My natural instincts have led me in my artistic endeavors, although I am not trained in the traditional sense. My areas of emphasis are sculptural and functional clay, abstract art, and silver jewelry. I’ve dabbled in batik, weaving, silkscreen, stain glass work, kaleidoscopes, silver-smithing, knitting, quilting, glass torch work, auto body work, gourmet cooking, ceramics, mosaics, home decorating, and landscaping.

Today I combine my hand building, wheel, and mosaics to create sculptural/function pottery, unique furniture pieces, accent pieces (lamps, picture frames etc.) utilitarian vessels, sinks, and built- in countertops. I also like to combine my original glass beads into silver jewelry I’ve designed. Contemporary painting is an emerging field for me as well. I’m always looking for new outlets for my creative urges. Different things have inspired me over the years, at present most of my inspiration comes from nature and organic textures(which is hopefully evident in my work).

My work is presently on display in private and public forums throughout Germany, Florida, Georgia, S. Carolina, Texas, Colorado, California, Michigan, New York and Wisconsin. I have been featured at Saks Fifth Avenue, and do fundraising events whenever possible. I also have occasion to be a resident artist at local schools.

ladybugbarb@bellsouth.net

Imagine That!
by Kevin Rucker
March 1, 2012 - April 30, 2012

"Ever since I can remember, I have always loved to draw. In one of my earliest memories as a child, I drew a 'friend' on the garage wall with green chalk. At a very early age, my mother encouraged me to create. In the summers of my youth, she would provide me with reams of notebook paper to draw on. My life has been devoted to art."

Kevin Rucker’s remarkable, imaginative illustrations have gained this award-winning Atlanta artist an enthusiastic following. By combining detailed 2-D and 3-D images with abstract concepts, Kevin creates illustrations that appeal to traditionalists and modernists alike. As Kevin says, "Art evokes emotion. When I am creating, I am at my best."

Originally from New York, Kevin began his formal art education with a degree in Commercial Design and then went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree (with a minor in Visual Arts) from the State University of New York at New Paltz. After moving to Atlanta in 1997, Kevin earned a degree in Computer Animation from the Art Institute of Atlanta, achieving many honors as a student. He was then invited to join the faculty as a 2-D and 3-D animation instructor.

Kevin went on to a distinguished career as a Graphic Artist, Illustrator, and Creative Director. The quality and creativity of his work has attracted numerous public and private commissions, with past clients including Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, and Visa.

As an artist, Kevin has won numerous excellence awards and produced illustrations that have had global influence. Working as a commercial designer for over 20 years has now afforded him the opportunity to pursue his creative passions full-time. Kevin reflects:

"...I have considered myself extremely lucky to have had such talented and patient art teachers and invaluable opportunities to make a living doing what I love. I feel very privileged that God has given me such a gift. Of course, I give Him all the credit."

In addition to his expertise in illustration and graphic arts, Kevin Rucker is an avid woodworker and accomplished 3-D mural artist.

While in high school, I happened upon a how-to book about quilling (also known as paper filigree) and was immediately enthralled by all of the beautiful designs that could be made with coiled and scrolled bits of paper. I wanted to learn more about this centuries-old art form that was enjoying a resurgence of popularity in the craft world and amassed quite a collection of books, each one showing me something new and exciting that could be done with quilling. I lost no time creating framed quilled art and dimensional pieces as gifts for family and friends. These works were so well received that I entered my first craft fair at the age of 16 and sold out the first day. I have been a quiller ever since.

Along with participating in craft fairs, and giving demonstrations, I teach the art of quilling to other paper craft enthusiasts in my studio located within Art Things (a retail art gallery located in downtown Dallas, GA). Various tools can be used to curl the paper strips (slotted tool, corsage pin, needle tool, and even the trusty toothpick) and I show my students how to work with each. However, I still love the feel of the paper between my fingers and prefer to finger roll my coils and scrolls.

My designs have been published in Crafts 'n Things™ and CardMaker™ Magazines. Two of my quilled cards ("just ducky" and "Christmas Cheer") appear in the book, 1,000 Handmade Greetings: Creative Cards and Clever Correspondence, by Laura McFadden (Author), and Deborah Baskin (Author).

I'm a proud member of the North American Quilling Guild and the South Cobb Arts Alliance, Inc.

Shoe Collection
by Dorothy Fletcher
July 1, 2012 - August 31, 2012

I have been collecting miniature shoes and other "shoe stuff" for over twenty-five years. As my trademark has always been that of a "fashionista", I have always been attracted to designs and styles for women that have an intriguing appeal. One day while I was shopping in the Hallmark Card Shop in Chicago, the glass case displaying the miniature shoes attracted my attention. I was fascinated with the different array of designs. Because I have always been fond of shoes, I finally decided that I would make my first purchase. I bought two of them and placed them on my living room etagere. When friends and family came over to visit, they would comment about how cute they were and became fascinated with them. I have purchased only a few of the shoe things you see, for most of them have been gifts for my birthday, Mother's Day, holiday gifts and souvenirs from trips. I have received some of the "shoe stuff" at other times from people just because the shoe things they saw reminded them of my collection which also showcases my favorite colors of yellow and pink.

As I am an avid traveler, having visited London, Switzerland, Austria, Amsterdam, Venice and Paris, as well as Alaska and the Caribbean. Many of my shoe pieces have come from shopping while in Europe. One such shoe is a perfume bottle that was purchased in Paris. A favorite in the shoe collection is a canvas lace up shoe I purchased in Barcelona, Spain. Another favorite shoe is a black and white saddle shoe. The one furniture piece in my collection is a shoe chair which is always the topic of conversation. The shoe collection also includes a shoe calendar, address labels, a shoe door stop, a floor shoe mat, a shoe telephone, a shoe purse, shoe pictures, shoe note pads, shoe stationery, jewelry, and a shoe address book. I also have cake shoe mold for baking. This is short list of the many shoe things that I have in my collection.