will happen on December 3rd and 4th (Friday and Saturday). Visit her website to learn more about her shop and studio. She will be exhibiting and selling work by twelve artisans at this fun annual event.

I will be holding an Arts in the Afternoon Open House at my new Holiday Shop in Downtown Ellsworth. The Gifted Hand Holiday Artisan Shop is located at Gallery Grand on 169 Main Street in Ellsworth. Join us on Saturday December 4th from 1-4pm for the open house. Refreshments will be served and everyone who attends will receive a free pack of Holiday cards. The shop features work by 20 Maine artisans.

2010 Gifted Hand Show this weekend

Please join us for the 2010 Gifted Hand Show this weekend, Nov. 12 & 13. Friday Show hours are 11am -7pm and Saturday hours are 9am-4pm. The Show is held at the Ramada Inn on 215 High Street in Ellsworth. The Show features 60 artisans and Cleonice Bistro will offer light meals for sale. More info at the Show website: www.giftedhandshow.com

Beads and Baubles Downeast Fall Bead and Jewelry Show.

Hi Everyone,

The Fall Bead & Jewelry Show is coming up in two weeks. It will be held on October 22 and 23 in Ellsworth (Maine) at the Ramada Inn on High Street. You can enter at the lobby entrance and the Bead Show will be in the Schoodic Room to your right. Hope you can all make it.

Picnic Arts and Music Festival

The Picnic Arts and Music Festival will be happening this weekend in Portland. I'm showing and selling my work there.

The 3rd Annual Picnic Music+Arts Festival will take place on
Saturday, August 28, 2010! This juried indie craft fair will be held outdoors
at Lincoln Park on Congress Street and Franklin Arterial, in Portland ME.
The festival will run from 11am to 6pm, rain or shine.

The Picnic Music+Arts Festival will feature over 100 vendors selling clothing,
jewelry, prints, accessories, bags, plush, stationery, photography, housewares,
fine art, vintage goods, and more. The Picnic Booth will be handing out goody
bags to the first 25 shoppers. This year we’re thrilled to host a book signing by
Kari Chapin, author of The Handmade Marketplace. There will be live music
all day and tasty food by Verbena Cafe and Skinny Cart BBQ. Hope to see
you there!

New Paintings at Upcoming Audubon Show

I'll be exhibiting at the Audubon Show at Gilsland Farm this coming Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22. Among the work I'll be showing are several new pieces featuring foxes. I hope you can stop by my booth under one of the big tents on the grounds.

Gifted Hand Show Postcard

Just ordered 7,000 postcards for The Gifted Hand Show! The most ever. Participating artisans will be getting their postcards in early August. Here is what our lovely 2010 card looks like.

Gifted Hand Announces Media Sponsors

As many of you know I organize a Fine Art and Craft Show in Ellsworth called The Gifted Hand. This year's show will be November 12 and 13 at The Ramada Inn in Ellsworth. I'm pleased to announce that Maine Magazine and Maine Home + Design are media sponsors for this year's show. They will be running some lovely ads for the show in their beautiful magazines. They will also be sending a photographer to the show to take pictures and feature the show in a later issue. They'll be having a media booth at the show, so you can meet the folks from the magazines and also purchase subscriptions. I'm looking forward to having them involved with the show.

Thanks Maine Magazine! Thanks Maine Home + Design!

Open Studio this Weekend

Linden O'Ryan, Jackie Haines and myself are hosting an Open Studio with artist demos this Friday and Saturday. I hope you can stop by! The image above is one of my new pieces. I'll have some of this work at the Open Studio.

What: Open Studio: Art + Craft Sale and Artist Demos. Refreshments Served.

When: Friday June 25th, 12 noon to 7pm and Saturday June 26th, 10am to 3pm.

Where: Linden O'Ryan Gallery, 92 Herrick Road, Southwest Harbor, Maine. (Directions at the end of this post).

Info: For more info call 244.6463 or visit the Fern House Studio Website

Jackie Haines • Beaded Jewelry
Christina Heiniger • Puppets, Art + Cards
Linden O'Ryan • Watercolors + Lampshades

Demos: Beading techniques, puppet making, felting and watercolors.

Directions: At the top of Mount Desert Island follow the signs for Southwest Harbor (approximately 11 miles) through Town Hill and Somesville. As you come down the hill into Southwest Harbor and after the shell gas station, look for the D.O.T sign for Linden O'Ryan Gallery. Take a left onto Herrick Road and go 4/10ths of a mile to 92 Herrick road on your right. The gallery is a natural shingled house with light blue trim.

