December 4, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jenna Wagner
PR & Marketing Director
Friends of Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation
(276) 492-2400
marketing@friendsofswva.org

‘ROUND THE MOUNTAIN ANNOUNCES NEWLY JURIED ARTISANS, WORK TO BE SOLD AT THE SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA CULTURAL CENTER & MARKETPLACE

ABINGDON, VA – ‘Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Network (RTM) announced today the latest juried artisans to be added to the database of over 240 artisans around the 19 county, four city region of Southwest Virginia. Over 17 artisans submitted artwork for the Fall jury to sell their work in the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace. An exhibit highlighting the new juried artisans will hit the walls of the Cultural Center in January and tell the story of these talented members. 

The artisans chosen, feature a variety of mediums, including jewelry, photography, painting, fiber, wood, metal and fiber. Please join us in welcoming the newest juried members of ‘Round the Mountain and look for their work in the galleries starting in December:

Amanda Griffin (Griffin Entwined) of Galax, Virginia – Jewelry
Amanda Griffin creates unique wearable art inspired by nature and historical jewelry making techniques. Her work is handcrafted from copper and silver wire and polymer clay. She fell in love with wire in a sculpture class at Hollins University. She has regnited her love of wire sculpture on a much smaller scale with the jewelry she creates. Each necklace, earring, pendant, and ring is handcrafted, so even her favorite designs have inspired variations. Amanda is a native of Carroll County, VA and now calls Galax home. She has been a part of Chestnut Creek School of the Arts, in Galax, since 2014 as a student, volunteer, a juried consignment artist, and an instructor.

William Clower of Woodlawn, Virginia – Wood
I am inspired by the natural variations in wood. I let the grains, knots, and colors tell me what it will become. I take old pieces of reclaimed barnwood and wormy chestnut and give them a new life.

James Elmore (student member) of Abingdon, Virginia – 2D: Photography
I am a relatively new photographer; always trying to improve. I want to have a unique, yet varied aesthetic in my shots. My favorite subjects are landscapes and animals. I enjoy playing with motion and making some pictures more realistic than others.

Charlotte Farris of Marion, Virginia: Fiber
I strive for perfection but seldom reach it, thus I try, try, try again. I love fabrics and putting them together to create beauty. The three Bs: Bright, Bold, and Beautiful describe what I like to achieve in a finished product. I also like difficult, complicated, involved patterns.

Henri T. de Hahn (Hahn Art & Design) of Christiansburg, Virginia: Wood
Born in Montreal, Canada, de Hahn moved with his family to Vienna, Austria at a young age, and at nine to Switzerland. Eventually, he trained as an architect in Lausanne, Switzerland completing an M. Architect before moving to New York City. When he was invited to join the faculty of architecture at the University of Kentucky, he discovered that region of the country and the vernacular art form called Folk Art. Fast-forward twenty years, and a move to Virginia via Californina, and an unexpected fall storm that covered his downtown Christiansburg lawn with a variety of tree limbs of different dimensions and sizes. The form demanded attention and he decided to transform this amorphous form into a reptile and give it a new life through color and pattern. His first folk art snake was born. Today his work is found in private collections in California, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Virginia and Switzerland.

George “David” Hamilton of Abingdon, Virginia – 2D: Painting
Local naturalist expressing his love of nature through art! Beauty in nature is the inspiration of my art. He replicates the form and color with simplicity and attention to detail.

Isaac Hilton of Vansant, Virginia – Metal
I started welding at 10 years old when I would go to work with my dad on Saturdays. Since then, I have been hooked. All of my working career I have had some affiliation with welding. I feel that it is in my blood and is a part of who I am. I draw inspiration for my work from my love of westerns. Using horseshoes allows me to combine my love of the west with my hobby of welding. I can picture a blacksmith of the old west repurposing his material for functional needs.

Teresa Kath of Bristol, Virginia – 2D: Painting
My love for art began in high school. I had an art teacher who took me under his wing and helped me get a good start. Art is my life.I love being involved in many mediums. I paint in watercolor, acrylic, alcohol ink and also work in pottery.

