Happy Holidays from AZ Handmade and Fire on the Mountain Galleries!
Per tradition, George Averbeck and his blown glass art will be featured the month of December! He has been making gorgeous ornaments and glasses leading into the holidays, especially in his Snowball motif with whimsical, swirling eddies of snow.

A long-time fixture in the Flagstaff community, George is beloved by locals and visitors alike. He has a long resume of shows and exhibits, and most recently his Dark Sky Series and Pluto Group were juried into the Night Vision exhibit at Sky Harbor Airport!

If you're traveling this holiday season, be sure to stop and see George's exquisite glass work alongside other Arizona artists - including Dawn Sutherland (we're proud that two of our artists were selected out of over 200 applicants from across the state)! The Night Vision exhibit can be found on Terminal 4, Level 3 and is pre-security so anyone can visit. It will be on display through May 26, 2024.

George's workbench is already full of orders. His deadline for custom orders is December 1st, so order online, call us, or come to the gallery if you'd like him to make you a special gift for Christmas. Keep reading for details about ArtWalk and his glassblowing demo!

Holiday Events
November 24th and 25th, 10:00am-6:00pm - Slack Friday and Small Business Saturday
Come downtown and shop small! Everyone who makes a purchase at the gallery on these two days will be entered to win one of three blown glass Snowball hearts by George Averbeck! You can also start a Downtown Holiday Shopping Passport while you're in.

December 1st, 6:00-9:00pm - ArtWalk Featuring George Averbeck
George will be in the gallery, live music by Jimmy DeBlois, and lots of glass for gifting!

Get Those Orders In Early!
We have work from over twenty artists available through our online store. Some of the items are immediately available but others will need to be created by the artist once your order is placed, so please order early. We recommend all orders intended for Christmas be placed by December 16th, though we will continue to ship them out as quickly as possible after that! Of course, orders for George Averbeck must be placed by December 1st.

If you don't see what you're looking for online, call the gallery at 928-779-3790 so we can send you photos of stock and ship items to you!

And don't forget, we have extended hours for the holidays: Monday-Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm and Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm.

Sneak Peek
None this time! There's no ArtWalk in January. But stay tuned for fun news and events that will be coming up early next year.

Sending warm wishes from everyone at the gallery!
Psst! If you subscribe to our newsletter you'll get these updates straight to your inbox!

Light on the Canyon
In November we're featuring Dawn Sutherland and her oil landscapes. Originally from Wisconsin but a local of Flagstaff since 2004, Dawn has long-since learned to capture the beauty of the Colorado Plateau. She is especially beloved for the way she expresses the delicate light of early morning and late evening on Grand Canyon's monumental cliffs and captures the feeling of sitting on the banks of the river at the bottom of the Canyon.

An active member of the art community and beyond, Dawn is a founding member of the Arizona Plein Air Painters and is a member of The Nature Conservancy, Grand Canyon Conservancy, Best Friends Animal Society, and Morris Animal Foundation. She has recently begun sharing her expertise with students as she teaches the fundamentals of landscape painting in the Honors College at Northern Arizona University.

Jewelry Popup
Rachel Richardson will be in the gallery BOTH Friday, November 10th and Saturday, November 11th from 12:00-4:00pm with equipment to attach permanent jewelry, pieces from her new engraved teardrop collection, and of course she'll be ready to talk custom orders.

Nancy Foo will be joining her on Saturday, November 11th from 12:00-4:00pm with her new, sparkly stacking rings and bracelets and a wide selection of hand-cut stone jewelry.

Get a jump on your holiday shopping with handmade work by these two lovely Flagstaff locals!

Holiday Shopping and Extended Hours
It's coming up fast friends - the holiday season! Our artists are busy making beautiful art to gift to loved ones during this special time of year. We have a few things happening to make holiday shopping easier and to say thank you for shopping local!