Help me chose my next card design

It is time to print up a new Fern House Studio Card. I have it narrowed down to two designs featuring owls, since I'm almost sold out on two of my old owl designs. I hope folks can take a look at these two images and tell me which you would like better as my next card design. The first design is called Slow Lane and the second design is called Chatting.

Open Studio with Linden O'Ryan

Area artisans Linden O’Ryan, Jackie Haines, and Christina Heiniger will be hosting an Open Studio and Art Sale at Linden O’Ryan Gallery in Southwest Harbor. The event will feature beading, puppet making and felting demos throughout both days on a rolling basis. Visitors to this working studio will also be able to view a large selection of watercolor paintings by Linden O’Ryan and Christina Heiniger, as well as intricately beaded jewelry by Jackie Haines of Blue Leaf Designs in Lamoine. Christina Heiniger will also display and sell her well known hand-sculpted hand and finger puppets and Linden O’Ryan will feature her handmade paper lampshades and lamps. The public is warmly invited and refreshments will be offered. The event takes place on Friday June 25th, noon-7pm and Saturday June 26th, 10am-3pm at Linden O’Ryan Gallery, 92 Herrick Road, Southwest Harbor. For more information please call Linden O’Ryan at 244.0463 or visit fernhousestudio.com .

Directions: On the top of the island follow the signs for Southwest Harbor through Town Hill and Somesville. As you come down the hill into Southwest Harbor after the shell gas station look for the D.O.T sign for Linden O'Ryan gallery, or the Wendell Gilley Museum. Take a left on to Herrick road and go 4/10ths of a mile to 92 Herrick road with an oval sign on the right. It is a natural shingled house with light blue trim.

Etsy Shoppe

My Etsy Shoppe updates are admittedly spotty, so I wanted to let you all know The Fern House Studio etsy shoppe has some new items for sale. I've recently listed my new sticker sets, some of my latest artwork and some new card mixes (like my Owl Mix Card set, which is popular at shows).

Creature Feature Art Sale This Friday, May 21st

For the third year several Nationally and Locally recognized artisans will join together for a special art exhibit and sale to benefit The Grand Theatre in Ellsworth. Creature Feature III is a show and sale of small artworks produced especially for this event by artists Rebekah Raye, Laura Balombini, Heidi Daub, Suzan Scribner-Reed and Christina Heiniger. Each artist has created 6 pieces of artwork featuring animals and other creatures that are priced between $100-$250. There is a special sale of the work on May 21st from 3-7pm. Partial proceeds from the art sale will be donated to The Grand Theatre. The sale will also feature cards, digital prints, books and other small items for purchase. I've printed up some really cool stickers from my Creature Feature paintings which I will also bring to the sale. In addition, each artist has created a larger piece which will also be offered for sale.



This year’s Creature Feature roster is stellar. Artist Rebekah Raye of Blue Hill is the author and illustrator of several children’s books published by Tilbury House. Her work is shown in many galleries throughout Maine including The Courthouse Gallery in Ellsworth. She will be bringing her books, including her newest, Bear-ly There to sign at the Creature Feature sale event. Laura Balombini, also from the Blue Hill area, travels around the country participating in prestigious National shows including Paradise City in Northampton, MA and at The Fuller Craft Museum. Her polymer clay sculptures have won national awards. She exhibits at Red Dot Gallery in Deer Isle, of which she is a founding member. At Creature Feature she’ll be exhibiting her new acrylic paintings. Heidi Daub has shown her work at Shaw Jewelry in Northeast Harbor and the Firehouse Gallery in Damariscotta, among many others. Her acrylic works are known for their lyrical beauty. She is also a writer of poetry and in 2008 published a compilation of 29 original paintings and poems. She resides in Blue Hill as well. Suzan Scriber-Reed of Winterport is known by many for her line of recycled paper and silver jewelry shown at galleries and fine craft shows throughout Maine and the Northeast. However, her bird collages (which she will exhibit in Creature Feature III) are stunning in their artistry and attention to detail. Through her business, Wild Ivy Designs, she exhibits at Paradise City Art Festivals, Directions Fine Craft Show on MDI and at many other venues. Lastly, artist Christina Heiniger(that's me) of Fern House Studio in Lamoine is the originator and organizer of Creature Feature. A former K-5 art teacher in the Ellsworth schools, Christina now travels the Northeast exhibiting her watercolor paintings and puppets. She recently exhibited in The Center for Maine Contemporary Art’s Work of The Hand Show and in the Maine Crafts Association’s juried Biennial, The Inspired Hand IV. She routinely organizes arts events in the Ellsworth area through her local creative economy initiative “Arts Across Ellsworth.”

