March 2012: Carol Murray & Lucy Blue Berger

Carol Murray: "I create my pieces using vintage and antique photos that I have collected over the years and continue to find at flea markets, antique stores and junk shops. The images are mounted on canvas boards and painted with acrylics. The backgrounds are done with czech beads, bits of jewelry, buttons and found objects. My influences are the decorative arts of Mexico, Eastern Europe, South America.   My art background has included hand fabricated sterling jewelry and print making. I love ornamentation and small details. Old photographs have always intrigued me, lost to time and no longer remembered. I've wondered who these people were. I feel a connection to them and have found a way to bring them to life."

Lucy Blue Berger is carrying on a two thousand year old craft of glassblowing.  Each piece starts as a gather of molten glass exceeding temperatures of 2000 degrees.  Although each piece is handmade, a bear hand is never able to touch it.  Metal tools of the same historical prowess are used to form the glass.