Beginning November 24th our hours will be extended to:
Monday-Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm

Order Online
We have work from over twenty artists available through our online store. Some of the items are immediately available but others will need to be created by the artist once your order is placed, so please order early!

If you don't see what you're looking for, call the gallery at 928-779-3790 so we can send you photos of stock and ship you items in time for the holidays or place a custom order for something special!

Local Love Downtown
If you want to avoid long lines and getting up early the day after Thanksgiving, come downtown for a laid back brunch and festive shopping! Lots of downtown businesses will have deals and giveaways for Slack Friday and Small Business Saturday (November 24th and 25th). The gallery will have a giveaway for three George Averbeck glass snow hearts: Anyone who makes a purchase on those two days will be entered to win!

We'll also be part of the Downtown Holiday Shopping Passport again. You just have to shop at 5 participating businesses OR spend a combined total of $250 from November 20, 2023 through January 1, 2024 and you'll be entered to win gift certificates from your favorite downtown businesses - including from AZ Handmade Gallery! You can check out the Downtown Flagstaff site for details on all their holiday happenings.

Sneak peek
George Averbeck will round out the year as our featured artist in December with gorgeous glass ready for gifting and hanging on the tree!

Glassblowing Demo with George O'Grady
In October we're featuring glass blower George O'Grady (sometimes affectionately referred to in the gallery as "the other George"). He's inspired by Art Nouveau artist, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and the early 20th century art movement that evolved from Impressionism to Modern Abstract. This Art Nouveau style can be seen in his glasses, stemware, and vases, often utilizing striking metallic tones and bold abstract patterns. Mr. O'Grady will be at the gallery to talk about all things glass during ArtWalk on Friday, October 6th with music by Craig Yarbrough starting at 6:00pm - including acoustic guitar arrangements of the Grateful Dead!

The day after ArtWalk, Mr. O'Grady will also be doing a glassblowing demo showing the public how he creates his elegant stemware! And he won't be alone, glass artist Jordan Ford of the Melting Point Studio will also be joining him. The demonstration will take place on Saturday, October 7th from 1:00-3:00pm at the Fire on the Mountain Studio (324 W Birch Ave).

Joe Sorren and Emma Gardner Live Painting
Joe and Emma are returning to the gallery for another live painting session! These two surrealist painters will each be in one window painting an in-progress piece. When they did this event in May, it was a blast!

Canyon Painting and Carving
A big congratulations to Dawn Sutherland: She was awarded Best in Show at Grand Canyon Celebration of Art this year! Dawn is well-known for the expansive views, spectacular lighting, and stunning river scenes in her canyon pieces and we're so happy she's received such recognition.

Sneak peek
Dawn will also be our featured artist in November, so if you're a collector, put November 3rd on your calendar for the opening of her show!

You can shop our handmade art from anywhere and we're constantly adding new items to our online store!
Don't see what you're looking for? Call us at 928-779-3790 and we'll send you pictures of items in stock and process your order over the phone.

Sending love from AZ Handmade Gallery!

Psst! If you subscribe to our newsletter you'll get these updates straight to your inbox!

The Printmaking Pair
In September we're featuring Julie and David Williams, a married couple that shares a passion for the traditional art of printmaking. Their show opened at ArtWalk September 1st and will be up all month.

 The Reduction Woodcuts
Locals and visitors alike have fallen in love with Julie Williams's woodcut prints. She captures the intimate spirit of a place or a moment; "I know this spot!" customer's often say.

Julie uses the color reduction technique in her woodcut printing, an old form of art that begins with carving into a flat, wooden block. She mixes her inks to create her unique palette, then inks the carved image and transfers it to a piece of paper by running it under pressure through a press.

After printing that image on a set number of pages to make what is known as an Edition, Julie returns to the original piece of wood to carve more away until the image is different and she's ready for the next color. She'll ink the wood and apply the new image on top of the first one, layering from light to dark colors, repeating the meticulous process of carving, inking, and printing over and over until the image is complete. It's time-consuming, but creates a stunning work of art.

