DOROTHY BRANDTS

My objective is to give the cut lines a purpose and have them add flow and movement to the design. The love of the outdoors and of nature's critters, beautiful blooms, and foliage have been my inspiration. It was only fitting that I combined my love of nature with my love of the color and light of stained glass in my glass works. My art career started as a painter, thus I like to think of my work in glass as if I am painting in glass. So I named my studio "The Art Of Glass". I work my panels on a large light table where I can monitor how compatible each new selection of glass is with the rest of the glass in that panel and how they all react to the play of light passing through them. When buying glass, I hand pull each sheet to make my selections. I'm like a kid in a candy store when I am at the glass warehouse. When I look at a sheet of glass it tells me what it wants to be. Along the way I have studied with well known glass artists. Subjects ranged from stained glass design, composition, construction, and reinforcement for architectural use and how to use fusing and sandblasting techniques for modern glass. I have made stained glass panels from as small as 6 inches square to as large as 5.5 feet by 7.5 feet. Some only consist of few pieces; others have many hundreds of pieces. This allows me to provide the pleasure of owning and enjoying a piece of stained glass at a price compatible for each and everyone. With each project I strive to improve my skills and produce a piece of art to be enjoyed for years to come as much as I have enjoyed creating it. Magic Happens when you add rays of light dancing through the vast variety of glass and colors available. I have fallen in love with stained glass.

Frank Hyldahl

Growing Grafted Wood Rings is Sustainable Forestry as Eco-Technology and Right Livelihood Working closely with trees is my heartfelt passion. It is my experience that our greatest gifts have come with our ability to observe nature’s patterns and tendencies. Back in 2003, I began tying twigs and including objects in trees. I was seeking to develop a kinder and more creative working relationship with trees, a relationship where I didn’t have to destroy trees, like using lumber to make my livelihood. By 2008, my focus on growing and sustainably harvesting grafted wooden rings was getting thumbs-up feedback for comfort and continuing durability. Family trials evolved into a Field-Trial Program, where Tree Rings were outright gifted or minimally priced and we were assured contact to glean feedback as the grafted rings experienced life’s challenges on more fingers. By 2010, gently massaging tree twigs into grafted wooden rings evolved into our business, Green Wood Wizard. The first wooden rings we sold were wedding bands. Affirming our organic process, that sale brought a friendship that assisted us in creating both our Facebook page and online Etsy shop. Growing Tree Rings is an evolving, exciting and humbling experience. I am grateful to be working with nature at nature’s pace and allowing this deepening resonance. To find the trees are working with us, even the shoots of surviving American Chestnut on the edges of our property, is exhilarating. It is my personal vision that the making of Tree Rings be regional and sustainable and the marketing be cooperative. In recognition of the challenge of not having elders and with hopes of kindling tree-shaping tendencies in humans, I look forward to increasing tree-shaping and carving collaborations with other respectful humans.

Ann Childress

I make wheel-thrown and hand-built stoneware pottery designed to be used in the kitchen, at the table and in the garden. Nature provides the inspiration for much of my work in both form and color. 

Terri Fisher

Smiling Cat Studio is named for the happiness and contentment I feel when creating something new, like a happy cat in a sunbeam! While I was originally juried into Heartwood with my hand-pulled linoleum block prints (linocuts) of baskets, I've since moved on to linocuts of cats and paintings of other animals that I've turned into cards and frameable prints. I also enjoy dabbling with other artistic mediums, line drawing, illustration, surface pattern design, embroidery hoop art, and writing among other creative pursuits.

Amanda Sprinkle

When you pick up an Easter basket prepared to fill with candies, eggs, toys, or books, you might take for granted the craftsmanship that it takes to weave those fibers together. ‘Round the Mountain artisan Amanda Sprinkle says basket weaving takes her anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days of work. She dyes and stains reed for her products. “It’s just about the time you put into them,” she said. Her introduction to basket-weaving came at the invitation of her future mother-in-law. Amanda says she attended that class in 1999 where she discovered her love of weaving. “I just like the process,” Amanda said. Although she rarely keeps any of the baskets she creates now, she shared with us that she kept the first three. She has now created hundreds of baskets. “I stopped counting at 400 and something,” she said, laughing and noting she used to number sign, and date her baskets. You will no longer find a number, but she still makes sure to mark each product with her signature and date of creation. Her products range from simple, utilitarian baskets for those who may be gathering vegetables from a garden or farmers market to more decorative pieces for the home. As an artisan, she wants to make sure that anyone has a chance to buy her handmade art. “I like the freedom to create what I like that day,” Amanda shared. Amanda also ventures into other mediums as well, teaching herself how to make jewelry from woven paper after a broken leg sidelined her from much activity in 2010. She uses canvas paper and origami paper to create those accessories. She uses her talent to help engage other artisans, serving as a judge at art fairs in the region, and now passing her artistic expression down to the next generation. Amanda says she can already see her daughter’s creativity. While she does spend a lot of her time preparing her next basket collection, Amanda does enjoy playing games with her family.

Beagle Ridge Herb Farm and Environmental Education Center

Whether strolling through the gardens, hiking on the trails, learning about butterflies, making an herbal craft or just sitting and watching the birds while you enjoy a cup of herbal tea: we have something for you to do at Beagle Ridge. Take a class or just spend the day enjoying the great outdoors. Two acres of gardens, 4.5 miles of trails, a walk through butterly house- Flying Flowers, a 2 acre pond, guided nature rides-Lick Mountain Excursions, our event center- Serendipity and our shop are waiting for you. Beagle Ridge is known as the premiere Lavender farm in Southwest VA and Birds and Blooms Magazine named our butterfly house, Flying Flowers, as one of the top 13 Not to Miss Butterfly Sites in the Country. Our shop contains a wide variety of products made on site, using many items that we grow. Bath and Body products, Seasonings blends, Teas, Lavender filled items and so much more are available for retail and wholesale purchase. Most of our products are also available for wholesale and private label. Beagle Ridge Environmental Education Center is the Premiere Outdoor Classroom in the Blue Ridge. Beagle Ridge provides educational programs for students K-12 as well as a wide range of adult programming. Our school programs are correlated to the Virginia SOLs for K-8 and we provide nature based education for the whole family. Ask about our weekend retreats, scout merit badge programs, birthday parties and specialty workshops. Schedule your next program soon. We have been gardening and specializing in herbs for two decades. Our mission is to educate the public, in all age ranges, to enjoy all aspects for the outdoors and conserve it for the next generation. Our goal is to teach you to enjoy what nature has to offer.