Chris Hughes

Chris is completely self-taught and did not begin his woodcarving until later in life. A 50-cent instructional book bought at a Good Will Book Sale almost 20 years ago ignited his interest in carving. His love of animals, horses in particular, has been a great influence in his carving projects.

A sampling of the individually carved birds and animals available are:

●Hummingbirds
●Wrens
●Birds of Prey
●Horses
●Other Livestock
●Deer

●Dolphins
●Squirrels
●Turtles
●Kangaroos

Chris M. Hughes
Phone: 706-742-7560
e-mail: carvingsbycmh@att.net

Custom Orders Welcomed

David Morgan

David Morgan's pottery is richly glazed in colors such as copper red and layered with other hues. Looking into a vessel is like gazing into a deep pool of gorgeous, saturated color.
Though he works in the functional tradition, David considers his work to be more contemporary than traditional in effect. He draws inspiration from nature, integrating natural motifs and patterns such as carved leaves, fish and birds into his pieces. He often carves the outside of the piece using a scraffito (also "sgraffito") technique in which a layer of clay is painted on the outside and then carved through to show the contrasting color underneath. He also draws and paints on many of his pieces with clay slip.

David Morgan has been making functional stoneware for 30 years.

Doug Carmichael

Doug Carmichael is a Madison County sculptor who works primarily in metal and wire. An avid collector of misunderstood treasure, it is not surprising to find everyday objects and natures own bounties incorporated into his work. His artful combination of recycled and reclaimed metal parts have such an enormous personality, they demand to become a part of your environment.

Doug's creatures can be found lurking in yards and on porches from Boston to San Francisco.

Jennifer Manzella - Junkhaus Designs, Athens, GA

in Jennifer's words:

I am an artist living in Athens, Ga and I do a little of everything from prints to candles. My printmaking work is a mixture of monotype, etching, and relief processes. I've been a printmaker and an educator for the past five years that I've lived in Athens, Georgia. Currently I teach foundation art classes at Gainesville State College on the Oakwood Campus and printmaking classes at the Lyndon House Arts Center located near downtown Athens.

I've always had a real strong connection to the outdoors especially the woods and landscape of the east coast and hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2003. After that my work took on a very organic aesthetic and I began using patterns and textures from plants and local plant materials. I like to think that now I'm living off the land through my artwork and my craft.

I became interested in making books and paper-making while I was a graduate student at UGA and in a study-abroad program in Cortona, Italy during the summer of 2005. It was here that I started making paper out of natural fibers and plants then constructing books out of that paper. When I returned to Georgia I began transforming things such as Kudzu, Canna Lily, and Okra into books and sculptural installations.

For my handmade journals I use a drum leaf binding technique which is a non-sewn binding that opens flat and creates a beautiful, clean structure. The inside paper is 100% cotton rag paper. The covers of the journals are made with hand-printed rag paper and various handmade papers.

My candle-making craft developed in 1999 - 2001 when I worked for an independent handmade candle company called Burning Butterfly out of Union City, New Jersey. Since then I've been looking for cleaner and more ecologically balanced solutions to making candles using materials such as Soy wax and Palm wax. These are re-newable materials as opposed to the more commonly used Paraffin waxes which are petroleum based. The wonderful thing about Soy wax is that it burns clean (no soot), it cleans up with hot water and soap, and burns longer than Paraffin! I only use quality essential oils for the scents rather than synthetic fragrances.

Barbara Bendzunas

Barbara is returning to clay after being involved in blowing and slumping glass. Her love of the medium is infectious. She does whimsical sculpture, vases and pots, as well as having years of being a functional potter behind her. Clay is the most liberating of artistic mediums. If you don't like what you did, wad it up, smush it a couple of times, and try again. No angst over making it perfect the first time, unlike having to face that pristine, expensive, white sheet of paper or canvas.

Come share her enthusiasm and skills in her newly expanded studio!

http://clayclassesbybarbarab.blogspot.com/

Peter Loose

Peter is an incredible artist and a dear friend. My family (and I mean all of us!) are collectors of his work. My boys' room is filled with his pieces that have been chosen specifically by them. Our walls seem "to talk" with the personalities of his creatures, and we always look forward to seeing what Peter will have up his sleeve!

Peter was born in Silver Springs, Maryland and has always been fascinated by nature. He spent his childhood splashing in creeks and hiking in the woods. As a result of his interests, he became a state park naturalist and a naturalist for the Audubon Society.

