Sculpture & Pottery
by David Waltz

January 3, 2017 to
February 28, 2017
Display Gallery

I decided to become an artist in high school. After completing my BA at EKU and teaching for several years, I completed my Master’s at Marshall University. Then having taught art in Maryland for 32 years, I retired to Kentucky. It is wonderful to create art almost every day, go biking, go fishing, or garden, whenever I want.

Since returning to Kentucky in 2001, I have juried into the Kentucky Craft Market and the Kentucky Guild and participated in many local shows. Presently, I am exhibiting, meeting wholesale orders, and doing shows.

I design functional and decorative stoneware pottery, as well as create a wide range of figurative sculptures. When I am not wrapped up in producing my art, I enjoy traveling and biking. My desire for adventure, I have found, can be shared through art expression.

Previous Shows:
KY Crafted Market 2012,’13,’14,’15,’16
Kentucky Guild Fall Show 2014,’15
St James Court Art Fair 2015, KY State Fair 2012,’13,’14,’16
Art in Speed Park, Sellersburg, IN 2012,’13,’14,’16
Kentucky Artisan Center, Berea. KY 2012,’13’,14’,15’,’16

Doll Collection
by Suzanne Kelly

March 1, 2017
to April 30, 2017
Display Gallery

My love and appreciation of dolls started in the 1950s with my first doll, Cindy. She is a large, life-like baby doll dressed in her original clothes who used to cry, “Mama,” when gently laid down in her cradle. Then I remember other much loved dolls; a princess doll, a bride doll and Tiny Tears who cried real tears and wet when she drank from her bottle. My little Ginny doll included clothes and accessories for all occasions. She came from The Play Box, our local toy shop in the Tuxedo-Buckhead area. Thanks to my mother, Mary Beth Kelly, my dolls were saved in the attic during high school and college years.

The dolls were forgotten until I spent three summers in the 1970s in Chautauqua (upstate New York). There I collected, in earnest, many “Yankee” dolls at estate sales and auctions as they were very plentiful and reasonably priced.

Later in the mid-80s, I started and owned a toy shop in Woodstock, Georgia, called Cherecobb Toy Book and Hobby. I carried a line of expensive Lissi dolls from West Germany and a line of Italian newborn dolls that looked, felt and smelled like a real baby. Also during that time my parents retired to cruise and travel the world and the USA, always bringing me a doll from their trip. Thus, my doll collection really began to grow!

From the 1980s to the present, I have continued my doll collecting by finding unique dolls at estate sales, antique sales, antique stores and thrift shops. My friend and penpal from Finland, Leena, has also sent me several traditional Finnish dolls over the years. Also my sister-in-law, Cheryl, has lovingly given me several Madame Alexander dolls from her aunt and grandmother’s collection.

My doll collection is now outgrowing their cabinet so I am happy to share them with the Smyrna Library. Doll collecting is a fun and rewarding hobby that really tells my life’s story in miniature. I hope you will enjoy my collection.

Pine and Glass Creations
By Randy Alhanti and
Linda Prater

May 1, 2017
to June 30, 2017

Sheila Giddens began her art in ernest by studying the Yamazaki Technique of Japanese Rice Paper Collage under Mr. Yamazaki's daughter, Ruriko, during the early 1980's. She moved to Atlanta in 1989, continuing to perfect her rice paper collages. In 1992, she expanded upon this form with another Japanese technique of art for making hand built pottery and jewelry. This form of art is known as "Raku". She studied the Raku art form with Karen Beswick and later clay sculpture with Peg Schmid and Kelly Thames. She has since extended her art work into colored pencils, studying under Joe belt, Vera Curnow, Meredith Rambo and Janie Gildow. Most of her art involves some form of wildlife which was introduced early in her life by her father.

Sheila has been a member of the South Cobb Arts Alliance since 1989 and an active board member since 1990. She has held several offices in the South Cobb Arts Alliance, including president from 1994 to 1996. She also recently had the honor of being selected as their 1999 "Volunteer of the Year".

From a very early age Steve Stoichev's life has been connected with art. At 4 years old he had his first exhibit at his preschool, displaying clay figurines. That was the beginning. Throughout his schooling he began to paint and provided his art to many different community and school exhibits. Throughout the 1980's he concentrated on fashion design, and in 1989 he founded his own fashion design company where he designed and created high-end unique wearable art and accessories. After over 10 years in the fashion business, Steve returned to his first artistic loves and is realizing an old new dream.

Since that time, he has presented his paintings and sculptures in community exhibits in the Atlanta area starting with a 2006 solo show titled “Exhibit of Impressionism”. In 2008 he returned home to Europe for another solo impressionist paintings exhibit . Since then he creates and shows award-winning art through various community and national exhibits. Steve’s current interests alternate between design and creation of sculpture, jewelry and paintings. His sculpture and jewelry are inspired by his heritage and by the artifacts found in Thracian, Greek, and Roman archeological excavations, all of which evoke in him and his art a sense of mysticism and timelessness. His experiences with sculpture and fashion have influenced his painting style. He creates textured and brightly colorful modern or impressionistic paintings that are pleasing both to the sense of touch and to the sense of sight. Steve currently lives in Smyrna, GA with his wife and three children. He is a member of The Society of Sliven Artists and the South Cobb Art Alliance.

Metalworks
By Mike Sluder

November 1, 2017
to December 31, 2017