The BIG day finally arrived and I'm happy to report that I was ready for it!
Friday was perfectly sunny and crisp--a great day for my drive to Southern Maryland. By 10:30 am I had loaded up my Jeep and hit the highway. I cruised into Leonardtown around 12:30 pm, just in time to meet Kim & Ellen returning to the gallery with coffee & chai tea in hand.
We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging our display frames on the gallery walls, arranging our jewelry, making price tags, and writing our inventory lists.
At 5 pm, the opening reception began, and I held my breath... wondering if anyone would actually leave their home on a cold winter night just to come see our work. Well, thankfully the chimes on the front door began to jingle and a steady flow of passers-by made their way into the gallery. One woman told us that she had received the gallery's electonic announcement, and had come all the way from Washington, D.C. to see the show.
Kim's aunt (Rose Beitzell, co-owner of the Heron's Way Gallery) kept the wine flowing and the appetizer platters full of cheese and grapes. Early in the evening, Kim's mom dropped in to see our exhibit and to deliver a steaming pot of homemade Ribolita (Tuscan soup with lots of bread!) Needless to say, there were no starving artists on the premises that evening.
Friday was perfectly sunny and crisp--a great day for my drive to Southern Maryland. By 10:30 am I had loaded up my Jeep and hit the highway. I cruised into Leonardtown around 12:30 pm, just in time to meet Kim & Ellen returning to the gallery with coffee & chai tea in hand.
We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging our display frames on the gallery walls, arranging our jewelry, making price tags, and writing our inventory lists.
At 5 pm, the opening reception began, and I held my breath... wondering if anyone would actually leave their home on a cold winter night just to come see our work. Well, thankfully the chimes on the front door began to jingle and a steady flow of passers-by made their way into the gallery. One woman told us that she had received the gallery's electonic announcement, and had come all the way from Washington, D.C. to see the show.
Kim's aunt (Rose Beitzell, co-owner of the Heron's Way Gallery) kept the wine flowing and the appetizer platters full of cheese and grapes. Early in the evening, Kim's mom dropped in to see our exhibit and to deliver a steaming pot of homemade Ribolita (Tuscan soup with lots of bread!) Needless to say, there were no starving artists on the premises that evening.
(Ellen McBride's witty, vintage-inspired necklaces)
The next day (Saturday), we headed back to the gallery for our demonstration day.
The Three Hip Chicks (from left to right) me, Ellen McBride, & Kim Nelson
I set up my soldering iron and showed how I magically seal my designs in glass.
Meanwhile, Ellen & Kim set out a trays of their handmade charms and encouraged visitors to select a few. Once the selection was complete, Ellen & Kim attached the pieces to bracelets or necklaces.
People designed beautiful charm bracelets (like the one below) for themselves.
It was a fantastic, creative weekend! And I met so many people--even a few fellow artists, like Tammy Vitale--who came down to support us & the gallery. Sharing my jewelry and my techniques with other people felt really good. This was the first time I've done a demo, and I'll definitely look for more opportunities to do it. And, as I suspected, working with Kim & Ellen was inspiring! We all agreed that we're want to do a show together & demo again--maybe as soon as this spring.