In 1986 he moved to Athens, Georgia to work at the Sandy Creek Nature Center. Shortly after moving to Georgia, he bought a set of water color paints and attempted to illustrate and produce a field guide to local wildlife. Frustrated with his 'messy painting' he quit, telling himself that "painting is too hard". About two years later a period of emotional stress and physical illness led Peter back to water colors. This time with no goal in mind he began to create strange little paintings dominated splotches of color on typing paper. Encouraged by friends and motivated by a constant will to paint, he soon switched to acrylics and store-bought canvas. The first of these, him as a fish, was completed in one evening during which the splotches of color turned into thickly applied dots and dashes. His strange little paintings had evolved into the whimsy he creates today.

We are so fortunate Peter calls Madison County home, and we are thrilled that he has participated with us since the market began four years ago. Stop by and see Peter November 14th. He loves to chat, and you'll enjoy listening to his stories!

Laura Bowen

Since most people see Laura as an organizer of the market, she actually gets very little attention for the beautiful art she creates. In addition to all of the time she volunteers to making the market a huge success, she is equally hard at work as a participating artist. She is known for her dried flower arrangements; however, this year she is using her leaves and blooms in an entirely new way!

In Laura's words:

Everywhere I go I am always looking for flowers or leaves to collect for my artwork. Last fall, I made my daughter pull over in downtown Athens so I could pick up fallen Gingko leaves off of the sidewalk, and yes in the curb of the street. She acted like she didn’t know who I was! This past summer, I lugged two big bundles of fresh lavender all the way home from the Great Northwest. The smell was intoxicating and the entire airplane was the better for it!

I have been creating artwork with my pressed foliage for the past ten years now. I love to grow things, and this is my way of making the beauty of the garden last a little longer. It has been very therapeutic for me especially during the hard times of my life.

I also like to leaf-print just about any surface that I can think of. This year I came across some so-soft organic cotton fabric, and a friend of mine supplied me with a whole roll of rich-green silk. So, I did what comes natural to me and leaf-printed the fabric and then sewed them into scarves. I have plenty of fabric left over so if have a special leaf you would like printed on a scarf – just let me know!

Laura Bowen is a resident of Madison County and co-founder and co-coordinator of the Madison County Artist Market. She lives on a farm with her husband, two children, seven cows, one horse, five cats, three dogs and one crazy goat.

Teresa Atkinson

Teresa is a friend who we've been trying to recruit for a couple of years now. She finally caved! Teresa offers such a large variety of items we've never offered before - so many items that you'll just have to come see! Please take a moment to welcome Teresa to our market this year.

in Teresa's own words:

I come from a long tradition of talented, creative people. I learned to crochet by watching over my Nanny's shoulder. My mom sews, quilts, and crochets and still makes incredibly beautiful things even though the stroke from three years ago left her with some limitations. I have always made things. The year I married and was college kid poor, I made all our Christmas ornaments out of wooden children's blocks. I don't sit still well, and with two athletes at my house, I have plenty of time to sit. So I keep a craft bag (survival kit) with me all the time. A lot of my creations are handwork created during ball games. My interests and creative endeavors are widely varied. I have stacks of notebooks and journals filled with inspiration - photos - quotes. "Angel words" and word/font art make me oh so very happy. Creating is as much a part of me as breathing. My studio is a renovated cotton house on our property that I convinced the man at my address to help me create. It's not fancy, but it is MINE (although I willingly share that space as often as I can.) I've been married 24 years. Molly is 19 and a sophomore at Piedmont College. Abby is 16 and a Junior at MCHS. I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP. Contact via email or blog:

teresahome@juno.com

http://www.maggiegracecreates.blogspot.com/

Perry McCrackin

Perry was born in Demorest, Georgia and graduated from Habersham Central High School. Although he had painted as a child and would always doodle on Blue Horse notebook paper while in school, it wasn’t until he was a senior in high school that he took art seriously. In the fall of 1976, he attended Piedmont College on a full art scholarship but decided to join the Marines. In June 1977, Perry entered the United States Marine Corp and served our country four years. Being a member of the Marines deeply enriched his life and expanded his perceptions of the world. He did very little painting while serving in the Marines. In 1985, he attended North Georgia Technical College and completed the course for Master Cosmetologist. He traded his paintbrush for scissors and comb. At that time he didn’t realize that both painting and coloring hair would cross paths. Like painting, the opportunity to study hair coloring techniques opened a new world for him. Perry discovered there is very little difference in “theory” of paint and color for hair. He is not afraid to try techniques with hair color or paint. Like a clean head of hair, he is fascinated with painting and thrilled when he starts each new project - whether it be painting or hair. In 2008, one of his paintings was accepted by the Art in the Air Billboard project in association with the Athens Leisure Services and Lyndon House Arts Center. Paintings will be rotated through out Clarke County in 2009. Recently, one of his paintings was accepted into the Juried Art show at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Ga. You can visit Perry's blog at:

http://perrymccrackin.blogspot.com/

Brandy Christian - guest artist

I am pleased to introduce you all to a guest artist for the market this year. Brandy is traveling to us from Northwest Georgia. While I feel as if I've known her forever, we've actually never met! I can say, though, that she is one of the kindest people I've ever encountered and has a serious talent with a sewing machine. I must have one of everything she makes! Please take the opporunity to visit Brandy at the market in November...you won't be disappointed!

