Gerina makes what I must admit is full-on jaw dropping wearable art. From a multiple award-winning artist, each and every piece is handcrafted, one-of-a-kind, using quality materials from precious stones, sterling silver, 14k gold, and include beads handcrafted by artisans from Bali, Indonesia, Thailand, and Africa. All of that designed into a truly unique piece you will love. I can easily imagine anyone within a 10 foot radius would love it, too, and ask you where you got it!

Megan Gillis takes the inspiration of nature and models it into her wonderful jewelry. Turning silver, gold, and gemstones into delicate shapes akin to leaves and flower petals that will remain blooming all year round is a talent like no other. She immerses herself in the PA wilds almost every day collecting new ideas to create art you'll want on you whenever you leave the house.

Peggy Houser, a beloved resident of Kane, has the patience of a saint. Or so I have to imagine considering her jewelry is made of seed beads so tiny you'll want to walk around with a magnifying glass to admire them. This art is one of my favorites, as you might have picked up on, because it isn't just visually appealing but you'll want to run your fingers over these necklaces and bracelets all the time. Her work has evolved as she experiments with new stitches, patterns, bead sizes and shapes. These pieces are a sight to behold and a treasure perfect for daily admiration.

Christina Krautz has art in the blood, humble origins be damned. With her mother's influence guiding her to discover metalsmithing in high school. It's a talent that's lingered and has since been honed, particularly over the past two-years of focused dedication, to create 'modern vintage' jewelry. These pieces capture the beautifully simplistic art of tarnished metal and earthy turquoise stones; a style I particularly love. You'll absolutely want a 'new' piece of history that will last for many, many years.

Laurie Leonard is a painter turned jewelry. As in, her incredibly talented painting skills can now be found in adorable, unique, and fashionable pieces of art. It's art inside of art! She has been honing her craft since the 1980s, and I do NOT want to hear how long ago that is, growing along the way to expand her interests. She has a slew of awards and articles honoring her impressive talent and once you see her pieces up close, you'll understand exactly why.

Donna Little: Lover of nature, wizard of metal. She admires, studies, and transfers nature from her eyes, to paper, to intricate metalwork you'll want to see and feel to believe. Interpretations that are notably abstract have the skill infused in them to bring your mind right to the original subject; a piece of nature in raw form turned to a beautiful personal art display fit for any style.

Deborah Moyer is another metal wiz that takes an unyielding medium and turns it into dainty, delicate treasure. There is movement, texture, and a bit of whimsy in each piece. I would go so far as to say these will capture your heart as well as your mind. They're the perfect 'favorite jewelry' item you'll want to wear all the time and wind up rubbing away the details over the years as your fingers admire it, reassuring you it's there, again and again.

Lastly, never leastly, is Heather Thompson; an alchemist artist. I had to look up what Electroforming was and can't understate how much my eyes boggled when I fell down the rabbit hole of internet information on it. I love science. I love art. This is both of them combined. Heather takes piece of nature and preserves them in metal in the most delicate and tactile ways. You could be wearing an actual piece of nature, handcrafted into amazing art, in 2 days time!

​Two days, two days, two days... 

Amy Hahn is a creator of glass mosaic 'paintings' so detailed you'll want to gaze at each piece for hours then come back for more. She uses her skills as a painter to work with the challenging material of stained glass to work magic. Each shard is a brush stroke that flows into a cohesive final product. This is art that has to be seen to be believed and then promptly added to the treasure collection!

Lisa Arkus is the ultimate caretaker of whimsical childhood. Using vintage paper, that is handmade, she creates images of 'paper dolls' in fantastical scenes that spark the imagination and tickle that little space of memory from when we were kids being told tales like Peter Cottontale, Stuart Little, and Winnie the Pooh. There is a story in every one of her pieces all wrapped in a single image. I have to now brag and say I have two of her pieces in my treasure collection already!

Kalpana Lehman is a multi-talented and beloved teacher in the world of arts. She has worked art shows over the years offering up mediums from painting, sewing, knitting, soaps, and more. All to arrive at the dare-devil world of glass blowing making eye-catching jewelry, each like a little drop of emotion or memory frozen in time. These treasures make fantastic gifts for anyone that adores some unique shine in their wardrobe!

Michelle Hoff uses a phrase to create her works that I personally love. 'Up-cycling'! Over 20 years as a professional in stained glass lend to the incredible precision detail in each mosaic piece. Now that she has, be still my tiny heart, incorporated a plasma cutter into her box of tools her recycled subjects can be reformed even more than her talent with glass already offered. This art is a feast for the eyes and the buffet is open this Saturday!

Kathleen Schnell is not only a longtime lover of the arts, but a longtime believer in education. Coming from a lineage of artistic minds, she began studying art at a young age and fell in love with stained glass. Over the years, discovering a branch love for fused glass, she has expanded her repertoire by learning new techniques as artists are always experimenting; a particularly daring practice for someone handling something over 1400°! With all of her dedication to her craft, she has a wonderful collection of fused glass art that captures soul in each piece.

Dawn Johnson is a master of her craft. Watercolor, ink, and painting in general can be temperamental yet I can sense a laser focus in every single drop of color that goes into her pieces. She creates intuitive and responsive art, building as she goes in vibrant waves of soul tingling brush strokes. You want a personal, inspirational, adore-it-every-day treasure in your home? You'll find it right in Dawn's tent!

Dan Sullivan's 'paintbrush' is a propane torch. I can't be the only one that imagines burning down half the forest attempting to do what he does, yet what comes out of his workshop is nothing short of delicate, beautiful, captivating ART. That's right, in the bold and italics, you have to see these in your hands with your eyeballs to fully appreciate the depth of is pieces. The glass doesn't just glitter and shine, it encapsulates a little chunk of a whole new world in each one!

Last, and of course not least, Kim Keller has the incredible talent to not only make something beautiful, but to lure in your other senses as well. Particularly, the temptation to touch this textured art created with various ingredients will keep you captivated for ages. As a resident and lover of Northwestern PA's vast amounts of nature, she expresses her love for the area in her works featuring birds, bees, flowers and the like. When you've amassed your collection of treasures from Art in the Wilds 2021, imagine the contentment of laying your hands on one of her fantastic sensory art!

We're closing in, barely a stone's throw from Saturday. Fingers and toes crossed for beautiful weather worthy of all this talent!

Needless to say, my unstable mismatched foray into pottery wasn't my calling but it sure was for 2019's Best in Show 3D artist Lana Heckendorn and rhythmically inspired potter Stacie Johnson-Leske.

Lana builds off the vibes of nature to choose her colors while being inspired by the mathematical artistry all around us. Her patterns are mesmerizing yet soothing with the added bonus of textural uniqueness in each piece. This pottery is a treasure among treasures that anyone could love!

​Stacie