Coffee & Connections

Description

Two artists from the Washington County Arts Council will have their work featured at the mixer this month; Beth Carey and Sukey Rankin.

Beth's Bio:

I am an artist because it is my nature to be so. I make stuff, just can't help it. My infinity with nature began in childhood. My work uses several components intertwining images of nature & metal in a story as a piece of jewelry or jewelry series.

I taught art & studio jewelry classes for 22 years @ HCC & DAC. Fifteen years ago I met Sukey Rankin in my jewelry class. Sukey is a talented artist in many fields. We quickly became friends.

This show represents Sukey's work, my work & my student's work from my teaching in Studio2bcj.

Sukey's Bio:

Sukey has always had the desire to create and explore different avenues of artistic expression. She finds so much joy when taking an empty palette and transforming it into something imaginative, whether it be with needle and threads in embroidery or with the brushes and inks of Japanese Calligraphy and Chinese brush painting. In her floral work she loves to play with texture, color, and design. A bare container becomes magical with stems of color artfully arranged.

As an Elementary Education teacher, she encouraged her students to dig into their artistic and creative skills. There is no greater joy for a teacher than to see students unleash their excitement in learning while using a creative approach for their projects.

After retiring from teaching she wanted to recapture that zeal from an artistic and creative endeavor.

Her love for metalsmithing unfolded when she enrolled in a beginning jewelry class at Hagerstown Community College. A new passion was ignited. To further quench her passion with metalwork, she also enrolled in classes at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Center in Frederick, MD., and at Studio 2 in Myersville, MD. Her studies continue.

She designs and creates her wearable art using the traditional metalsmithing fabrication techniques of fold-forming, piercing, texturing, forging, soldering, and stone setting. Although she enjoys working with all types of metal, she works primarily in sterling and fine silver with gemstones and pearls sprinkled in. Each piece of her art is handcrafted to possess its own personality.

Sukey has always enjoyed the challenge of taking an object and creating it into something unique. Her jewelry art is no different. She keeps a watchful eye to her surroundings for inspiration. Many of her designs are inspired by floral arrangements, Japanese Calligraphy, and children’s artwork.

She resides and works in Hagerstown, MD. Her other interests include gold and silk needlework, pulled thread embroidery, floral design, Japanese Calligraphy, ikebana, origami, Chinese brush painting, and digging in the dirt.

There will also be a tenant from the David W. Fletcher Incubator + Labs at HCC featured during the mixer, bringing coffee and snacks to share with everyone! 

The menu for the morning will include:

Coffee and tea

Chipotle Brownie Bites

Lemon Bites

Blueberry Muffin Bites

Thank you to the 19405 Emerald Sq. Edward Jones for sponsoring this event! 

Pricing:

Free for Chamber members

Just $10 for non-members!