Metal Sculptor Thomas J Savino Thursday, November 14 6:00-8:45 pm Syosset Library (Downstairs) 225 S. Oyster Bay Road, Syosset, NY
New York based artist Thomas J Savino has been developing his skills as a metal sculpture artist over the last several years. With backgrounds in physics, music, engineering, dance, and metal trades, Savino has found ways to unify his experiences into whimsical and expressive sculptures focused on capturing the essence of motion and emotion in static forms constructed from reclaimed materials.
The artist draws inspiration from personal experience, people watching, and nature: distilling his observations into themes of raw human emotion, the flowing lines and connections in various dance styles, and the wild spirit of animals. His art is proudly displayed with high-end brands such as Petrossian Caviar and the 3-Michelin-Star Inn at Little Washington, in addition to various galleries around New York and in the homes of art enthusiasts around the country.
Member Artist Demonstrations Thursday, September 12 6:00-8:45 pm Syosset Library (Downstairs) 225 S. Oyster Bay Road, Syosset, NY
Les Hoffman: Turning Wood on a Lathe
Les will bring a mini lathe, tools and a few blanks so that three or four members will have the opportunity to try their hand at turning a weed pot or a chatter tool flower. Others will be able to watch this amazing process.
Les Hoffman has been turning wood for 17 years. Some of his pieces were recently shown at the Long Island Craft Guild exhibit “Seeing the Other” at the Art League of Long Island.
Susan Louis: The Ins and Outs of Making a Crazy Quilt
Susan will demonstrate and explain the methods in the madness of making crazy quilts. This will be a hands-on demonstration.
She is a long-time quilter who is very passionate about her art, and has explored all sorts of ways to make quilts from traditional to innovative. She has taught kindergarteners through seniors at every venue imaginable as well as two separate times in Suzdal, Russia, during Perestroika.
Her quilts have been shown internationally as well as in different places in the U.S.
Gail Neuman: Introduction to UV Resin
Gail will show you how to make quick and easy jewelry or additions to collage or any other type of art using a one step product with no waiting for it to set up!! Come and try it out.
Gail is a multimedia artist working primarily in the decorative arts. Jewelry, sculpture, paper making and intaglio prints are just a few of the media she uses. Her pieces at times are based on a particular theme for an exhibit or what she might find along a walk–always a surprise!
Sally Shore: A Star is Born
Sally Shore will show us how she makes 3-D stars with seed beads.
Sally majored in Fine and Professional Arts at Kent State University in the late 1960s. She continues to collect techniques to incorporate into her fiber art practice which includes weaving, knitting, eco-printing, fiber collage and bead weaving.
Chris Vivas: Working with Paper Clay
The addition of paper into clay drastically alters the abilities of the material. No need to worry about air pockets or cracking when drying! And the work will be lighter! This demonstration will go over some of the pros (and a couple of cons) of working with paper clay.
Chris studied at Stony Brook University, where he received support under Professor Toby Buonagurio. Professor Buonagurio directed him to further my studies in Japan after his 2003 graduation. He attended The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Shigaraki, Japan from 2004 into 2005.
Following his residency in Japan, he returned to New York where he worked at Dowling College as the assistant technician and as the Artist in Residence at Stony Brook University’s Craft Center. In 2006 he entered graduate school at SUNY New Paltz to further study the ceramic medium, aesthetics, and concept.
His has exhibited artwork throughout the United States and is in permanent collections in New York, Europe, Korea, and Japan. Residencies also include the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) in New York City, The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Japan, AIR Vallauris (Artist in Residence Program) in France and Stony Brook University’s Craft Center Artist Residency.
Currently, he resides on Long Island where he teaches at St. Joseph’s University, Suffolk County Community College, and Usdan Center for the Performing Arts.
Artists from left, Bernadette Puleo, Amy Schwing, Jonathan Zamet
Long Island Craft Guild 10th Juried Fine Craft Fair Saturday, November 23, 2024, 10am – 4 pm Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (EHS) 38 Old Country Road, Garden City, NY
This juried fine craft fair features beautiful work in all media created by members of the Long Island Craft Guild.
No admission fee; ample parking is available. Start your holiday shopping with unique gifts in all price ranges for everyone on your list.
Artists from left, Pamela Hanna, Julie Luks, Alice Sprintzen
Emily Dvorin Sculptural Basketry Thursday, May 9 7 PM Via Zoom for Members
Emily Dvorin
Through sculptural basketry, Emily Dvorin explores and illustrates the concept that even unexpected objects that we take for granted can become works of art. Known for her innovative vessels, Emily will show and talk about her use of repurposed, re-contextualized, up-cycled materials. She will share her dedication to changing the definition of basketry by exploring contemporary interpretations of a traditional craft using non-traditional ingredients.
