Last weekend I went to the open house at Riker Art Park. This is where I spend most of my Thursday nights taking metalsmithing lessons. There are many artists at Riker and they all open their studios twice a year to give everyone a peek at their art form. Although we were in the midst of a heatwave last weekend the place was booming. The jazz musicians played and I bought a lot of gifts for my wedding party. So here is a peek at the Riker Art Park Open House:
This is Sue Sachs. She is my very talented instructor who is oh-so-patient with me on Thursday nights. She creates wonderful jewelry and sculptural pieces with an organic feel to them. If you happen to live in North Jersey and are interested in taking lessons contact me, because Sue is a wonderful teacher.
This is the soldering station inside Sue's student studio. There is room for 5 students so you really get her full attention when you are there. The first time I used the torch I was sooooo scared. Now I can't wait to sit down and enamel or solder when I'm up there.
There is some wonderful pottery to be found at Riker Art Park but my favorite are the pieces made by Carla. Carla makes these amazing leaf dishes and mini vases. If you are looking for pottery lessons, this is the place to go. I purchased several pieces from Carla as gifts for my wedding party.
Also up at Riker Art Park...
is a weaver. How wonderful are those colors? She shares a space with a mixed-media artist. Unfortunately those photos came out blurry!
Stone sculptors at work...
A recently completed piece. How amazing is that?
Also up at Riker Art Park is a glass blower, painters, photographers and more! There is another open house in the fall and I highly recommend coming and spending a few hours up there. It's really a wonderful place!
Speaking of Riker, I'll be up there tomorrow working on some enameled pieces for the shop. As soon as I get some decent photography weather (cloudy day) I'll be posting. Also, stay tuned for a tutorial on metal bangles + alcohol inks!
Happy Summer!
