Leaves and Layers Lotta Helleberg will show hand printed art quilts and textile collages at The Barn Swallow, from October 1 to October 31. Artist reception on October 10, from 2 – 4 pm.
"Leaves, in all shapes and forms, are the true inspiration for Lotta's work. Most of her pieces are leaf printed, a technique in which impressions from actual leaves make up the pattern. Paint is applied to the back of the leaf, which is then pressed onto the fabric. Slight variations in each print create magical images. The fabric itself also plays a big role in her creations. She mostly work with linen, preferably vintage varieties from all parts of the world. Linen is soft, tactile, durable, and has a lustrous sheen. It gives, takes, and moves in the process, which adds to the allure."
Visit her website for more information http://www.inleafdesign.com
The following article was featured in The Rural Virginian and The Progress PLUS in December.
Naturally Beautiful Holiday Gifts from a Little Shop in Ivy
By Wendy Edwards
A little birdie wants this year’s holiday shoppers to discover The Barn Swallow in Ivy, where gardening weaves a trail for an out of town adventure. This extraordinary crafter’s gallery rests comfortably under warm, wooden beams in a hand-piled rock bed built in theearly 1800’s. Owners Mary Ann Burk and Janice Arone, both potters, chose the barn as a placeto display their work and have decided on its contents very carefully. “We wanted something different,”Arone said. “Something you wouldn’t find anywhere else, with nuances that set the work apart.” The pair wanted to support local business by including other regional master crafters in their store, decorated this time of year with soft lighting and white sparrows to share in the season’s spirit. The resultis an appealing nook for nature lovers and artists alike. Shoppers are met with a cornucopiaof one-of-a-kind pottery pieces created by Burk, Arone, and a generous number of other community artisans.
The combination of Arone’s whimsical elegance and Burk’s soft touch shares its show space with so much more. Classic forms and unique textures are everywhere you look inside The Barn Swallow. It feels impossible to keep your hands to yourself while surrounded by water-etched pottery, nature print fabrics, artist jewelry, and rustic furnishings. There are mixed media canvas paintings, framed black and white photographs, wood bowls, stone carvings, hand-drawn card sets and locally produced jars of honey, even quaint sachets of lavender blends which whisper of mountainous regions in the north – and that’s a short list of life-inspired crafts found in the two story barn.
Featured works include those by painter and collage artist Leslie Banta; jewelry designer Leslie Chisholm; photographer John Grant; textile artist Lotta Helleberg; artist and photographer Cary Oliva; mixed media artist Misty Mawn; basket weaver Anne Scarpa McCauley; painter, illustrator and photographer Tim O’Kane; and rustic furniture maker Joe Sheridan.
There is nothing in the shop that isn’t somehow refined and in good taste. For an easy day of shopping for room décor, see how the collectible crafts on display at The Barn Swallow look as though they were made to be together, even if separate artists made them. Folks who are filling their days with holiday shopping will find special items for the people on their lists just a stone’s throw from Charlottesville on Gillums Ridge Road in Ivy, off of route 250 West. A glimpse of what is in store at The Barn Swallow can be viewed on the website, www.thebarnswallow.com, but don’t miss the in-store experience if you can help it. Its doors are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5. Appointments can be arranged by calling The Barn Swallow at 434-979-4884.
Barn Swallow Receives 2008 Best of Charlottesville Award
U.S. Local Business Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement
WASHINGTON D.C., October 21, 2008 -- Barn Swallow has been selected for the 2008 Best of Charlottesville Award in the Craft Galleries & Dealers category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).
The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.
Photography Show
The Barn Swallow Gallery will be showing the work of photographer and broommaker, Britta-Lena Lasko, through December 5th.
Over the course of several summers, Ms. Lasko photographed and interviewed eight different beekeepers. Her goal was to document an endangered hobby that is becoming increasingly threatened by honeybee parasites, climate change, and disease, as well as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).
Through her black and white photographs, Ms. Lasko hopes to bring the plight of the honeybee and the backyard beekeeper to the attention of those who appreciate honey and who might not fully realize the impact this crisis may have on our food.
In addition to her photographs, the exhibit will also feature Ms. Lasko’s handmade art brooms. Functional and a bit whimsical, her work brings brooms to a level above and beyond their usual place in the cleaning closet of many homes.
Please contact Britta-Lena Lasko at 540-219-1442 or Chicopee44@aol.com for information on her work.