Emily Dvorin is a self-taught, award-winning fiber artist known for her innovative vessels. She owned a fine craft store for 35 years and retired to live her life’s dream of being a full-time artist. She now has a studio in Sausalito, CA. She teaches classes for both adults and children and she speaks, consults, does commissions and exhibits all around the country.
Zoom link will be emailed to members at least 24 hours before the meeting. If you are not a member, join us! Click on the JOIN button at the bottom of the page. Some of our previous Zoom artist talks are available on the LICG YouTube channel, so please join us there.
Ceramic Artist John Fink Thursday, March 14, 7-8:45 pm(doors open at 6) Syosset Library (Downstairs) 225 S. Oyster Bay Road, Syosset, NY
In addition to his teaching at Nassau Community College, John Fink is an award-winning artist and has been affiliated with Manhattan and Long Island galleries for the exhibition and sale of his work, while several individuals throughout the country collect his art. Mr. Fink is a frequent guest artist at a variety of institutions offering demonstrations and workshops in pottery and sculpture to aspiring artists and collectors.
Although his ceramic pottery is mostly functional cups, bowls and teapots, his sculptures are made of hand-fabricated ceramic combined with mixed materials. These works of art reflect the duality of his nature: a sense of humor and a serious side, but always plumbing the depths of what it means to be human.
His whimsical and mythological sculpture includes miniature people and what are called “far-fetch dragons.” These small dinosaur-like creatures, along with miniature human forms, often populate relatively larger imaginative shapes to form mythological, freestanding environments, or at other times, wall pieces, each having a story to tell. Some are created for indoor placement, others for outdoor garden settings. Some of these outdoor pieces are designed as fountains. See John Fink’s art on his web site www.johnfinkart.com.
John has very generously donated several of his clay works for a silent auction during the meeting, with proceeds going to the Guild. This is your chance to take home one of John’s wonderful, whimsical sculptures and support the Guild at the same time.
Above image: “Childhood Reflections: I Love Elephants”
“Structural Splendor: Exploring an Architectural and Geometric Jewelry Design Aesthetic” Patricia Madeja Thursday, January 11, 7-8:45 pm(doors open at 6) Syosset Library (Downstairs) 225 S. Oyster Bay Road, Syosset, NY
Patricia Madeja is a studio jeweler, goldsmith and educator. She designs and handcrafts limited edition collection and one-of-a-kind pieces in sterling silver, 14k, and 18k gold with gemstones and pearls. Her elegantly playful designs are inspired by geometric forms and architectural structures and are skillfully engineered to embody unique movement.
Madeja is the recipient of numerous industry awards and has exhibited her work in galleries, museums and fine craft shows around the world. Her career as an educator began at Pratt Institute in 1998. As Jewelry Program Coordinator, she has been instrumental in crafting a jewelry program that provides future jewelers with a grounding in theory, studio and professional practice. Madeja is a member of the SNAG Metalsmith Board of Directors and has been a collaborator on several international jewelry philanthropic projects.
This meeting will also be available via Zoom for members.
Members Show-and-Tell Presentations Thursday, November 9, 7 pm on Zoom
Our scheduled presenter was unfortunately forced to cancel due to illness, so we will be filling in for her ourselves with a repeat of our own Members Show-and-Tell meeting on Zoom. A great opportunity to share your work with fellow members! Everyone gets three minutes of fame. Instructions are in the November e-news and the Zoom link will be sent out before the meeting.
Member Artist Demonstrations Thursday, September 14 6:00-8:45 pm Syosset Library (Downstairs) 225 S. Oyster Bay Road, Syosset, NY
Patricia Bridges: Scratching the Surface with Underglaze Transfers, Overglaze Decals, Iron Oxide Printing Patricia will show you several ways to use surface decoration to change and enhance the clay canvas. She will demonstrate rice paper underglaze transfers, iron oxide printing, and discuss other image and pattern transfer methods that can be easily used on many kinds of clays and surfaces. You will learn some good tips and tricks to take home as well as a great resource sheet.
Bridges has been designing and creating ceramics for several decades. She is a full-time studio potter in Port Washington and has been teaching adult ceramics since 2010. Bridges Pottery creates wheel thrown functional ceramics for the kitchen, table, and home. Bridges Pottery can be found online at www.bridgespottery.com, in person and in a few select retail shops. Follow her on Instagram www.instagram.comn/bridgespottery.
Julie Luks: Silk Dying Julie will demonstrate the process of dying silk designs on habotai silks with Jacquard Green Label silk dyes. The multi-step process, called Serti, involves making a design on the silk with a resist called gutta which contains the flow of the dyes into “islands” created by the gutta. The dye is then applied to the silk. Colors can be mixed making beautiful ombres and salts can be applied to the wet silk, adding dimension to the colors.