in Brandy's words:

I started sewing sometime last year and fell in love. My grandmother (Nana) taught me the basics of pinning patterns, hemming, and seams. After being taught those skills, I have really been a self-taught seamstress. I have a true love for putting the most trendy fabrics together and making 'SewCute' items. The items I place in SewCute Shop are my favorites, and I am very happy to make them for you.

In March 2009, my best friend's little boy was suddenly diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) - a degenerative brain disease. The movie 'Lorenzo's Oil was made to bring awareness to this newly discovered disease. In early April, Joel, Teresa and Riley Greene (aka TEAMGREENE) were moved from Chattanooga, TN to Durham, NC where Riley would spend what they thought 100 days after receiving a bone marrow transplant. Due to complications, this week marks 133 TEAMGREENE has been in Duke Hospital. I made a pledge to donate all proceeds from SewCute Shop to TEAMGREENE until they returned home to Chattanooga. For me sewing has become much more than just a hobby - it has been a small part of what allows my best friend to stay by her son's side. For more information on TEAMGREENE, visit www.carepages.com/carepages/teamgreene. (create username/password)

When I'm not sewing away, I enjoy spending time with my fabulous husband, Ty, and two children Autumn (9) and Tyler (2).

http://sewcuteshop.typepad.com/

Marcia Bacon Connolly

Marcia Bacon Connolly is a Carlton-area artist who works in a variety of media, After completing a degree in Art Education, Marcia encountered a middle school student who could fluently read anything put in front of him, but couldn't answer the most basic questions about what he had read. As a result, Marcia became a Learning Disabilities teacher, and has taught in South Dakota, Texas, and in the Madison and Oglethorpe County school districts. Now she works at the University of Georgia's Main Library, and has a bit more time for art-making. This year, Marcia has concentrated on small prismacolor drawings of birds, rabbits and other local critters, mounted in painted Dollar Store frames. There will also be several larger drawings with a funky, narrative style, and encaustic (melted crayon) drawings. She's been making art of one kind or another for as long as she can remember.

Artist Market Flyer

Ninth grade students taking Computer Applications I are responsible for the fantasic flyer created for the 2009 market! We are so very fortunate for their participation, enthusiasm and creativity each year. Currently, they are learning Word and Desktop publishing skills and used Microsoft publisher to create the flyer. Melody Christian is their teacher and shared with me their excitement about participating in designing a flyer for a real event. Melody said, "Whenever students see the correlation between the real world and the skills they are learning in class, they are very motivated. As a teacher, I love to provide my students community service opportunities."

If you are interested in helping distribute these flyers, please contact Laura Bowen for copies.

Thank you to Melody Christian and her students for contributing to the marketing success of the show!

Mike Jones

Mike Jones is a sculptor and jazz musician who lives in Carlton. He's a free lance granite sculptor working in the Elberton monument industry. He will have sculpture available in stone, wood and mixed media. You can see some of his larger pieces as well as other work at: carltonartfactory.blogspot.com

Patty Coulter

Upon retiring from her position as a high school art teacher, Patty turned her attention to relief printmaking,concentrating on Linoleum Reduction Block Printing. Relief printmaking is where areas are cut out of a material, usually wood or linoleum blocks, using special tools. Printing ink is then rolled onto the surface of the block, paper is pressed on top and a barren is used to rub the ink onto the paper. The paper is pulled away from the block and the printed image is revealed. In the Reduction Method, each color is printed on top of the other, with a cutting away of the linoleum between printings to reveal the color below. All steps must be planned in advance, even the amount in the edition you will be printing, because there are no adjustments or turning back once the first cut is made.

" I am most influenced by the Japanese print makers and the Arts and Crafts Movement, mainly in style, subject matter, and composition. Linoleum Reduction Block Printing enables me to employ several artistic processes, from the preliminary drawings of subject matter to the interpretation of this drawing into a stylized image, from the use of all the specialized tools, to the mixing of the inks, to pulling of the final print of an edition. Although each print is pulled from the same block, each is slightly different, making each a surprise and each an original."

