|
|
Vol. LXI, No. 50
|
|
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
|
|
|
|
Vol. LXI, No. 50
|
|
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
|
The annual “Sauce for the Goose Holiday Sale” opened yesterday at the conTEMPORARY Arts Center in the Princeton Shopping Center.
This show features crafts and artwork from over 35 artists and artisans from the Princeton area and beyond, including art glass from Billy Mayer, who began his career as a student of flame-working glass art with Rex Cravet in Lambertville before becoming an apprentice in the Glass Studio on Cape Cod under Michael Magyar in 2000. Since then the New Jersey native has worked with masters in Italy, Japan, and the United States, developing the flame-working and glass-blowing techniques that create his distinctive swirled glass vases, platters, and ornaments.
“It amazes me how he gets these lines in there,” commented Cindy Mayer who delivered and unpacked her son’s items for the sale last Friday. “ I don’t understand how he does it, I just enjoy it.”
Mr. Mayer’s work features bold lines and colors — cobalt, orange, red, and green. Items range from $13 to $240. Cone-shaped tree ornaments are $24 and glass spheres are $16. Mouth-blown glass pears are $26, and a cobalt blue and silver conch shell is $66.50. A Cape Cod inspired ocean ball — a blue swirled glass sphere holding sand and seashells is $74.50. “As well as being gorgeous to look at, it makes a terrific desk toy for stressed executive who need a little relaxing distraction from time to time,” said Ms. Mayer.
The sale features a mix of the decorative and the functional. In addition to holiday ornaments, greeting cards, photography, and paintings, Sauce for the Goose offers one-of-a-kind ceramics, jewelry, hats, and scarves.
An annual event since 1995, the sale used to be a by-invitation only exhibition and sale lasting just a few days and featuring the work of Arts Council ceramics students. “We used to be the only outlet for local artists’ work, but that is no longer the case, said Arts Council Gallery Manager and sale organizer, Maria Evans. “What distinguishes ‘Sauce for the Goose’ from other sales, however, is that it takes place over more than a single day or a weekend.”
Ms. Evans has been running the event for the last five years. “Each year, I watch the artists get ready for the sale, which provides important income for local artists during the holiday season. Many of the artists have been participating for years.”
Arts Council teachers April Zay, Janet Felton, and John Scott Murdoch will feature their works in the sale. Ms. Zay works from photographs to create oil paintings of family pets. Set against a simple background, her pet portraits range from $250 to $300 according to size, with additional pets included at $50 per pet. Ms. Felton has handmade ceramic ornaments for $35, as well as teapots and luminaries, and John Scott Murdoch has tiny gilt-framed oil paintings for sale.
Collage artist Samanth Nguyen is new to the show this year. Ms. Nguyen will be selling original framed works as well as printed cards that come individually for $3 or in packs for $16.
Also new this year is a selection of machine washable children’s bibs ($20) and creativity smocks made by Kathleen Espamer using vintage patterned fabrics.
Holiday Shopping
Fleurage by Sally Strang is a collection of framed designs of hand-colored dried flowers behind glass that range between $115 and $175.
Princeton papermaker Judie Tobie crafts jewelry as well as decorative bowls and notebooks that are just the right size to tuck into a purse ready for those moments when you need a piece of paper to jot down a number or idea.
Bonnie Blader uses vintage beads in her one of a kind necklaces.
Hungarian-born Princeton resident Piroska Toth returns this year with more hats and scarves as well as wall hangings, and Jane Nowakowski has crochet hats and unusual scarves for sale.
A selection of decorative black and white dinnerware items including a jug, butter dish, cream and sugar, by the Lambertville potter Katherine Hackl, shares space with porcelain and stoneware by Hopewell potter Ursula Kaplowitz.
The sale features Helen Schwartz’s baskets and Cynthia Fisher’s hand-made pillows as well as picture frames made by an unnamed Ewing artist from case moldings found in abandoned local homes. “Each has a story behind it and was a labor of love to create,” reads the accompanying label. “Rather than end in a landfill after the home was demolished, these precious, old growth wood moldings compliment your art and beautify your home.”
Small items include flip books, and handmade magnetic refrigerator frames. Utrecht Art Supplies brushes, paints, and papers are also available.
Sauce for the Goose will also feature books and original collage illustrations by children’s author Dar Hosta, whose work is a favorite with educators. Ms. Hosta, who lives in Flemington, will be at the Contemporary Arts Council on Saturday, December 15, to sign copies of her latest production, If I Were a Tree. Her other titles: Mavis and Her Marvelous Mooncakes, I Love The Night, and I Love the Alphabet will also be available.
Other artists in the show include Andrea Bergman, Elizabeth Cook, Betty Curtiss, Jaya Devarajan, Susan Freeman, Tamara Frost, Antonia Germanos, Mary Julia Klephart, Tom Kimball, Stephen Lancy, Arlene Milgram, Martha Morgan, Stanley Nowakowski, Kathleen Preziosi, Libby Ramage, Maria Teresa Simao, Barbara Suomi, and Martha Vaughn.
“Sauce for the Goose Holiday Sale,” at the Arts Council’s conTEMPORARY Arts Center continues until Saturday, December 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (extended until 7 p.m. on Thursdays) and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, call (609) 924-8777 or visit www.artscouncilofprinceton.org.
Proceeds from the sale benefit programming at the Arts Council.