An Entire Month of Treats

And here we have it: the full month. Once unwrapped, these treasures fit a regular calendar page. The calendar in an earlier post, showing each package on its appointed day, was created on a large piece of poster board.

What an incredible variety this is! It's easy for me to see that many of these charms reflect the individual, and many used a favorite technique that seems to come as easy as breathing! For instance, Karyl's tiny book reflects her love of books and papers, and the ease with with she creates them.

Corey's bead, with such tiny leaf-shaped pieces (I thought to count them once, but decided I'd become totally awestruck and intimidated by her skill) cut from intricate cane, is a true polymer artist. And, although I don't know Kris, her bead certainly speaks of a love for this medium as well as great skill and practice. And then there is Jane, also someone I don't know, whose VT is rumored to be her first foray into creating with polymer cane.



Denise, for instance, has become a passionate needle-felter, along with being an extremely talented collage and mixed-media artist. And Pat makes magic with watercolor and crayons; her charm (day 26) only hints at what she can do with these simple materials. She combines her own brilliant papers with her bookbinding skills to create treasures I covet.

My intention is to provide you with an idea of the caliber of talent that made the month of August truly delightful! I certainly am not excluding anyone, but cite these women as examples of the mind-boggling talent and skill that is Artvent.

Most of the Artvent artists are people I've never met. The names of some are familiar, and I may have spent a Saturday afternoon at a class or demo with some of them. Some of these women I count among my friends, others are "friends in the making." I admire these 30 artists..........not just for their talent or participation in this wonderful month of surprises..........I admire them for their commitment to the project--after all, it can be a bit intimidating to approach creating 31 (or in the case of the over-achievers, far more than that!) of the same/similar thing. And I admire the commitment to working at their art, building skills, refining creative ideas. And I admire the courage it often takes to put ones creative work "out there." In spite of the doubts I know many artists experience about their own work, they extend themselves beyond self-criticism to share with others. Sharing the work makes it more real, and creates connections between people who would otherwise always remain strangers.