Drawing a bead on local art
By AMY OUTEKHINE
Sun Staff Reporter
They are slick, whimsical and soon to be on the necks and wrists of Sundance catalogue readers, if the deal flies. Two years into creating her own unique lampwork glass beads, Von Schroeder, 50, has received attention from Sundance catalogue buyers for her lime green and turquoise beads, the color combination of the moment.
Living in Flagstaff the last nine months has shown Schroeder that dedication and praise can transform her life and her mind. The one-time sales manager for a health insurance company spends sometimes up to 10 hours a day making these unbreakable glass bobbles. In the process, she's become an artist.
"It's a dream I've had most of my life," Schroeder said. "It's a hard place to get to."
Lucky to have a mother-in-law quarters as a studio above her garage, Schroeder is happy to demonstrate the lampwork glass process to anyone who is interested, and she is officially on the map of artists on the Flagstaff Open Studios tour Sept. 18-19.
The popular Flagstaff Open Studios tour enables art lovers to visit studios, to watch local artists demonstrate their talents and to sometimes try the technique. If visitors are unable to determine which studios they would like to see, an art show with participating artists' pieces opens next Tuesday and runs through Sept. 19 at the Coconino Center for the Arts.
FEAST ON ART
To whet your appetite for the tour, "Appetizers for the Visual Feast -- Inside Open Studios 2004," an opening reception for the tour, will be Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. Tabbed as "Flagstaff's biggest free art party of the year," the evening event will provide a tasty art sampler of local talent featured in September's Open Studios tour.
The following three Saturdays, different docents will give guided tours of the art exhibit. The docents, well-known local artists and teachers, will discuss and explain the art styles, media and techniques on view at the show, as well as answer questions about the Open Studios tour. Lori Santos will be the docent on Aug. 28, Elaine Dillingham will be the guide on Sept. 4 and Kathy Greenwald will be a docent on Sept. 11. Tour hours are 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. each Saturday.
More than 50 artists are expected to display their work and open their doors. Participants include Mary Albright's watercolor pastel and lino print, Roberta Dawson's watercolor and acrylic, Sondra Francis' fused glass, Gallina Franza's pine needle baskets, Shelly Shaffer's acrylic on wood blanks and Jocelyn Van Belle's oil paintings.
LEARNING TO BEAD
Schroeder is a first-year participant in these events, happy to be included, but she wishes she could also take the studio tour. Next year she may get a bead-demonstration substitute so she can visit the art outlets. Teaching someone the beading technique is not extremely difficult, Schroeder says.
