The Wide World of Art

Summertime!

2009-07-02T09:53:00.001-07:00

Summer has finally arrived with a drip & some drops! We have had sooo much rain here in north central WV that we are really ready for some sunshine! We have had a wonderful book signing & reading by new artist/author Joey Madia. His new book "The Jester-Knight" is a wonderful fantasy fiction novel with a underlying message of good, especially for teens. He & his wife Tonya are working to create a new Art Center in Fairmont to house their theatre company. Tonya is a delightfully creative artist in her own right with her Sock Monkey O Grams, made with handmade sockmonkey dolls. We are carrying both of their products here in the gallery. We are getting things ready for our one time only a year sale. This year we will be having it on Aug. 29th, Sat. from 10-3. We will be having items up to 75% off. Each artist will be invited to participate & they will be able to determine their own mark off of their art so we will have a large variety of markdowns. This will be a great opportunity to pick up some handcrafted items for Christmas presents, birthdays or anniversaries. Please join us that Saturday. As always, feel free to contact us to ask about any gift giving ideas. We can usually come up with some fun, innovative ways to honor your friends & family with gifts they could not find anywhere else! Have a safe & jubilant 4th of July & don't forget to take a moment to remember those who are serving in harm's way overseas as well as those who didn't come home alive. They are the reason we can celebrate this holiday with such fun & ease.

Art is Blooming in WV!

2009-05-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

Art is blooming in WV! With the weather becoming nicer, people are starting to get out to see what's new in our area. We have new pansies planted in our window boxes & it is so nice to see their bright faces every morning as I arrive at the gallery. The trees in downtown Fairmont have been blooming and every where you look to see signs of new growth both in nature & in the business world. Work on the downtown connector from the interstate is coming along nicely so soon you will be able to get off I79 & be only 1.5 miles from downtown Fairmont! Easy off, come shop and eat, then easy back on and on your way! We have a few new events to tell you about...first, we will be having a book signing by Fairmont native Jeannette Macdonald on Sat. May 23 from 10-2. Her new book, The Girl From Gladden Street, is a group of essays about her early life in Fairmont including her struggles with a dysfunctional family. It is a book about struggle and hope which speaks to each of us in some way. I also want to tell you about a new art school opening in downtown Bridgeport called Winter's Art & Soul. She is offering classes to adults and kids in watercolor, drawing and other media. Take a look at her website for further details, www.wintersartandsoul.vpweb.com. I guarantee you will have great fun! Just a reminder-let us know if we can help you with gift ideas for graduation or weddings. We have many affordable & unique gifts we can help you with. Until next time! Vicki

Wine, Women & Wow!

2009-04-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

We finally see the sunshine sneaking in after the last few months of teasing. So the weather will be perfect to come down to see us at Wine, Women & Wow on Sun. 4/26 from 1-6 at the Old Towne Center in downtown Bridgeport WV. We will be having 11 women artists & business owners to choose from. Rose Bettis with Winterglas will be having her hand lampworked glass jewelry & beads, Kami Wilfong with MaryMeryle Designs will be having her vintage jewelry, Rhonda Lemke Sanford will be showing her watercolor creations, Melissa May will be featuring her visual art, Marianne Martin will be displaying her wares from Pampered Chef, Char Ice will be displaying her portraits, Beverly Slider from Travel Emporium will be showcasing travel opportunities for women, Deborah Kisner will show her handknit scarves & wraps, Winter Dawn will be there to give Tarot Card readings (she is fabulous!) and Michelle Duez with Carol Anderson by Invitation will display the clothing you can order. Of course I will be there with all kinds of art from my store there. We will have wine, lemonade and nibbles to encourage the kind of fun and atmosphere we have come to know & love at our Wine, Women & Wow events. Hope you can join us to get ideas or gifts for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Weddings & Graduation. We will have jewelry, pottery, art glass, books, scarves, clothing, paintings,kitchen wares & predictions of the future...what more do you need?!

Upcycling.

2009-03-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

Spring is finally here! Is it me or did this Winter seems so long & dreary?! I think it was compounded by all the chaos in the economy. It just seemed everyone was just trying to hang on and make it through to the light. I hope the light has arrived. It's funny how life twists & turns to put you back on your path without you realizing that you had strayed. I have been worried about upgrading my skills so that I can make more high end fine jewelry when this nice big timeout came along in the economy to make me realize that I can use the skills I have now to help people to embrace the new economy by Upcycling. Upcycling is using some of the items you already have to be combined with some new parts to spiff it up into a whole new piece of fabulous! It so reduces you carbon footprint by using parts already manufactured so there is not the damage to the environment for extraction of the raw materials. A couple of new beads added or a new chain can make it into an up to date piece that is completely unique! Let me help you to do it! Go right now to your jewelry box and find pieces that are broken or out of date. I mean it...go right now! Let's make it into something that you wear & love. It is a great gift idea to pass on a family piece to a new graduate or as a Mother's Day gift. After you have shopped in your own home, go outside and realize what a beautiful place you live in. It is a time of renewal & hope!