The Lithographs and Intaglios
David Williams works in a different kind of printmaking technique, more attuned to his training in illustration. Instead of creating an image by carving into wood, David hand-draws directly onto the surface from which he will print. Lithographs are printed off stone blocks and intaglios are printed from etched sheets of metal, but both allow for highly detailed illustrations to be printed multiple times using a press. Longtime professor of printmaking at Northern Arizona University, David shares his knowledge of this centuries-old craft with the next generation of artists.
 
Inspired by history, nature, and his sense of humor, David has created a wide body of work, from tenebrous ravens to the surreal "An Extraordinary Afternoon" collection with an array of boats, planes, and wild animals in unexpected places.

A large variety of both Julie and David's framed work will be on display during the month of September, a wider selection will be available unframed, and we've recently added more of their pieces to the online store for those who live far away.

Blow Your Own Ball (BYOB) Signup Is Open!
In this annual event you blow your own glass ornament under the expert guidance of artist, George Averbeck! Sessions this year will take place on: October 14, October 21, November 4, and November 11.

    You'll select a 15-minute slot on one of those days to blow your ornament.
    It costs $37 per ornament and you can pay over the phone or in-person at the gallery. You must pay when you sign up.
    Ornaments need to be cooled slowly in a kiln and will be available for pickup the following day at the gallery.

Call 928-779-3790 or come into the gallery to sign up!

Jewelry Popup with Rachel Richardson
Rachel will be at the gallery from 11:00am-3:00pm on Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 9. She'll be attaching permanent necklaces, bracelets, and anklets in sterling silver and a variety of gold chains.

Want a custom charm? She can stamp charms for you in-person: The initials of someone special, an important date, or even a whole word on a necklace! For more info about permanent jewelry, check out Rachel's page.

Fall Hours
Our extended hours for summer are ending with the Labor Day weekend.
Starting the first week of September, we will be back to our normal hours of:
Monday-Saturday 10:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm

Sneak peek
The ArtWalk on October 6th will feature glass blower, George O'Grady (sometimes affectionately referred to in the gallery as "the other George"). We have more than one event in the works for October, so be sure to check out next month's newsletter (if you're not signed up, do so here)!

You can shop our handmade art from anywhere and we're constantly adding new items to our online store!
Don't see what you're looking for? Call us at 928-779-3790 and we'll send you pictures of items in stock and process your order over the phone.

Sending love from AZ Handmade Gallery!

Psst! If you subscribe to our newsletter you'll get these updates straight to your inbox!

A Neo-Traditional Approach
For August we're featuring jewelry made by Jonah Hill! Well-known throughout Northern Arizona, Jonah is not only a multi-media artist, but also a river guide, environmental educator, and ethnobotanist.

Jonah is from the Hopi and Quechan tribes, and while his heritage is a huge influence on his art, his self-described style is Neo-Traditional. He uses the silver overlay technique, but he brings a different approach than is often seen in Hopi jewelry. Like in his River's Edge Bracelet, where instead of displaying pottery-inspired designs, the top layer of silver creates large, flowing waves. Coming from tribes who are dry farmers, motifs of water and crops are often seen in his work.

"I have a vested interest in water issues as they pertain to native peoples and use the artistic process to express my love and concern for water and the related environmental issues surrounding this most precious resource." - Jonah Hill

Jonah also uses tufa and cuttlebone casting techniques. It starts with hand-carving into one of those natural materials to create a mold. When molten silver is poured in, it picks up the texture of the material's surface. Tufa is subtle (like the Frog Pendant) and cuttlebone is bold (as seen in the Ram Pendant), but they both lend an organic compliment to his designs.
 
For ArtWalk on Friday, August 4th, Jonah will be at AZ Handmade Gallery with some of his works in progress starting at 6pm! Pablo G will be playing live music and there will be art at over 20 businesses in downtown Flagstaff! See the ArtWalk map for a full list of locations.