Julie Luks
Lesley Magaril Delia: Polymer Clay Caning Technique Since retiring in 2014, Lesley has been learning, creating, and teaching others to use polymer clay. Lesley is a member of the International Polymer Clay Association, the Art League of Long Island, the Long Island Craft Guild, and is a member of the Board of the BJ Spoke Gallery, an artists’ co-op in Huntington, NY. She placed third in the International Polymer Clay Association 2021 Global Exhibition. You can view her work at downtheroaddesigns.net
She will demonstrate “complex caning.” The cane will be used to create a veneer to decorate a small glass jar. The design formed from the polymer compound runs the length of a log called a “cane,” and every slice taken off the log is identical. This allows a design element to be repeated throughout a piece in various sizes. She will demonstrate how to create the cane, how to reduce the cane, how to shave off ultra-thin slices from a cane to create a veneer, and how to apply the slices directly to a small glass cup. This is a hands-on demonstration so please join in.
Gail Neuman: Introduction to Shrink Plastic for Jewelry and Other Possibilities! Shrink plastic can be cut by hand, with a Cricut machine or many other means. It can be colored with colored pencils, markers, ink pads and also using stencils: your only limits are your imagination! Come and try your hand at this simple and unique means of creating jewelry.
Gail Neuman is a multimedia artist working primarily in the decorative arts, including wire sculpture, intaglio prints on handmade paper, and beaded or fine metal jewelry.
Nancy Yoshii: Art on a Box Nancy Yoshii will be showing how she creates irregularly shaped collages by deconstructing packaging boxes, flattening them out, and covering their blank inside surfaces with various and sundry papers and other media. The result is a fun and sometimes surprising doodle of a piece–and the process is addictive. Participants will get their own boxes to take apart, along with lots of paper choices, to create their own collage: play at its best! Many thanks for the packaging art inspiration go to my Instagram friend Ina Lehnertz in Meckenheim, Germany, for her encouragement and generosity.
Nancy is a longtime Guild member who has worked in many media over the years: clay, papermaking and paper arts, bookmaking, rustic furniture, jewelry, paper quilts, fiber arts, found object sculpture, photography, collage, and mixed media. She especially loves upcycling discarded materials and “making something out of nothing.”
Nancy Yoshii
Donna Samuelsen: Getting Started with Wire-Wrapping In this demonstration/workshop, you will be able to make a pendant and ring using copper and sterling silver-filled wire. You will learn how to make a frame for your pendant with a wrapped bail, how to secure your stone (provided), how to add embellishments, as well as which basic wire and tools you need to get you started. You will be able to choose between cabochons (stones with a rounded top and flat back) or free-form rocks, polished or rough for the pendant, and we will be using millefiori glass beads for the ring. The techniques explored here will be applicable to any round bead.
I have been wire-wrapping gemstones, crystals, minerals, and other stones for just over 4 years. I went to a beginners’ workshop myself and I was hooked! It was a new creative outlet that seems to have endless possibilities for growth. There are many amazing wire-wrapping artists from whom to draw inspiration, and endless online resources from which to learn, which help keep this craft from ever getting dull!
Artist Lian Brehm Thursday, May 25 6:00-8:45 pm Syosset Library (Downstairs) 225 S. Oyster Bay Road, Syosset, NY
Lian Brehm is a New England artist working primarily in handmade paper sculpture. Her work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally; most recently at the 2021 International Paper Biennale in Shanghai, China. She is the recipient of several awards, including from the Blanche E. Colman Foundation, the Freeman Foundation and the Vermont Studio Center. She recently completed a winter studio residency in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and will exhibit work from this residency in an upcoming solo show in Vermont.
Lian received her MFA from RI School of Design in 1984, her BFA from Alfred University’s College of Ceramics in 1980, and was included in the European Honors Program in Ceramics at Wolverhampton Polytechnic in England. Lian maintains her studio practice in South Walden, Vermont. Lian is the daughter of Peter and Emelyn Garofolo, who were past co-presidents of LICG.
Our General Meetings are free and guests are welcome. You may invite a friend, student, fellow artist, or anyone who might be interested in discovering what the LICG is all about. Become a member by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.
Saturday, April 22, 10 AM to 5 PM Ethical Humanist Society 38 Old Country Rd., Garden City, NY
Original work in fiber, glass, metal (jewelry), clay, paper, mixed media and wood, all hand-crafted by members of the Long Island Craft Guild. A wonderful opportunity to meet the artists; work in all price ranges. Special one-day only event, ample parking.
Above, from left, Stuart Rabeck, Jane Irvine, Bernadette Puleo.