Copper Abstract

2009-01-15T13:00:00.001-08:00

2009 Welcome!

2009-01-15T12:46:00.000-08:00

So 2009 arrives like a ticked off creature of mythology! Just the kind of atmosphere that encourages change and growth. So we are launching into it with both feet. First on the agenda is our new website, www.vittoriabanks.com , which will feature all of the artists from our gallery. You can buy online and request custom orders from the comfort of your own home. We are celebrating February with the 2009 Chocolate Tasting Tour in historic downtown Fairmont WV. We will be offering some cool chocolate nibbles and hot cider on Saturday, Feb. 7th from 10-2. Come get good ideas for Valentine's Day. We have new artists and new products to choose from or we can rework and remake some jewelry you already have. You know the Green Credo is "Reduce, Recycle and Reuse". I also have items on Etsy.com which is a portal for all handmade items from all over the world. They have some fabulous things. Look for me at Vittoriabanks. Our tip of the day is : After polishing your silver jewelry, keep it in a ziploc baggie with a small piece of white chalk. The chalk with absorb moisture and the ziploc will keep out air which are the two main components of tarnish. Until next time!
Vicki

Welcome Fall!

2008-09-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

It has been a very eventful summer. Both joy and sorrow abound in my life. My daughter went to a fabulous Fine Arts camp for 3 weeks and just blossomed. I am so proud to have raised a daughter with feet strong enough for her to stand on alone. It is so difficult not to try to tie her to me so that I am sure she will always be there but how grateful I am that she can venture out on her own and thrive then come home and want to share her experiences with me. Cancer has raised its shadow in both sides of my family with no real hope of a good outcome other than to teach the rest of us how fragile our lives are and to wring every ounce of fun and happiness out of life while you can. I have been having a great time creating jewelry using some of the techniques I learned during my week at Arrowmont. I met some incredible chicks who are creative and giving. We surely made some memories as well as some memorable art. Horse showing season is winding down with the last show next weekend. Marina has been having a fabulous year and looks so beautiful and graceful on her horse. Getting ready to launch a new website which will feature all the beautiful art from my gallery. Trying to ride the wave of the technology wave. Now to dive into the rush to the Christmas season! However, before I begin that I will be spending 5 days in New York city with my husband to celebrate our 20th anniversary! Hooray for us. Toodles for now. Vicki

Fun Stuff Coming!

2008-08-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

Ahhh! The goodness of summer. It has been quite an eventful summer- summercamp, horse shows, visits with good friends, family funerals and a lot of good garden food. School is about to start and I will be happy to find a routine again. I am busy making jewelry for all of my accounts and trying to create pieces for some gallery shows and exhibitions I am doing. I just added a new product line to my Fingerprint Jewelry collection which features a little window to show a picture or perhaps a little curl of hair. I'm excited about it and will post pics as soon as I finish the prototype. I am also very excited about the launch of my new website soon. People will be able to shop from my store online. Watch for our grand announcement of that coming soon! Think ahead to Christmas and dig out all of your old, broken jewelry and let us redesign it to give as a cool gift. A great way to renew, reuse and recycle!

Wild, Wooly Summer!

2008-07-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

This has been one busy summer! My daughter Marina went to Fine Arts Camp in upstate NY for three weeks. She had a great time! My husband John and I went up for the final weekend for Parents Weekend. It was beautiful. However, it took us two extra days to get home because of airline delays and such. Then Marina and I left the next day to go to Columbus OH from Wed til Sun for a Regional Quarter Horse Show. It was hotter than the hinges of hell! We are back for 4 days then off to Dallas for the weekend. When am I ever gonna make some jewelry!!! I did jury two of my pieces into the Tamarack Gallery show in June and I am now selling on Etsy.com. I have sold a few pieces and even got a custom commission. Etsy is so much fun if you have not experienced it yet. Everything is handmade...jewelry, clothing, furniture, etc. You can even shop by color! Vittoria & Banks new website is in mockup stage. Soon we will be able to sell everything in the gallery online for those who do not like to spend their gas shopping. You know who you are! Gonna be a big Fall. New website, new commercials on a new network, new ideas from my time at Arrowmont. Looking forward to it all.
Vicki

Ahhh It's Summertime!

2008-06-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

Well, the hot, humid days of Summer are back in WV. It makes it really hard to work at any kind of good pace however, I have found that having my daughter, Marina, at camp for three weeks has motivated me somewhat! I usually only get to spend about 4 hours a day at my art gallery/studio since I have to pick her up from school and do the wife/mommy stuff. But almost three weeks of 8 hour days gives me time to really play some! I never thought there would be a time in my life where I looked forward to more time at work!! I guess what they say is true...if you love what you do it's never work! I got juried into another Tamarack Gallery show with two pieces which is a big honor since the theme for the show is "The Best of West Virginia". We are completely overhauling our website so that people can save a little gas and shop from home for the whole gallery. I am also completely psyched that I sold my first piece on www.etsy.com! It's a wonderful place for all handmade items. Just search on vittoriabanks or my name vicki angotti and it will take you to my page. When Marina gets back from camp we will be going over to Columbus to Quarter Horse Regionals. Our region includes KY,OH,IN,WV,MI and Ontario. Last year Rina got two top ten medals! We are really excited to see how much our new trainer, Amanda Davis, is helping. I'm sure we are going to have a great time. Plus it will be during my birthday so we will all be celebrating with Mojitos I'm sure!
Vicki

What a Spring!