Samantha Barnum

Samantha Barnum is the Visual Art teacher at the Madison County High School. We initially asked Samantha to organize a group of art students from the high school who would sell their work at the market this year; however, we are pleased beyond measure that she will be joining us as an artist in the show as well. Samantha will be selling a variety of functional dinnerware and artwork at this year's market. She has an MFA from the University of Georgia in painting and drawing and formerly worked at R.Wood Studio in Athens, GA, where she learned slab-building ceramic techniques.

Stephanie Astalos-Jones

Stephanie Astalos-Jones is a Madison County artist and actress who makes pysanky (Ukrainian eggs) and pysanky jewelry. The art of pysanky is an ancient tradition full of symbolism and folklore. The ornaments look fabulous on a Christmas tree. You can see more at www.pysankyjewels.com, carltonartfactory.blogspot.com ( a picture blog of Stephanie and her sculptor husband, Mike) and carltonartfactory.etsy.com.

Autumn Strickland

Autumn’s introduction to art was by her mother, an art educator. She has studied art and interior design at the University of Georgia and with numerous renowned instructors. All of her paintings are of oil medium, with a variety of subject matter, ranging from landscape, still life
to wildlife. Her work has been published in the Northeast Georgia Living Magazine, St.Simons Island coffee table book, Southern Distinction Magazine and featured in several local news papers.

She resides in Danielsville with her husband George Strickland, owner of Madison County Hardware and Building Supply. They have two children, Tripp and Amanda Strickland, daughter-in-law, Carlton, granddaughter, Emily and grandson Robert.

Her passion is to lift someone’s spirit, or capture their heart with emotion by her humble interpretation of God’s Beauty.

Exhibitions: Ritz-Carlton-Atlanta, Summer House- Highlands, Burton Gallery - Clarkesville, Athens Country Club, Quinlan Visual Arts Center-Gainesville, Sautee-Nacoochee Art Center, Aurum Studios-Athens and many more.

Autumn’s studio in her home is open to the public by appointment. 706-795-3295. E-mail, afstrickland@windstream.net.

Pat Shields & Janice Hall Shields - Georgia Mudcats Pottery

It is only fitting that I feature this couple as the first artists on the artist market blog. I met Janice and Pat nearly five years ago when my oldest son was about 18 months old. He was drawn to their work, even as a baby. We still have that tiny face jug he insisted on buying at our very first meeting. We've collected as a family ever since! When making the decision to start the artist market four years ago, we called them first. And, they have been with us since the inaugural year. Join us in November to have the chance to see their amazing work in person.

Patrick Shields and Janice Hall Shields began studying southern pottery traditions in the early 1990's. Intrigued by the dynastic nature of the art's history, Pat and Janice began visiting North Georgia potters and were invited to try turning a pot. They became hooked on pottery making after visiting and apprenticing intermittently with Bobby Ferguson of Gillsville, Georgia and Jerry Brown of Hamilton, Alabama. Soon there was no turning back and they began building the equipment necessary for their pottery shop.

Over the past seventeen years, Janice and Pat have visited potters in many of the southeastern states. While they have adopted and strive to maintain many of the traditional methods used in the southern cottage pottery industry, they have also gained much knowledge from contemporary potters and now incorporate some modern techniques into their production. They work full time at their studio near Danielsville, Georgia and invite visitors to the shop by appointment.
Their accumulated experience and creative expression shows itself well in the functional stoneware and decorative folk art wares they produce. Every pot produced at Georgia Mudcats Pottery is made from native clay, wheel thrown, and individually hand decorated. Janice and Pat mix each batch of glaze from raw ingredients using traditional or original recipes and all pots are wood fired by the artists.

Janice and Pat have been featured in Southern Living magazine, The Athens Banner Herald and Northeast Georgia Living magazine.

Welcome to Art in Madison County!

The 4th annual Madison County Artist Market will be held Saturday, November 14, from 9am to 4pm. This market will be held at the historic courthouse, downtown Danielsville, only 20 minutes from Athens, GA. The artists participating this year are truly the area's finest. You won't want to miss this show! It is the perfect opportunity to wrap up all of your holiday shopping before the rush of the season actually begins. There is literally something for everyone on your gift list! This blog will be filled with posts featuring all of the artists participating in the market. So, bookmark this blog or better yet become a follower. You will see the "follower" section on the side bar to the right. You can be the first to get a sneak-peak of the treasures of our county!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS TODAY!!