The Cherry Creek Arts Festival

I also had a chance to visit with Cori Dantini. I was drawn in by her art, especially her use of printed paper as the base for her paintings, but I also loved that she has a silly photo on her artist's statement. She was a hoot to visit with. She told a story of how her seven year old son caught her in the bathroom one day and quizzed her saying, "Mommmy, why don't you ever paint boys?" My favorite piece is not on her website. It was a fair with wings that were filled with words painted in white. Her work is very reasonably priced.

I loved all of the work at the booth for Emili Van Nest Markovich. Her work inspires me to quilt.

I loved the use of space in the amazing paintings of Ron Zito.



When I came upon the Insectworks booth I was taken in by all of the beautifully preserved assortment of butterflies, moths and beetles. Then I noticed a sign that states that no bugs were harmed in the making of the art. I had the luck to visit with Jennifer and she told me how she makes the bugs. She had been a student of architecture and needed to make some Christmas presents. She paints the bugs from photos, trying to make them the correct size. She then uses spray adhesive to attach them to cardstock and then she painstakingly cuts them out using tons of exacto blades and small scissors. She says the scissors are only good for about ten insects and then she needs a new pair. I have a love of the beauty of bugs, especially beetles, so I think I will have to give this a try.



I also got to visit with Nick Wrobleski, a young print maker who had a few of this wood carved plates with him. His work makes me feel like doing a little print making myself.


From The Pressed Leaf. The website does not even begin to show the beauty of the art in this booth. I am very inspired by this. The guys go to certain sites several times a year to collect the leaves and needles. They are then carefully pressed and adhered. I would have loved to have one of their pieces.