Skaneateles Artisans - Our Artists

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Skaneateles Artisans is proud to represent various local artist who wish to participate as consignors with our gallery.

Wendy Ballard - Chainmalle Jewelry

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Sharon Barno - Mosaic Mirrors

I have found great satisfaction in collecting antiques and vintage jewelry and reusing these items. Decorating mirrors with antiques and contemporary items is a way for me to present the past with a whimsical flare. My collection is called "Whimsical Reflections." The mirrors are created with a theme in mind and each one is unique.

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George Benedict - Paintings

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Noma Bliss - Artist

I have been working as an artist/illustrator for more than twenty five years. I consider myself a self taught artist. My work is currently showing in the Rochester Memorial Art Museum Store and other galleries in the US. My objective is to create one of a kind works of art that will enrich the lives of people, making a lasting imprint in their minds and hearts.

Noma and Jim Bliss - Artist

Noma and Jim Bliss are a husband wife team that not only work individually, but also collaborate on paintings together. The art that they design and create constitutes a body of work which addresses the current state of the world. Although there are negative happenings in the world, their art uplifts, pointing toward a future of greater hope. Some of the topics addressed in their art are about world hunger, pollution, moral decay, habitat destruction, global warming, and others. Noma initially outlines the concept on paper, and then Jim mounts the paper on to canvas, which he then paints. Noma adds finishing touches at the end.

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Janie Darovskikh - Sculptures

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Tom Dwyer

Fine Art Nature Photographer

While some form of photography has been part of my life since my early days in the United States Air Force in the '60's, it wasn't until I received a gift subscription to Outdoor Photographer magazine in 2000 that my interest in outdoor photography really began to grow.

I'm seldom without my camera so most of my images have developed close to home in Central and Upstate New York... the Finger Lakes and Adirondack regions primarily. I've also been fortunate in recent years to travel to what many consider prime photography locations such as the coast of Maine, southeast Alaska, the central coast of California, Arizona, Vermont, the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, the Great Smoky Mountains, Florida and more.

Still, as enjoyable as these locales are to photograph, it is always nice to get back home and to recognize the “beauty in our own backyard.”

The recognition of this “beauty in our backyard” is perhaps my greatest personal satisfaction. I’m always amazed at how often people viewing my images will appear surprised that most are local scenes. It makes little difference – sunsets, waterfalls, ice storms, wildflowers, mountains, local parks, or neighborhood streams – His beauty is all around us . . .we only need to see it.

For the most part, I take the photos that work for me, catch my interest, and will look good on the walls of my home and office. Still, it's a thrill to have others enjoy my images and to even want to hang them in their homes or offices.

While everyday, photography becomes a bigger part of my life, since my days in the Air Force most of my livelihood has come from work as a writer and editor, initially as Senior Staff Writer for the Air Force’s Airman’s Magazine, then upon leaving the Air Force as Senior Editor for Boys’ Life Magazine published by the Boy Scouts of America. When the BSA headquarters was moved from North Brunswick, NJ in 1977-78 my wife and I decided that the new location in Texas was too far from home and family and would require raising our children outside the influence of our families, so I embarked on my life as a freelance writer and independent business owner.

By 1984 I had gravitated to the custom publishing business and opened a company that is known today as Pinnacle Publications and publishes custom magazines for businesses. Photography assumes an ever growing role in my life and today you’ll find my Natural Images in galleries and shows throughout New York State and in increasingly in publications near and wide.

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Rosha Folger - Mixed Media

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Allison Gates - Photography

Allison Gates is an experienced painter, photographer with degrees in fine art & forensic psychology. Being both a city dweller and an Adirondacker inspires Allison to create modern interpretations of natural environments. Her painting-like photographs use color & composition to transcend the familiar into fresh & unique visual experiences.

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James Guinta - Silver Jewelry

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Rudy Hellmann - Photography

I love seeing things, both literally and figuratively. A photograph has the ability to capture a mosaic of light and shadow and present that moment in time in a medium that can be viewed again and again by a multitude of people. This allows me to share with the viewer some of the things that I have seen. Each image tells a story, and whether or not you see the exact same narrative that I envision isn‘t all that important. What is important, is that you are able to create your own little vision based on your own life’s experiences. After all, we see with our brains, not our eyes.

Along with photography, I’ve always loved paintings. The photos you see here are done with a technique known as “Polaroid Transfer.” A Polaroid is exposed and peeled apart prematurely. It is then immediately placed against wet watercolor paper and the dyes are transferred to the paper. This gives the photograph a more painted feel. By varying the development and transfer times, the images can become quite abstract. The original photos were done with 8 X 10 inch Polaroid film, whose dyes are unstable and start to fade relatively quickly. The transfers are subsequently scanned and enlarged for preservation and to make a bolder statement. All photos are then printed on 100% archival cotton rag paper using stable pigmented inks. All mats are also 100% museum quality cotton for longevity.

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Jean Henry - Fabric Art/Clothing

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Mary Beth Horsington - Fabric Art/Pillows

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Jason R. Howard - Glass

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Tom Hussey - Oil paintings

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Noel Keith - Fabric Art/ Purses

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Shawn Kennedy - Glass

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Carol Lukovich - Pine Needle Art

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Elizabeth Moldenhauer - fiber arts (nonwearable)

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Sandy Moore - Primitive Art

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Mike Pisegna - Wood vessesls/boxes, etc.

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David & Daritta Reyen - Fabric Art/Clothing

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Jerry Russell - Acrylics, Oils, & Watercolors

Jerry Russell grew up in Cicero, NY and graduated from Cicero High School in 1977. He studied architecture and fine art at Onondaga Community College and went on to earn a BFA in Illustration from Syracuse University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts.

