Summertime!

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!

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!

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.

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 Welcome!

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