Spring and Mosaics for the Garden

Posted on April 9, 2013 by

Are you thinking gardens? I am! Garden sculpture that is; concrete, rebar and buckets of broken china and stained glass just waiting to be put together to form something wonderful. I”ve been dreaming all winter of sculptures with colorful shining bits of reflective mirror and glass popping up out of the snow like some kind of other-worldly flower garden. As the last little bits of snow melt away,, I’m planning some big projects. Fantastical archways leading into paths strewn with smaller mosaic creatures peeping out from behind purple iris and bright yellow daffodils. Over sized found object mushroom stools tucked away under the pines. Fountains covered in every imaginable pattern of china, glass and colored mirror. So much to be done, I can hardly wait!
I’ll be busy this spring that’s for sure… An artist residency in an elementary school creating mosaic panels to help commemorate their town’s 250th anniversary, Arts on the Green for Mother’s Day with some of my glass on glass work, workshops at the Vermont Carving Studio, finishing up a compass rose project with a client in a private lesson…. so many wonderful projects!
I feel very lucky to be doing all that I am doing and loving every minute of it. I look forward to a busy and fun summer and hope to see you all. Stop by the studio- I’ll be out in the gardens!

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A Mosaic in Winter and other February Musings…

Posted on February 5, 2013 by

It’s been awhile between blogs. I guess that’s just an indication of being too busy with work to write, and that’s a great thing. Workshops here at Kast Hill have been suspended until spring. Again, other work to do! So thanks for your patience in advance…

I’m currently involved in a series of private lessons with a client who wants to create a compass rose of ceramic tile. She and her husband, who is from India, are world travelers and want the mosaic to represent this passion. The rose will have a very international flavor, romantic and evocative of faraway places, exotic marketplaces scented with sandalwood and jasmine… we hope we can pull it off! Once completed, the compass will be installed in a tile floor of an entryway in their new addition. This is a new project for me and I’m excited to be learning another skill! We’ll keep you posted!
I’m working hard on an RFP for the new Portsmouth Middle School in Portsmouth, NH. This is a 1% for Art project on a multi-million dollar renovation of a 1930′s school with a major addition, which includes a really fantastic student commons area. I hope to be chosen for an artist in residency project and am submitting three proposals. I’m excited to think I could be a part of helping the students create something wonderful for their new school. Wish me luck!
I’ll be at the Weare Middle School in Weare, NH in April for an artist’s residency to create three, 4 ‘ x 6′ mosaic panels to help commemorate the town’s 250th year celebration. Grades 5-8 will be creating panels that will feature historic buildings that represent some of the many villages that existed, or still exist today in the town of Weare. This town has an interesting history including being the first town to make shoes in NH! I think the students will have a lot of fun researching the subject matter and choosing their images. Our challenge will be recreating historic subjects with modern materials- this will be great!
Other work right now includes finishing up a mosaic commission of a dragonfly panel for a garden wall. Lovely to work on in a sunny studio on these freezing cold days!

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Kast Hill Studio Featured in NH Magazine December Issue

Posted on November 27, 2012 by

Dear Friends,
I’m so proud to be written up in the current issue (December) of NH Magazine! I had a very long interview with Creative Director Susan Laughlin, and am thrilled that she was able to make sense of all that information. We covered a lot of ground and she did an excellent job of honing it down into a very readable article. Thanks Susan!

http://www.nhmagazine.com/arts/983407-109/artisan-december-2012-html.html

In her article, she mentions a few Kast Hill Studio events and I thought I would too! For the month of December I’ll be the featured artist at Dos Amigos on Main St. in Concord, NH. There I’ll have the opportunity to show off all the wonderful Community Mosaic Projects created by participants from all over New England in the last several years, as well as a few pieces of my own.

On December 7th I’ll be taking part in the Concord Arts Market holiday “Giftopolis” at Eagle Square from 6pm until midnight. This is the first time I’ll be selling glass on glass mosaics made specifically for this show. Most are priced at $50 or under. Downtown Concord will be alive with fun things to do, great music and food too. Please come say hello!

http://www.concordartsmarket.com/cam-winter-giftopolis.html

And for those of you who have missed my workshops this fall, don’t worry! There are still a couple more before Christmas and then I’ll take a short break and will be back wish new classes for the winter! I have a lot of new tricks up my sleeve, so you need to come play!

I hope you all had a restful and happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for reading my blog and I hope to see you soon! Lizz

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Kast Hill Studio New Events for Fall and Early Winter 2012

Posted on October 2, 2012 by

The title says it all! Please go to my Events page to check out my busy-ness for this fall and winter. So many things to do, how to choose? I’m making new mosaics like a mad woman so I hope you’ll all come out and check ‘em out! Think gifts! And be sure to take a look at all my new Workshops!

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On to the Next Event…

Posted on August 28, 2012 by

Be sure to come to the Canterbury Artisan Festival on Sat. and Sun., Sept 15 & 16, from 10-5 each day at the Canterbury Shaker Village.  Hands on activities, traditional and contemporary crafts, excellent local music, a farmer’s market, great food and more!  I’ll be leading a Community Mosaic Project and would love it if you’d come add  a piece or two or three!  See you there!

https://www.facebook.com/events/345454008867205/

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On to the Next Event…

Posted on August 28, 2012 by

Be sure to come to the Canterbury Artisan Festival on Sat. and Sun., Sept 15 & 16, from 10-5 each day at the Canterbury Shaker Village.  Hands on activities, traditional and contemporary crafts, excellent local music, a farmer’s market, great food and more!  I’ll be leading a Community Mosaic Project and would love it if you’d come add  a piece or two or three!  See you there!

https://www.facebook.com/events/345454008867205/

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Updated Summer / Early Fall Schedule

Posted on July 24, 2012 by

I thought it might be a good idea to post this again with an update… Can’t believe we’re almost at the end of July already! Scary how fast time is going by. Anyway, a couple of big events, then things will quiet down again so I can actually be in the studio doing some of my own work again.
Next up this coming weekend;
Shelburne Museum Art and Craft Festival, Shelburne, VT, July 27, 28 and 29. I’ll be here leading a new Community Mosaic Project! We’ll raffle it off at the end of the event and I’ll share proceeds with the Shelburne Craft School.
“Returning this year to the Shelburne Museum, this festival hosts 150 artists and artisans in media ranging from hand-thrown pottery to fine silver and gold jewelry to contemporary furniture. With a great selection of food and drinks, live entertainment and ongoing craft demonstrations, this festival celebrates the best of summer in Vermont in a beautiful and easily accessible location. Adults $8, get a coupon if you join their mailing list, kids 12 and under free. What a great mini-vacation!”

http://www.craftproducers.com/festival-details.php?id=42

Kast Hill Studio workshop on 3-Dimensional Armature Building for Outdoor Lightweight Sculpture. August 6-10. I’m back in the studio this month! Please see my Workshop page for details.

Canterbury Artisan Festival, Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury, NH September 15 & 16.
10 am to 5 pm both days. I’ll be here with another fun Community Mosaic Project that we’ll raffle off at the end of the event and I’ll share proceeds with the Village.

“The Canterbury Artisan Festival will be a celebration of craft, music and food. The Craft Fair & Farmer’s Market will be a strong focus of the event, with individual vendor tents dotting the lane, for a festive fair atmosphere. We’ve got great music including The Amy Black Band, Three Tall Pines, Chasing Blue, Crunchy Western Boys and Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki. All with a Beer Garden to boot! We’re offering a special $12 ticket for the event, $6 for kids 6-17, kids 5 and under enter free of charge.”

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