Gals' Get-Together at the Gallery!
 On Saturday, August 19 from 7:00-9:00pm we’re holding a special event featuring four female artists from Flagstaff, and it will be a perfect time to hang out with some of your girlfriends! So, what's happening?
 
Nancy Foo will have a huge selection from her newest jewelry line as well as hand-cut stone jewelry
Emma Gardner will be painting live in the window
Rachel Richardson will have her equipment set up to attach permanent jewelry and talk custom orders
Jenna Holzer will be doing free henna all night
Old Barrel Tea Company will be set up with tea tastings!
 
We’ll have giveaways from each artist, as well as one for a hand-blown glass vase by Holly Averbeck with fresh flowers.
 
Call up some friends and mark your calendars for August 19th!

Jewelry Popup with Rachel Richardson
In addition to the Gals' Get-Together event, Rachel will be at the gallery from 11:00am-3:00pm on Friday, August 18 and Saturday, August 19. She'll have chains in a variety of styles, all ready to be turned into a permanent necklace, bracelet, or anklet! Chains are available in sterling silver, 14k yellow gold, rose gold, and white gold. She also has a huge selection of charms that can be added - including ones with diamonds and sapphires!
 
Rachel uses a tiny welder to connect the ends of the chain so it stays on all the time and doesn't have a clasp! (If you no longer want it on, don't worry, it can be easily removed with a nail clipper.)

Rachel’s passion is custom jewelry (especially engagement rings). The popup is also a perfect time to chat with her in-person about making a special piece!

August Moons
August 2023 is a special month, book-ended by two Super Moons: one on August 1st and one on August 31st. What's even more noteworthy, though, is August 31st will be a Blue Super Moon!

Holly has inspired George to make these new Full Moon glasses. As he says, "They're perfect for kicking back with a drink and howling at the moon!" Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram. After experimenting with some colors, there will likely be a Blue Moon glass out later this month! The Full Moon glasses are available in the gallery, as well as our online store, and can be shipped across the country.

Sneak peek
The ArtWalk on September 1st will feature printmaking couple, Julie and David Williams - more details in the next newsletter!

You can shop our handmade art from anywhere and we're constantly adding new items to our online store!
Don't see what you're looking for? Call us at 928-779-3790 and we'll send you pictures of items in stock and process your order over the phone.

Sending love from AZ Handmade Gallery!

The month of July we'll be featuring one of our newest artists at the gallery, Antoinette Thompson. Antoinette is an indigenous contemporary artist from Lukachukai, AZ. Though she always enjoyed art, her painting began as a healing process as an adult and blossomed from there. Gaining acclaim as a self-taught artist, she later earned her BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has won awards, and been in exhibits, art shows, and galleries across the country, as well as in Italy.

For Antoinette, art is an expression of emotion: "I don’t approach a piece with an idea, I let the emotions take over and guide me…I let the art breath and come alive." Her paintings are vibrant, abstract compositions that incorporate her Navajo heritage. She takes the teachings of her elders and her culture, and entwines it with modern society so people of all generations can appreciate what she shares.

Antoinette has come back to the Navajo Nation to use her Master's degree in Healthcare Administration and work in her community, but she's still an artist. In fact, she takes inspiration from her work in the healthcare field. She continues to see art as a healing process for both herself and others - let's decorate the world with more art!

Antoinette will be at the gallery during ArtWalk along with some new paintings. Come by from 6:00-9:00pm on Friday, July 7th to meet this passionate artist! John Volk will be playing live music for us, and as always, you can check out a full listing of ArtWalk events at artwalkflg.org.

Wally Grover Carving Kachina Dolls at the Gallery
Hopi artist, Wally Grover, will be at AZ Handmade Gallery on June 24th from 10:00am-5:00pm.  He’ll be carving Kachina dolls, as well as talking about the traditional art and how he approaches his own creations.