Jerry established his illustration and design business, STUDIO 309, in 1991 after several years of freelancing and agency work in the graphics industry. During the first five years of STUDIO 309, he also taught Graphic Design and Desktop Publishing at Onondaga Community College.

Jerry’s professional work includes editorial illustration, traditional and digital illustration for packaging and marketing, digital 3D modeling and technical cutaways, as well as a few painting commissions thrown in for good measure. Some of his commercial artwork is produced using traditional media like acrylics, watercolor or pen and ink, or by combining traditional with digital media.

Apart from commercial illustration, Jerry enjoys working on landscapes and still-lifes in acrylics, oils and watercolors. His paintings have shown locally and regionally and have won several awards in juried shows.

“What is it that influences how, or why I make art? Light, shadow, color and elements of nature that strike a nostalgic chord. Even in a still life, the arrangement will often contain a shell, a flower, a feather... Playing in the woods, looking for snakes, chasing crayfish, collecting fossils, climbing trees—these were the activities that occupied my time as a child, and sometimes—as a middle aged man. And, oh yes, drawing.
My earliest influence was my uncle Don, who fostered my enthusiasm for both art and science. He introduced me to fossils, crystals and Bunsen burners; and also to Wyeth, Eakins, Cézanne and VanGogh. Never one to settle on a style, my work wanders among the influences of these artists and how they interpret the landscape, light and shadow, atmosphere.”

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Stephen Ryan - Watercolors

Stephen Ryan is a career, professional, graphic artist who has always
been fascinated with the exhilarating challenge of impressionistic, wet-to-wet watercolors. “You don’t get any second chances with watercolors.
The paints take you where they want to go -it’s a constant, struggling
collaboration until I reach the final image.”

“People are my favorite subjects, because, what makes us interesting
is how different we all are. There is so much you can read into a person and
situation. The best part, however, is hearing what the viewer takes away as an impression, when exposed to my art. It’s as different as the subjects I paint.”

He has exhibited at multiple art galleries in Central New York and his work is
in numerous art collections both regionally and nationally.

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Marian Settineri - Colored Pencil Wall Art

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Yolanda Tooley

Why Photography

Because it can do so many things: I can hand color it to make it sing a pretty song; I can collage it to express complex ideas/feelings; I can intensify a dark mood, and mood is what drew me in the first place—black & white, so simple, yet so complex, just forms and lines, yet emitting such powerful emotion. Photography loosed my tongue, it speaks for me when I am mute, it enables me to stave off the silence, to deliver my art, and to perhaps arouse a few souls with my progeny.

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Patricia Tucker - Oils, Acrylics and Pastels

I started painting about five years ago while going though a difficult period in my life. Prior to that time, I expressed my creativity by sewing, crocheting, gardening, woodworking, restoring old houses, through culinary endeavors, entertaining, and raising children. While painting, I found a combination of peace and passion, and I was pleased to receive encouragement and praise from family and friends. One friend in particular, an artist friend of mine, encouraged me to pursue this talent and newfound passion. Consequently, I began taking various art classes at a community college followed by doing some local art workshops. Now, whether I am painting with acrylics or oils, whether I am drawing with charcoal, crayons, pencils, or pastels, and whether the subject matter is a figure, a portrait, a landscape, or an abstract, the thread between all of my work is that I share a glimpse of myself – mind, heart, and soul.

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Lisa Twombly - Jeweler

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I have always loved to make things with my hands. I am a hands-on learner and like to figure things out on my own, so for the most part I am self taught. I feel that discovering techniques and processes on your own puts less parameters on your creativity. It was a natural progression to creating jewelry. I am in constant wonderment because of the many materials available to work with and endless techniques to discover and master from wire wrapping a bead to the fine art of photographing a finished piece for publication. I can feed my desire to learn something new such as working with PMC (precious metal clay) to make components, and move on to something else, such as making lampwork glass beads. I look forward to a long career making jewelry.

I tend to make things that are ultra feminine and classic, with the occasional trendy item. Currently, my favorite metal to work with is sterling silver. I use gold filled wire and components as well. I'm also very much into precious and semi-precious gemstones, and freshwater pearls. I find them versatile and classy, and staples for any woman's jewelry box. My latest fetish is making gemstone and pearl "clusters" to accent my designs. This plays to the ultra feminine side of my jewelry.

I have an AAS degree in Secretarial Science as well as a degree in Medical Transcription and have worked in the corporate world, for a private business, and for a philanthropic organization. Each has their own set of benefits and drawbacks. I have been graced with the opportunity to have lived in Asia as well as to have traveled all over the world. I draw from all of my life experiences in my creative process. I am grateful for the opportunity to do what I love and am passionate about and to be able to share this with other people.

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Shauna Walsh - Glass

Glass artist, Shauna Walsh, finds inspiration in the natural surroundings of her secluded studio. She is fortunate to have a furnace capable of reaching temperatures of 2000 degrees necessary to work with molten glass. She uses steel rods and blowpipes to form the fluid glass into different shapes such as roundel’s (plates), vases, perfume bottles, bowls and paperweights. The molten glass is clear to begin with. She adds color and works it in as layers and patterns while it is in the molten state. Shaping the molten glass is an acrobatic process using steel tongs and soaked cherry wood cups and paddles.

She also makes a wide range of glass jewelry, including earrings, pins and barrettes. She fuses pieces of blown glass to form abstract collages of color and shape. Her very popular tiny vases go through every process that the larger vases do.

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Magdeleine Wellner - Enamels