Handmade Store: Heartofthefire

I've always been interested in making stuff. As a child, I believed you couldn't be an artist unless you could draw really, really well. I never quite felt I could draw well enough to be an "artist", so I never tried. It took me many years to realize that artistic expression takes many forms. It springs from the depths of the soul and brings us closer to our inherent Divinity. Once I had that realization, there was no stopping me. I started as a potter, and then got into metalsmithing, glass fusing, lampworking and metal clay, among other things. Next on my list are felting and mosaics.

My passion for creating and helping others get in touch with their own creativity lead me to open Art & Soul Gallery/Studio in Windsor, CT in the summer of 2005. At the Gallery, I showcase my work and the work of over 35 local artists and artisans as well as teaching a variety of classes and workshops.

I take great pleasure in helping people discover just how creative they really are. Many of my students have started their own businesses as artisans and others have wowed their friends and family with their creations. I've also had a lot of mother/daughter, husband/wife, etc. pairings which has given these people wonderful bonding experiences and a new way to enjoy their relationships with each other. It is so gratifying to see someone who felt "creatively challenged" light up when they realize what they are capable of.

I have a website at www.artandsoulct.com, a tutorial on setting fused glass into metal clay at www.squidoo.com/Dichroic. I am an authorized wholesale distributor for Art Clay Silver and level one Certifiied ACS instructor. I am a member of Wesleyan Potters, the Art Clay Society and the PMC Guild.

You can see my work at Wesleyan Potters in Middletown, CT, The Wadsworth Atheneum museum store in Hartford, CT, Art & Soul Gallery/Studio in Windsor, CT, Brookfield Craft Center in Brookfield, CT and at various art shows through the year.

As an interfaith minister, I embrace the truth underlying all faiths and beliefs. I believe we all have a higher purpose which involves bringing greater love and light to the world. I am dedicated to living a life of purpose and facilitating others in doing the same. I lead a weekly meditation group and teach classes and workshops and lead retreats in spiritual awareness and growth.

One of my favorite quotes is from Bill Moyers -
"Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous." May you find the marvelous inherent in every moment.