This is a very special and unique opportunity to purchase small paintings by these 5 artists at affordable prices. Work can be previewed at The Grand lobby May 1st-21st, with the sale May 21st, 3-7pm. The reception and sale will feature refreshments, book signings by Rebekah Raye and other special surprises. Those wishing to pre-purchase work and pick it up at the sale may do so by contacting the individual artist(s).

Heidi Daub at Creature Feature III

Blue Hill Artist Heidi Daub is showing her lovely work at the Creature Feature III show at The Grand Theatre, downtown Ellsworth, Maine. Heidi has shown in many prominent Maine Galleries such as the Firehouse Gallery in Damariscotta and Shaw Jewelry in Northeast Harbor. Her acrylic works are known for their lyrical beauty. She is also a writer of poetry and in 2008 published a compilation of 29 original paintings and poems. Heidi has created six beautiful small paintings for this show which are priced at a very affordable $150. It's a unique opportunity to purchase an original Heidi Daub painting even if you're on a small budget. The piece above is sold, but there are five other great little paintings still available by Heidi. You can see the show during regular lobby hours at The Grand (Monday through Thursday 10am-4pm) or during events. Our Creature Feature Sale will be on Friday, May 21st from 3 to 7pm. You can purchase work during the sale or contact Heidi to prepurchase work prior to the sale.

Rebekah Raye at Creature Feature III

I'm so excited about this year's artists participating in The Creature Feature III Show at The Grand in Ellsworth. I'll post a word about each of them over the next 2-3 weeks on this blog so you can get to know them.

Blue Hill Artist and Illustrator Rebekah Raye is not only a talented artist, but a fun and kind person! Many people know her for her 3 children's books, The Very Best Bed, Thanks to the Animals, and her latest, Bear-ly There. Rebekah has created seven new pieces of fabulous artwork for the Creature Feature III Show, which she's selling at special prices (affordable). However, she's also bringing her notecards and her books to the Artist's Reception and Sale on May 21st (3-7pm). She'll be signing her books and I'm sure entertaining us all with her sense of humor and lovely Southern accent.

Don't miss Rebekah and the 4 other Creature Feature III artists on May 21st, 3-7pm in The Grand Theatre Lobby, Downtown Ellsworth (Maine).

Post Bead Show

Many Thanks to all who attended and those who sold and showed their work and wares at the 2nd Annual Beads + Baubles Downeast Spring Bead Show in Ellsworth this weekend. It was so much fun and a well-attended event. A Fall Bead Show is planned for October. More info TBA at this blog.

The next event I organize will be The Creature Feature III Show, a benefit for The Grand Theatre of Ellsworth. The show will be up for viewing in The Grand Lobby May 1st through May 21st. An Artists' Reception and Sale will be held May 21st 3-7pm.

This annual sale and show features work by 5 nationally known local artists: Rebekah Raye of Blue Hill, Suzan Scribner-Reed of Winterport, Laura Balombini of Blue Hill, Heidi Daub of Blue Hill and yours truly, Christina Heiniger of Lamoine.This is an exceptional opportunity to purchase work by accomplished professional artists at very reasonable prices. 10% of sales will be donated to The Grand Theatre of Ellsworth. Artists will also bring smaller items like digital prints, cards and other items to sell at the sale. Please join us. Work pictured above by Heidi Daub.

Beads, beads, beads, beads...

Next weekend I hope I'll see you at:
Beads + Baubles Downeast, 2nd Annual Spring Bead + Jewelry Show. Friday April 16, noon-6pm + Saturday April 17, 10am-4pm in The Maine Grind Building (upstairs), 192 Main St., Downtown Ellsworth. Admission of $1.00 (children 12 + under free) enters you into the doorprize of over $150 worth of beads! Admission is good for both days, too (what a deal!)

