Bell Creative Arts

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I’m a transplant from Seattle. Having traveled in a VW bus around the US, living in several cities including DC, Santa Cruz, Sacramento and Seattle, I chose Maine as my place to settle down and get more serious about my creative work.

My work includes

I’m most widely known for my jewelry made from the copper reclaimed from the Maine State House Dome.

My studio, now fondly referred to as the “Belle” is located in Wilton, Maine.  Formerly known as the ‘Wells Fiddlehead cannery’ which operated for 4 generations canning dandelion greens and fiddleheads.  As I build it out, I will offer classes in blacksmithing, fold forming, pottery, jewelry and more. Please sign up on the website for updates about classes and events.

As a kid, being in my dad’s wood shop filled me with such curiosity. I loved the smell of sawdust and was fascinated with all the different tools. In high school I took a shop class where we made small wooden toys.

In my 20’s I took a welding class. The teacher determined immediately I wasn’t in the class to become a welder. He recommended I go take the blacksmith class, and that was it…I was hooked.

The relationship between the steel, the fire and the human with the hammer is the divine 3. Everything is transformed on a molecular level. To be able to heat and manipulate steel, changing the shape, never fails to fascinate me.

My desire to work with steel developed as I realized that soft isn’t always the way to walk. Own a hammer and know how to use it.
Having worked with clay for years before welding and blacksmithing, the concept of material manipulation was key to my interest that continues today with almost any material.

I’ve worked with different mediums over the years. These include reclaimed wood and found objects, pastels, watercolors, acrylic, and clay- hand building technique being favorite. Copper is my most current steady medium. I find it to be alive with possibility, warm and energetic.

Whether it’s a garden I’m transforming or a piece of metal, I am in a relationship or dance with the material and feel a freedom of expression that comes from somewhere outside of myself.

Heart, Head and Hands-the divine 3- again

 

Unique Fabric-ations

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Fabric landscapes are created by hand appliqueing different fabrics to a muslin base, then mated and framed.
Wall hangings are machine pieced flowers or animals used in the picture books. Thin wooden dowels and fishing line are attached for easy hanging.
Fabric animal picture books have 6 pages in each book. They are machine pieced and most faces have some hand embroidery. They are washable. I will take custom orders for books and wall hangings.

Two Little Beans & Co.

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Two Little Beans & Co. is a Maine-based clothing company that lovingly sews handcrafted baby clothes, including baby booties, bibs, and apparel.

Our goal is to create heirloom-quality baby garments that celebrate the magic of early childhood. Each Two Little Beans & Co. piece is soft and cozy without restricting movement – perfect for everyday adventures.

Saltbox Pottery

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Form follows function…

What is this pottery used for? How best can the shape promote its usefulness? These pots stack nicely in the cupboard. They fit and rattle around well in the dishwasher and have comfortable handles for many sized hands. They are oven, dishwasher and microwave safe and of course, lead-free.

That said, function isn’t the only determining factor. My influences through classical training or from ancient Greece, early American in old English pottery. I enjoyed a refined, uplifted form with a durable rim. My decoration is kept to a minimum with more emphasis placed on the shape and glaze.
I enjoy cooking and entertaining and always try to imagine a piece of pottery that will enhance the presentation of my meals. Whether it’s a piece to keep butter soft, to serve large salads and main courses or aid in the discrete disposal of olive pits, my pottery is thoroughly planned, start to finish. I am, in a nutshell, a practical Yankee!

Maine Bags & Goods

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All pieces are designed and hand crafted in Maine. Focusing on aesthetic and function, the rugged leather, waxed canvas, quality linens and brass hardware are the starting point. With the seasonal Maine elements in mind, I have created a line that can be packed up for a day at the beach or look great on your shoulder while trudging through a New England snow storm. The leather is sourced from a tannery in Maine which adds to each bag’s story. Marrying the leather with various fabrics creates many design options and the chance to build your own bag. The end result is a chic bag with a nautical and utilitarian flair.

The Purple Acorn

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Coiled Fiber Baskets made in the style of Native American and South Carolina Gullah baskets. Made with cotton cord and a variety of natural and mixed fiber yarns. Embellishments include Maine sea shells, wooden, glass and natural stone beads. Each basket is designed by me and one of a kind.

Susan Bryant Caron Handcrafted jewelry

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Susan Bryant Caron is a Freeport, Maine jewelry artist currently taming sterling silver wire into stunning pieces of wearable art. Copper and 14K gold filled wire, semiprecious stones and fresh- water pearls have been introduced into the line adding additional elements of appeal. Susan creates each piece by hand; bending, twisting and wrapping wire to create the beads and components of this jewelry. Her wish to tread lightly on the earth has inspired her to design a line of jewelry made from recycled metals using a process that requires no soldering or adhesives.

Goose Pond

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Goose Pond – original designs in acid etched metal since 1982. Gold and rhodium-silver plated Christmas ornaments, many three-dimensional or with moving parts.

Over 6 dozen earring designs with matching necklaces and barrettes.

Custom designs a specialty, including logo and landmark pieces.

ANGELROX | SUGER

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ANGELROX is American comfort. Handmade in a historic textile mill in Biddeford, Maine from the softest natural fabrics that comfort and breathe. The collection was founded by designer Roxi Suger in 1999. Her signature designs and sweet essentials are created from, and for, the beautiful spirit inside us all.

Serving diverse lifestyle needs from active to wellness, from work to special events, Angelrox is enduring style that authentically and organically produces genuine delight in the angels that experience the brand.

We are a family company offering versatile mindful clothing, crafted with joy, from biodegradable rayons made with organic cotton, bamboo + beechwood fabrics that are locally knit. Our products are engineered for comfort, to build confidence and to minimize waste. Each piece is hand crafted from beginning to end by a single person and often on a single sewing machine. Our packing is minimal and recycled and in all we do we endeavor to make a positive impact on this beautiful and amazing planet.

S.E. Hall Furniture & Design

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S.E. Hall Furniture & Design is a single maker woodshop located in Gray, Maine. I design and build custom furniture pieces for clients and also home decor and kitchen items that are featured in my showroom and at fairs around New England. The lumber I use is acquired in Maine when possible or neighboring states if necessary. For special project needs; pulls, hooks, clips, etc. I support other local makers. The “drop” or scrap wood from larger builds is what is used for my production items, trying my best to minimize my waste.