Naomi Dalglish and Michael Hunt are Bandana Pottery. Of all the artist I support by collecting their work, Naomi and Michael’s work is my largest collection. Their work encapsulates the best of traditional, primitive, contemporary, whimsy and practical where heaven and heart meet. Bandana Pottery is located in Western North Carolina, a stone throw from Penland School of Crafts.
Artist Evie Baskin paints (pastels, oils, mixed-media, and silverpoint) stunning portraits of children and adults, as well as beloved pets. Her work evokes emotion, contemplation, and strength not limited by the two-dimensions of her medium. Her landscape paintings will transport you to natural areas near and far.
Chestertown is located on the Chester River, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Art, theatre, music, literary arts, shopping, and dining fill this Colonial town that is home to America’s oldest college, Washington College, chartered in 1782. It is where Ellie’s lives and the inspiration of her favorite theme, small town life.
My house’s walls are graced with two of Kelly’s abstract oils. The colors, the layers, the texture, and the strokes are pure energy ready to jump from this 2-D work. They will make you want to take a two-punch into the world to standup and shout your truth. I love Kelly.
Living in Cockeyville, MD, north of Baltimore, Julia explores the natural areas that abound in Northern Maryland to practice her stunning plein air painting depicting meadows, wetlands, and woodlands in all seasons. I have collected her work for two decades and remain as awed by their beauty today as I was when they first captivated me.
Ellie’s major philanthropic gifts are made annually to Penland School of Crafts and Key West Literary Seminar.
Dreams, fairytales and childhood memories greatly influence my images, which often evolve from an impression left by a dream or suddenly recalled early experience. Emily’s interest in fairytales comes mostly from deeply connecting to them as a child, especially those in which the main character is female who, faced with limitations, prevails because of her purity and endurance. Kiki Smith, Joseph Cornell and Virginia Woolf have inspired Emily. Emily is the illustrator for Ellie’s first chapbook, Within Walking Distance.
Key West Literary Seminar, established in 1983, promotes the understanding and discussion of important literary works and their authors; recognizes and supports new voices in literature; and preserves and promote Key West’s literary heritage. Key West has long been the home of many prominent American writers.
Among other things, Lindsay is a poet, editor, writing coach, letterpress printer, and graphic designer. She loves horror movies, fairy tales, and all the fabulous names for wildflowers. Contact her for freelance services, including: poetry coaching & consultations, broadsides, & graphic design for poets (& writers). Lindsay is the author of the poetry collection Catechesis: a postpastoral (The University of Utah Press, 2019), winner of the Agha Shahid Ali Poetry Prize, judged by Kimiko Hahn. She is also the author of two chapbooks, Blackbird Whitetail Redhand (Porkbelly Press, 2018) and Imago (dancing girl press, 2014), and the winner of the 2015 Fairy Tale Review Poetry Contest. Lindsay has been coaching, editing, designing, and guiding Ellie into and through her late-in-life poetry gig.
Shari is on a crusade. I don’t know a more principled and generous person. She is a former Maryland Secretary of the Environment, who has gone from policy to all-hands-on-deck advocacy for growing native plants to restore habitat for wildlife and our overall health. She is spreading stunning beauty throughout Maryland by as a indefatigable educator and resource for homeowners and gardeners with her smart weekly blog. She is an authority you can trust. Click HERE to read Shari’s blog about Ellie’s garden.
Kris Kelley is an amazing Chestertown-based photographer who is responsible for all the fantastic new author photos on this website! She is also the Arts Education Coordinator at RiverArts.