Lisa Telling Kattenbraker won BEST IN SHOW for Fiber at the Park City Kimball's Art Festival in Utah!!!!!!

Lisa Telling Kattenbraker won Best in Show for Fiber at the Park City Kimball's Art Festival in Park City, Utah.

Take a look at Lisa's work and you will find out why!

http://ladynin.com/lisatelling1.html

Jane Cucchiara has just added some real beauties to her Janie's Gems collection! Be sure to take a look.

http://ladynin.com/janecucchiara1.html

Lady Nin's Art Contest

Be sure to sign up for Lady Nin's latest art give away!!! Sweet little Ceramic Teacup Napkin Rings by Cindy Houot!

No purchase necessary!

http://ladynin.com/artcontest.html

Lady Nin's Art Festival is now on Facebook!

Lady Nin's Art Festival on Facebook

Susan Miles of Maple Hill Goat Milk Soap Joins Lady Nin's Art Festival

Meet Susan Miles of Maple Hill Goat Milk Soap

Hi! I'm Susan Miles. I live in Freeland Washington, on the south end of Whidbey Island, with my husband, Steve, and our two great little boys. We love the relaxed, rural lifestyle of our beautiful island - and being so close to the water at all times. Whidbey Island's strong community spirit is an important part of our lives.

We currently have four dogs (new border collie puppy,) an old cat, and now eight Alpine dairy goats. We originally bought dairy goats as a way to make our own goat cheese. It didn't take long to have more milk and cheese than we can drink, eat and give away.

I started making goat-milk soap as a way to help my friends and family who suffer from eczema and dry skin. With my chemistry background, I was drawn to soapmaking. When I learned that I could make a natural, moisturizing soap with my extra goat milk (which helps to make skin HEALTHY,) I knew I was meant to make it and share it.

The very first Maple Hill goat-milk soap was "unscented oatmeal." My friend's daughter used it, and she said it was the ONLY soap that has ever helped minimize the blemishes on her face. Since then, many people have shared their similarly-great experiences.

I had another customer come up to me at the Greenbank Farmer's Market . She had red, peeling, irritated, almost-raw hands. She bought one of my soaps, and a month later after only using my soap, she came back: Her hands had healed so much!

I will always carry an unscented soap for those who want it. I also have many all-natural soaps. For others without sensitivities, I have many wonderfully-fragrant soaps which will surely delight you!

I want you to experience how great your skin can really feel with my special goat-milk soap!

Click here to view Susan's wonderful Goat Milk Soaps!

Krista Jefferson of Wild and Whimsical Art Joins Lady Nin's Art Festival!

Meet Krista Jefferson of Wild and Whimsical Art

I think one of the most wonderful things about art is the ability to bring joy to those who see it. That motivates me to strive to make my pieces unique and uplifting. One of the comments I hear most often about my work from people is that it just makes them feel happy. Happiness is a simple but powerful thing and I feel very fortunate to have the ability to bring a little more of it into the world. Which is why creating art is my passion! I have found great pleasure exploring different creative outlets ever since childhood. In school I took every art class available and have immersed myself in books on a wide variety of techniques and mediums ever since. Once it got to the point I was creating more than I had friends and family to gift them to, I started doing shows in 1998 as Simple Heart Crafts. As my style and designs evolved so did my business and in 2004 I began operating under the name Wild & Whimsical, which seemed a perfect fit to the eclectic and fun spectrum my work encompasses.

About the Artwork All of the designs are my own original creations. Many start from carefully thought out drawings in my sketch book, while others seem to come to exist faster than my mind can guide my hands. I paint in a variety of styles, from traditional Rosemaling, to children's designs, folk art, abstract, Asian and more, but always having my stylized and whimsical feel come through. I work only with professional quality acrylic paints and protect each finished item with several coats of a water based sealer. I use a bold and vibrant color pallet on much of my work and like to embellish many of my pieces with unexpected elements like shells, stones, beads, and corks, to make them truly stand out from the rest.

"Art Washes Away from the Soul the Dust of Everyday Life" ~Pablo Picasso

Click here to view Krista's Work

Vicki Hamilton, NW Potter Joins Lady Nin's Art Festival

Meet Vicki Hamilton of Millennia Antica Pottery.

I have been making pots for many years and successfully built my reputation as an artist through shows and gallery openings in Northern California until 1999. The patrons who collect my work have brought it to Japan, New Zealand, Australia and many other areas of the United States. After a brief hiatus, and coming to Seattle, I began my work newly in 2000.

My work, particularly the surface decoration, is inspired by the colors and textures found in nature (with my love of Japanese and Italian ceramics as contributing factors). I am passionate about, challenged and delighted by, and fulfilled in my work. Each piece is unique.

I am a Studio Artist at Moshier Community Art Center in Burien, where I do my work and teach classes.

When I first took ceramics and pottery classes many years ago, our instructor took the class to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. I was hooked - I fell in love with Japanese pottery; particularly the folk pottery that was being produced in Mashiko. I learned about Shoji Hamada and Bernard Leach, and tried to ascertain what was behind this particular kind of expression - pristine simplicity and poetic at the same time. I learned everything I could about what actually went into the production of a piece of pottery, and I said I would go to Mashiko - and 30 years later, I did. In April 2002, I had the pleasure of accompanying my husband, Dennis, to Japan. One of the things we did there was to visit Mashiko. Shoji Hamada lived and worked there for many years - his home, workspace, kilns and reference collection museum are still there. Visiting there was an extraordinary, and blury experience - I was in tears a good part of the time. Inspiring is, I think, the word I am looking for. In the middle of Mashiko, on April 20, 2002, I was returned to what it was that had me want to be a potter in the beginning - working with all 4 elements (air, earth, fire, water) to create an expression born of the earth and brimming with life.

All my work is functional, to one degree or another, and is fired to Cone 10 (approximately 2400 degrees F) in a reduction atmosphere.

Click here to view Vicki's Work