2008-06-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

I has been quite an eventful Spring for me. We have had some record rain and storms in our area and then my car gets hit by lightning! My daughter Marina was in it at the time but thankfully she was okay. It just fried my battery. I took a fabulous metalsmithing class in TN at Arrowmont School for Craft. One whole week of 16 hour days with big hammers, big torches and acid...it was unspeakably fabulous! Make great friends from all over the US and learned some new techniques. As a matter of fact, one of the pieces I made at Arrowmont just got juried into a gallery show at Tamarack in Beckley, WV. I now have my stuff on Etsy.com under vittoriabanks so that I can sell on the web. New website under construction so we can sell stuff from the gallery as well. I can also now be found on MySpace and Facebook so look me up and chat! I am going to try to post some pics of some of my latest works for those who are interested in what I do. Cross your fingers it will work!! Besides trying to stay cool and am staring down the barrel of a birthday soon. July 15th will be the big 45! I am just now finding out what I want to be when I grow up and now just when I am ready to kick some butt I need a nap!

SpringTime News

2008-03-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am so glad Spring is starting show itself! The gallery is getting in many bright and shiny new products such as beautiful, brightly colored Baby Slings by Baby's Breath Baby Slings. We are in the last few days of March and heading into April. The birthstone for March is Aquamarine and the month of April has two! Either a Diamond or a Pearl both work for April. So if you are looking for a personal gift for someone think about something using their birthstone!

Since it is the season for Spring Cleaning, think about taking our Feng Shui class on April 10th, 6:30-8:30 here at the gallery. You can learn to use the furnishings you already have to improve the flow of energy through your home. It will be taught by Feng Shui Master David "Phoenix" Nutter. We always have a good time! Just call or email us @ 304-363-6955 & vittoriabanks@yahoo.com.

If you have any good ideas for classes or new products, we would love to hear from you!
Vicki

Feng Shui!

2008-03-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

Want to seize control of the energy flowing through your home and channel it into positive and sustained ways? Come to our Feng Shui Class & Booksigning with Feng Shui Master David "Phoenix" Nutter on Thursday, 3/27 from 6:30-8:30. We have very limited seating available so let us know if you want to reserve a seat. The cost is $12 and you will receive handouts to take home. You need to RSVP by Tues 3/25 if you want to come. Call 304-363-6955 or email us at vittoriabanks@yahoo.com. See you there!

Hints of Spring

2008-02-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

There are hints of Spring in the air, finally! Now is the time to start thinking about all of you Spring activities and plan ahead. Prom is just around the corner so let us help make you the one of a kind beauty that you are. We can custom design jewelry to match your dress and your style. No more mass produced mall jewelry!!! We can also redesign it after prom so that you can wear it everyday. Weddings are also a Springtime ritual. We can help you with all of your jewelry needs from bride to bridesmaids, flower girls and mothers. It will be memorable! We can also help find unique gifts for all of those groomsmen and other helpers. Each item unique and one of a kind. Don't really know what you want? Come talk with us and we can help come up with design choices so you can see it and try it on.
Vicki

Mark Your Calendar!

2008-02-13T12:39:00.000-08:00

Some special events going on in the next few weeks!
Feb 23, 2008 Precious Metal Clay Class-Pierpont Community College Make a pendant & earrings $59 Solid Silver! www.fairmontstate.edu/communityeducation

Mid March: visit our completely redone website! You can now buy from our site! www.vittoriabanks.com

Mar.22,2008 Precious Metal Clay Class II-Pierpont Community College. Make a ring! $49 Solid Silver! www.fairmontstate.edu/communityeducation

Mar. 27, 2008 Introduction to Feng Shui. 6:30-8:30 Feng Shui Master David "Phoenix" Nutter will teach a class about Feng Shui, the ancient art of directing energy within the home. He has a book which contains the tools to do this at home that will be for sale at the event.

Watch for other events as we schedule them!

Welcome!

2008-02-13T12:34:00.000-08:00

This blog will give you all the latest happenings from Vittoria & Banks, Art For Your Soul in downtown Fairmont WV. I will tell you about special events we are having as well as jewelry & gift ideas. If you have jewelry making questions I will be glad to try to answer them or to give you the contact info of someone who can help. I will also occasionally have a guest who will tell you about something special or answer questions. My name is Vicki so let me know if there is something I can help you with!