Grover is from the Kachina/Parrot clan and from the Tewa Village on Hopi’s First Mesa at Polacca, AZ. He was 18 when his brother-in-law, Marlon Huma, taught him to carve cottonwood root. If you've ever been curious about Kachina dolls or Hopi art, this is the perfect chance to ask questions and learn about them!

Henna by Jenna
You may know Jenna as one of the staff members at the gallery, but she's also an artist herself and does beautiful henna work. On July 8th, the Saturday after ArtWalk, she will be doing a Henna Popup in the gallery from noon-4:00pm!

Unfamiliar with henna? It is a natural, plant-based paste that is applied like a paint on top of the skin and temporarily stains it. The designs will usually last for about two weeks, and can be removed earlier with lemon juice. If you have questions or want to talk to Jenna about body art or mehndi designs in anticipation of the event, reply to this email or text the gallery at 928-779-3790!

JULY 4th HOURS
The gallery will have shortened hours on Tuesday, July 4th: 10:00am - 1:00pm.

Otherwise, our Summer hours are the same:
Saturday-Wednesday: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday & Friday: 10:00am - 7:00pm

Enjoy the holiday!

Sneak peek
The ArtWalk on August 4th will feature Jonah Hill - more details in the next newsletter!

You can shop our handmade art from anywhere and we're constantly adding new items to our online store!
Don't see what you're looking for? Call us at 928-779-3790 and we'll send you pictures of items in stock and process your order over the phone.

Sending love from AZ Handmade Gallery!

Psst! If you subscribe to our newsletter you'll get these updates straight to your inbox!

Flagstaff jeweler, Rachel Richardson, will be at AZ Handmade Gallery attaching eternity bracelets from noon-4pm on Sunday, May 14th!

Eternity bracelets are beautiful, classy, and wonderfully low-maintenance - perfect for busy moms and for grads ready to take on the world. Or mom and her grad can get matching ones!

The bracelets are chains that Rachel attaches using a tiny welder so they stay on all the time and don't have a clasp! They do not penetrate the skin in any way and can be easily removed with a nail clipper if you no longer want them on.

Bracelets start at $40. Rachel has chains available in sterling silver, 14k yellow gold, rose gold, and white gold, as well as plain charms that can be added or ones with diamonds and sapphires. A perfect way to commemorate a new step forward in life or celebrate mom and all she does! Stop in after brunch  downtown to check them out and say hello to Rachel!

New Show: Introspection on the Wild
During the month of May, the front of the gallery will be filled with wildlife and nature paintings by Flagstaff artist, David Lash. He is well known for his highly-detailed portraits of local fauna and flora, often paired with a thoughtful examination of the complexities within the natural world and how humans interact with it.

David will be at AZ Handmade Gallery for the opening of his show at ArtWalk on Friday, May 5th from 6:00-9:00pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear the stories behind his paintings and see his new work. Live acoustic folk and jazz will be played by Pablo G! A full ArtWalk map can be found at artwalkflg.org.

We're excited to introduce a new addition to the gallery, Denise Incao! From her studio in Paulden, Arizona, Denise makes art inspired by nature with an earthy color palette, hand-formed ceramic elements and found objects. Sharing her passion for art, she also teaches children and adults the magic of working with clay.

“I choose to work without drawings or plans," Denise says of her own artistic process, "allowing a natural expressionistic process to unfold. Much of what comes through is influenced by years of adventures in nature, travel, my education in anthropology and psychology, and love of all that is close to the Earth and that reflects her mystery and bounty.”

Denise will be at Arizona Handmade Gallery for ArtWalk on Friday, April 7th starting at 6:00pm, along with Jim DeBusk of Streetwise who will be playing live music! Check out the ArtWalk page for a map of where you can find art and come enjoy a beautiful spring evening in downtown Flagstaff!