With over 20 fabulous vendors including 5 bead stores, 6 lampwork glass artisans + several talented jewelers working in the beading medium; this show is undoubtedly THE BEST place to stock up on beads for your projects and stash or to purchase unique and beautiful jewelry; all while shopping local.

Among the many beads featured there will be excellent selections of Czech glass beads, Artisan handmade lampwork glass beads, gemstones, pearls, buttons, vintage beads, polymer clay beads, PMC beads, felt beads, and and porcelain beads. You'll also find beading supplies, necklace cords, ear wires, toggles and clasps, and other items for your beading projects.

Here is the full roster of bead stores and artisans that will be selling beads and jewelry at the show:

Christina Heiniger of Fern House Studio (I'll be selling my stash beads and vintage buttons),
Sihaya Hopkins of Blossom Studio in Brooklin (her lampwork glass beads are pictured in this post),
Jackie Haines of Blue Leaf Designs,
Sticks 'n Stones Bead Shop of Brewer,
Butterfly Beads (bead shop) of Alton,
Ginny and John Hackney, Lampworkers of Orono,
Diane Allen of Pearl La La Jewelry of Blue Hill,
Ginger Manna of Bella Colore Bead Shop,
The Beaded Moose Bead Shop of Bangor,
Jennifer Miller and Jean Goodwin of Flying Mountain Artisans in Southwest Harbor,
Jenny King (former owner of The Bar Harbor Bead Shop),
Carrie Callahan, jeweler, of Machias,
Emily Delfin of Reflections Jewelry in Holden,
Kathleen Henderson (lampworker) of 109th Bead in Penobscot,
Penny Gentle Art Glass of Camden and Sally Bowen of New Moon Collections (lampworker) of Brooklin,
Lisa Salsbury of Willow and Me Jewelry in Ellsworth,
Ray Cooper of Cooper Designs (lampwork glass and PMC) of Blue Hill,
And Suzanne Anderson of YIKES! Studio in Dedham, polymer clay beads and jewelry.

Bead Show and a New Picture

Just a quick reminder to visit the wonderful bead show next weekend at The Maine Grind in Ellsworth, Maine.

April 16th + 17th, 2010: Beads + Baubles Downeast, 2nd Annual Spring Bead + Jewelry Show.
The focus is on beads and lovely beaded jewelry at this spring bead show. Featuring over 20 vendors including bead stores, lampwork glass artisans, jewelers working in the beading medium and individuals selling beads and buttons. Among the beads available for purchase will be vintage beads, artisan beads, Czech glass, Swarvoski crystal, pearls, felt beads, porcelain beads, gemstones, seed beads, findings and much much more. I will be on hand selling beads from my stash as well as buttons and findings. At the Maine Grind building, upstairs (second floor) 192 Main Street, Downtown Ellsworth, Maine. Friday April 16th noon-6pm and Saturday April 17th 10am-4pm.

I also finished another piece for the Creature Feature III show in Ellsworth at The Grand Theatre. The show will go up May 1st and we're having a special sale May 21st, 3-7pm. More info to come at this blog or visit the Gifted Hand Site. The piece above is called City Bird and is inspired by graphics from the '60's and '70's.

Tangle With a Turkey and Other Adventures on a Maine Day Trip

Yesterday morning I headed out for the two and a half hour drive to Lewiston. My only goal was to pick up the puppets I had in The Maine Craft Association's Biennial Show. Little did I know the adventures and misadventures that would fill my day.

Despite the driving rain and high winds, I made it to Lewiston without any trouble. Turning into the road that leads to USM, I noticed rte. 9 went to Lisbon and Topsham. So after picking up my puppets, I headed down rte. 9 on a whim, figuring I'd stop at Target in Topsham and get some shopping done. (Target, why do I love thee so? Let me count the reasons. 1. Your Iams dog treats are way cheaper than Hannaford's. 2. You aren't quite as evil as Wal-Mart. 3. I can find Stylin' clothes on your sale racks...)

The drive through Lisbon (the birthplace of Moxie Soda--it's a Maine thing!) was quite lovely and truly a Maine experience: everything from green parks to old empty mills to trailers to gentrified ranch homes; antique dealers next to self storage units. Lisbon has a kind of retro feel. Main Street looks like it hasn't changed much since 1965. It's REAL and not all spiffed up and fancy. I liked it! Enroute I decided I might as well go to Freeport and stop at arguably the best bead store in Maine, The Beadin' Path. So after a quick spin through Target, I hopped back onto 295 and was soon picking out lovely beads at The Beadin' Path to resell at The April Bead Show I organize in Ellsworth (the lucite beech leaf beads above are going to offered for sale at the Ellsworth Show). Beadin' Path has a great selection of vintage and contemporary lucite beads and also beautiful Czech glass beads. Also stopped in at the hip Horny Toad outlet on Bow Street.

