Valentine’s Day will soon be upon us, and the members of the Pocahontas County Artisan Co-Op are readying their 4th Avenue Gallery in the Marlinton Train Depot for their “Gallery of Love” Open House on Feb. 9, from 5 to 8 p.m.
The event will feature a delectable selection of chocolate for attendees to enjoy while they shop a wide selection of local art. Our members have an amazing selection of handmade art any Valentine would appreciate.
The Pocahontas County Artisan Co-Op is fortunate to have a diverse group of handmade jewelry artisans. Currently, these include Cheryl Beverage, Louise Burner, Katie Mullens, Cindy Sandeno, Kaitlin Whitt, Rolf Brunner, Cree Lahti, and Lyn Cetani.
Cheryl Beverage began crafting at a young age. She credits her mother, who encouraged her to try different mediums and to never quit learning. Cheryl uses beads and sterling silver to create unique jewelry creations.
Louise Burner is one of our new members. She sees new visions of color, shape and texture in her surroundings, which she infuses in each small piece of beauty she creates. She only makes jewelry and textile artwork that she would own, use, or wear herself. Louise works with natural stone, metal, glass, shell and clay. Simple but elegant wirework is her signature.
A self-taught jewelry maker, Katie Mullins is continually inspired by nature and the world’s human cultures. Incorporating semi-precious stones and feathers, each piece is delightfully unique and will never be duplicated.
Cindy Sandeno, of Slatyfork, creates one-of-a-kind jewelry fashioned from an eclectic mix of semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals, and a menagerie of glass and seed beads. She is on a journey to create vibrant and organic pieces that celebrate the beautiful West Virginia forests where she spends much of her time. Hers is a journey she wants to share with others, especially the bold at heart.
Kaitlen Whitt, of Hico, is one of our provisional members. A self-taught artist, Kaitlen’s goal is to preserve Appalachian heritage by incorporating antique household items, such as sterling silver tableware, into her uniquely whimsical and evocative jewelry. The items she uses meant a great deal to someone in the past. Reborn as jewelry, she hopes their meaning will be transferred and deepened far into the future.
Rolf Brunner, of Hot Springs, VA, has a wide selection of Fretwork Jewelry at our 4th Avenue Gallery at the Marlinton Train Depot. At the age of 10, Rolf Brunner was introduced to Scherenscnitte (fine paper cutting) in his home town of Zurich, Switzerland. He now lives in Highland County, Virginia. Throughout his life, Rolf has pursued many artistic interests including Fretwork, which is the equivalent of Scherenschnitte using a scrollsaw and wood. He has won numerous awards for his paper-cutting and fretwork. Rolf has a wide selection of Fretwork Jewelry at our 4th Avenue Gallery at the Marlinton Train Depot.
Cree Lahti, of Greenbank, makes jewelry that captures the delicate beauty of West Virginia nature using earthenware clay. Inspiration abounds in the mountain environments of Pocahontas County, where she finds organic objects such as leaves, flowers, and grasses that she presses into clay, creating an imprint of precise detail. Each piece is fired, hand-painted, and fired again. Her work is characterized by an emphasis on small, delicate elements and patterns in nature otherwise easily missed by the casual observer.
Lyn Cetani, of Marlinton and Arizona, a stained glass artist, has expanded her work to dichroic glass (fused glass) jewelry. She uses small colorful pieces of glass and fuses them with heat to create one of a kind unique jewelry creations.
Come by the 4th Avenue Gallery in the Marlinton Train Depot during our Gallery of Love Open House to see these unique pieces of jewelry and other handmade local art.
The Pocahontas County Artisan Co-op was founded in 2007 by local artisans. The non-profit organization promotes local artisans, sponsors art related events, and assists art-based small businesses.