Rejane Pratelli of Blacksburg, Virginia – Jewelry
Pratelli is a jewelry artist living and working in Blacksburg, VA. She took her first silversmithing class after life-threatening health issues required a change of pace and career, and she never looked back. What originally began as a way of speeding up physical recovery and helping with pain management developed into a full time occupation. She works mainly with sterling silver and is fascinated with texture and uneven, organic shapes, which she achieves through reticulation, fusion, hammering, and roll printing. Gold, pearls, and gemstones provide color accents and contrast. She draws her inspiration from her extensive travels and the artistic, natural, cultural, architectural, and human encounters she experienced along the way. Processing pain is another endless source of inspiration, and turning raw human emotions into pieces of beauty is for her the most rewarding part of the journey.

Sarah Rouse of Abingdon, Virginia – Fiber: Macrame
A true crafter at heart, I grew up with many women around me quilting, crocheting, and embroidering. I have taught myself everything I know from watching my grandmothers and online videos. I have worked in retail galleries with handmade items all around me which have inspired me to create and perfect my craft.

And as you prepare for gifting, remember to support your fellow artisans by shopping locally at the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace, one of dozens of galleries, or directly from an artisan during the many open houses and studio tours throughout our 19 counties, 4 cities and 53 towns! 

And don’t forget to visit the Holiday Market on December 14 at the Cultural Center for those last minute special gifts! 

For more information on ‘Round the Mountain visit https://roundthemountain.org. 

For more information on the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace visit https://swvaculturalcenter.com.

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Contact:
For more information, please contact Jenna Wagner with Friends of Southwest Virginia (276-492-2400). For more information and to stay up-to-date, subscribe to the Friends of Southwest Virginia Partner Newsletter and “Like” Friends of Southwest Virginia on Facebook.

About the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace:
Your welcome mat to this vibrant region, the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace {formerly Heartwood} is a 29,000 square foot center that introduces Southwest Virginia (SWVA) to the world and serves as a visitor center, retail center for local crafts, music venue and community space. 

• Discover our marketplace: a soaring space retailing the art and craft of over 180 artisans from Southwest Virginia who have been juried by fellow artisans. From traditional pottery and quilting to modern paintings and glasswork, you’ll learn the stories of our traditional art and explore over 5,000 pieces for sale. Two spaces feature rotating exhibits that showcase the best of Southwest Virginia’s masterpiece artisan network. 
• Explore our visitor center: from a centerpiece hand carved wooden map weaving the stories of 19 counties and four cities, you’ll discover the hidden backroads and undiscovered treasures of Appalachia waiting to welcome you warmly. 
• Indulge in our cafe: Sourcing 90% of all products from the region, the SWVA Cafe and Mountain Brew Bar serves up homemade fare representative of the region. Take a break a sip on over 25 different award-winning regional wines and beers. 
• Listen to the sounds of a region: Experience the birthplace of American Country music at the headquarters of The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. Daily, you can view over 10 videos in our experiential theatre, pick away the day on our traditional porch stage, or learn the stories of music throughout the region through rotating displays. Every Thursday night and several other nights a week, live music takes the center stage and showcases the traditional and mountain music of the region.

About Southwest Virginia:
Tucked in the mountains of Southwest Virginia is a vibrant culture of music, craft and stunning natural beauty. It’s a region of spectacular views and rich natural resources. Time spent in the region adds up to something much more than a simple getaway. A different side of Virginia. And a great place to visit for a week’s vacation – or to make a home for a lifetime. Authentic. Distinctive. Alive.

About the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation and Friends of Southwest Virginia:
The Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation is the coordinating body for cultural heritage tourism and economic development efforts fostering Southwest Virginia’s creative economy. Through a supporting non-profit, the Friends of Southwest Virginia, the combined entities help localities, businesses, individuals, artists, nonprofits and entrepreneurs mobilize and succeed.

A multifaceted plan identifies the cultural and natural assets of the region; coordinates initiatives, organizations and venues engaged in cultural and natural heritage toward more efficient operations for all partner organizations; and develops a comprehensive strategy and capital improvements plan to maximize the impact of state investments in this significant restructuring effort.

Key initiatives include:

• Branding and marketing Southwest Virginia to the world as a distinct culture and destination
• Developing and sustaining the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace
• Expanding outdoor recreation development initiatives and marketing throughout the region
• Planning and implementation of downtown revitalization throughout the region to instill a high quality of life within our communities and promote them to the world for a broad spectrum of economic development opportunities

Learn More About the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation and Friends of Southwest Virginia

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