About Us: An Artist Journey
Artistic Aspirations
Fred grew up in the Bailiwick, the former home of the esteemed Ash Can School of Art artist Everett Shinn in Plainville, NY. From an early age, he embraced the beauty of art, while my own artistic journey began to unfold during our college years. We both attended Oklahoma State University, the University of Denver, and Southern Illinois University, where we nurtured our passion for art.
After graduation, we wholeheartedly embraced the artistic lifestyle. We created captivating works and successfully sold them at craft fairs and galleries, driven by our unwavering commitment to our dreams as artists.
Fred, Laurel and Salt Kiln 1971, Makanda Illinois
In 1971, we embarked on our professional art journey in Southern Illinois, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Here, we established our first artists' studio, "Lick Creek Pottery," primarily focusing on pottery to support ourselves financially. Alongside this, we also committed to developing our skills in other art forms, including sculpture and painting.
The Jewelry and Art Studio began in 1979. We are located in a one-room schoolhouse, just six miles from Woodstock, NY. In our creative space, we work with different types of art, including sterling silver and 18K fine gold jewelry, acrylic painting, ceramic sculpture, and pottery. We often collaborate as a team, but sometimes Fred takes the role of the artist while I act as his muse.
Our jewelry offers a unique alternative to the trendy, mass-produced pieces found online and in stores. We carefully design and handcraft each item using traditional metalsmithing techniques hand-carve and cast our wax models in our studio, avoiding 3D CAD software and mass production, which allows us to create limited-edition and one-of-a-kind wearable sculptures.
Laurel at the Art Jewelers' bench in our well-equipped studio in Woodstock, NY.
This beautiful Tahitian Pearl pendant is handcrafted from wax and made of 18K fine gold.
As dedicated ceramic artists, we also embrace our roles as art educators, managing the ceramics program at a small college in upstate New York. In this vibrant space, Fred inspires students as he skillfully demonstrates the transformative art of clay sculpture.
This image shows a ceramic mural of the artist's muse, Laurel, representing energy and beauty. The mural, made from stoneware clay and glazed with metallic oxides, is installed on a Catskill bluestone wall at Platte Clove in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
The image depicts a beautiful porcelain teapot that blends hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques, fired at cones 6-8 and adorned with an oxidation glaze that includes metallic oxides.
This beautiful fireplace features ceramic sculptures and a portrait of Laurel, whose hair flows gracefully. It was constructed using the catenary arch technique, a traditional kiln-building method.
The painting featured here is a romantic portrait titled "Children of the Sky." It was created with love using acrylic oil on linen and depicts Fred and Laurel. If you take a closer look, you'll notice a quiver and arrows on Fred's back, alluding to Cupid and Psyche's timeless story. This detail is a gentle reminder of the powerful idea that "Love Conquers All," reflecting the heartfelt union of two artists' dreams, united by their shared passion for love and art. It is a touching representation of our journey together.