For the long trip home I decided to take 95 to Augusta, then rte. 3 to Belfast. Just outside of Belfast, while listening carefully to a story about the new iPad on NPR, I suddenly noticed a HUGE wild turkey out of the corner of my eye. It was fluttering rapidly towards me, perhaps flustered by the heavy wind and rain. In a flash it smashed its 50 to 60 pound body into my driver's side, sheering my rearview mirror right off. With my rearview now hanging by two skinny electrical cords and a pounding heart I drove into Belfast. Amazingly, the rearview was the only thing damaged. I survived the incident shaken, but unscathed. The turkey, I fear, wasn't in very good shape. Having stopped in Belfast, I figured I might as well stop into the retro-chic store Yo Mama's Home, where I hopefully didn't bore the salesperson too badly with my woeful turkey tale. Feeling grateful to be alive and unhurt, I pulled my smashed rearview into my car and headed out, through the ongoing wind and rain for HOME, always the best place ever after adventures big and small.

Creature Feature Preview

I organize a show every year called Creature Feature in Ellsworth at The Grand Theatre. This year is the third annual show, so it's called Creature Feature III. I'm excited to be working with four other talented artists on the show this year: Rebekah Raye of Blue Hill, Suzan Scribner-Reed of Winterport, Heidi Daub of Blue Hill, and Laura Balombini also of Blue Hill.

This year my work is looking a little different. I wanted to create pieces for the show that were inspired and based upon vintage graphics from the '60's and '70's. I have an inexplicable love for German memory games from that era and I based my Creature Feature images this year on graphics used in those. I will be previewing work by myself and the other artists here from time to time in the lead up to the show. The actual pieces will be hanging in the Grand Theatre lobby May 1-21, with a special sale of the work May 21st, 3-7pm. If you'd like to pre-purchase work I will have the pieces up on my website and you can purchase them there before the sale.

The piece above, Sleeping Fox, was based on a fox from a 1966-68 memory game. It was adapted from an image with a sitting fox. This piece has the vintage appeal of the original graphic but has my own composition and design. The media is Derwent Aquarelle Watercolor pencils on watercolor paper, which is a new medium for me.

I hope you will check back from time to time to get a glimpse of what will be in the Creature Feature III Show. By the way, 10% of the sales from the show will be donated to The Grand Theatre.

Upcoming Bead Show in Ellsworth

Have you ever gone to a bead store and enjoyed perusing the sparkly gems and glass beads? If so, you may be pleased to hear that Beads and Baubles Downeast Spring Bead and Jewelry Show will be returning to downtown Ellsworth on April 16th and 17th. This show and sale features everything a beader could desire...all manner of beads such as Czech glass, crystal, gemstone, vintage beads, spacers, seed beads, focal beads, pearls, felt beads, porcelain beads as well as handmade lampwork glass beads produced by local artisans. Findings such as clasps, toggles, earwires and the like will also be available for purchase. Folks who like to sew may be intrigued by the vintage and unusual contemporary buttons that will be for sale as well.

Over 20 vendors will be selling their beading related wares at this 2nd annual event. Lampwork artisans Sihaya Hopkins, Penny Gentle, Kathleen Henderson, Sally Bowen, Ginny and John Hackney, and Ray Cooper will offer handmade artisan glass beads, buttons, marbles and jewelry. Several bead stores, including Sticks ‘n Stones of Brewer and The Beaded Moose of Bangor, will be on hand with a large inventory of all types of beads. New this year several artisans will be selling their beautiful handcrafted beaded jewelry. Jackie Haines of Blue Leaf Beadwork will be showing and selling her intricate seedbead earrings, necklaces and bracelets, and Lisa Salsbury will bring her Swarovski Crystal and vintage bead jewelry. The show will take place at The Maine Grind (upstairs, 2nd floor) 192 Main Street, Downtown Ellsworth on Friday April 16th, noon-6pm and Saturday April 17th, 10-4pm. For more information visit The Gifted Hand Show Website.