Our Featured Artists:
Christine Bartoletta
Designer & Metalsmith:
u•nique |yoo'nek| adjective: being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else; particularly remarkable, or special.
Handmade to be like no other. Rare, Distinctive, Unusual, Remarkable.
For Christine, jewelry can be more than just an accessory that brightens the face or completes an outfit. It can also be an expression of identity, mood, or personal style. Allowing us to share something unique about ourselves with the world around us.
Blessed with the freedom to make what she loves, Christine hope's her creations
nurture the spirit and invite the wearer to express and celebrate their
own style. To see more of Christine's work, please visit http://www.societyhilldesigns.com/index.html
Cheryl Bearss
Cheryl works in watercolor, acrylic, and oil. She is an FCPS elementary
art teacher. She has been a practicing artist and art teacher for 25 years.
Cheryl works with old family photos and cityscapes in an expressionistic
style. Her work is often done in black and white or sepia tones. Her work
at times portrays still-life objects and landscapes.
She accepts commissions if you would like your own photo reproduced. Cheryl
has shown her work at the Torpedo Factory and has sold her work in her sister's
Chicago coffee shop. "Memories, family, places, and objects play an
important role in my art."
Come and visit her upstairs in Studio F. Examples of Cheryl's work coming
soon.
Hazel Brutsché
Hazel Brutsché has been creating handcrafted artisan jewelry and repairing costume jewelry for over a dozen years. For her, it’s all about the rocks; she loves the wealth of colors and textures in precious and semi-precious stones, and she thoroughly enjoys hand-picking unusual stones and clasps. She began collecting rocks in her 8th grade earth science class, then bought some stone nugget necklaces, since they were affordable on a teenager’s budget. It was one of those AHA! moments when she realized she could wear her rock collection.
Her love affair with vintage costume jewelry lead to the repair side of her business. She couldn’t find anyone willing do to those repairs, so she decided to fill the void by learning how to do them herself. She enrolled in a series of classes, including pearl knotting. An unexpected benefit arose when Hazel began to do the repairs. Her customers would tell her the stories of each piece of jewelry they brought to her. This continues to be a totally enriching experience.
Hazel shops for her customers, especially for vintage necklace repairs, but also when someone requests a custom piece. She will shop around for the beads or components to match (if they’re not already in her stash).
Another lifelong love of hers is music. Hazel comes from a musical family and has been singing and playing guitar and dulcimer for many years. She has a BA in music history, and enjoyed a few of her fifteen minutes of fame in New York City when performing with “The Soldier’s Fancy,” an all-women folk music band.
At the end of August 2007, after a long career in publishing, she left
the corporate world to follow the dream of creating handcrafted artisan
jewelry.
Nancy Carter
Nancy Carter is a pastel artist specializing in coastal landscapes and
cityscapes. Her earliest memories are of being surrounded by water and sunlight
when she lived in Savannah, Georgia as a small child. Nancy still feels
the emotional pull of the shore and strives to evoke that same reaction
through her paintings.
Nancy frequently travels to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts where she photographs
subjects that inspire her and then uses a compilation of these images to
create her pastels. Her paintings capture vignettes of the coast with breathtaking
intensity of color and detail. Her compositions are dramatic, often a juxtaposition
of architecture with nature.
Nancy believes everyone has the opportunity to find something beautiful
in everyday life. "I want my paintings to prompt a sense of unencumbered
happiness and beauty. I am privileged to have the opportunity to create
and explore my artistic passion to achieve that."
Nancy is a member of the Arlington Artists Alliance, the Columbia Pike Artists
Studio and The Art League. Her work can be found in private collections
throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and the Southeast.
Check out Nancy's
Gallery to see examples of her work. All pieces are available as fine
art giclees and note cards.
Laura Clerici
Laura Clerici works with traditional materials in the Orthodox tradition to produce icons..
In the early 90’s, she was a diplomat stationed in New York City when she first encountered the Russian founder of the Prosopon School, which emphasizes spiritual involvement and Orthodox traditions in the creation of religious images. She was unable to take advantage of the class, but never gave up the idea of doing icons. Consequently, when she was assigned to the US Embassy in Moscow seven years later, she was delighted to learn of another Russian willing to teach foreigners to paint icons. It was only much later that she learned that her instructor was in fact affiliated with the Prosopon School. When she returned to the US she began taking workshops with the School several times a year, often traveling from her overseas assignments for this purpose. Most recently she has been studying with other advanced students at a retreat center in Chatawa, Mississippi and at Princeton University.
Laura retired from the State Department in 2006, and so is able to devote
more time to art. She is also a volunteer chaplain at the INOVA Alexandria
Hospital.
In addition to the icons available at her studio at Stifel and Capra, Laura
takes commissions. Please see Laura's gallery.
Ashleigh Collins
Ashleigh Collins’ shop, My Two Monkeys, is colorful and constantly changing with a wide variety of unusual, fun, and funky treasures. Ashleigh has everything from retro lighting, artistic pottery, and timeless artwork to vintage couture clothing, glamorous jewelry, and stylish handbags. She has been “treasure hunting” for over 20 years and loves sharing her finds with others. She accepts consignments for both in-store and on-line sales.
Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Ashleigh lives in Falls Church City
with her husband, Peter, and her two ”monkeys,” Grinden and
Avery. She graduated from the University of Richmond and thought she would
stay in Northern Virginia for a year or two before returning back to Texas.
Thank goodness life never goes as planned. After twenty years in Northern
Virginia, Falls Church has become her true home.
Deborah Conn
Deborah Conn has had a longtime interest in drawing, but it wasn’t until 1998 that she first picked up a watercolor brush - and has rarely put it down since. "The most exciting thing about painting, for me, is the way it has altered my way of seeing things," she said. "My goal is to express these newfound patterns, colors, and connections in my work."
Deborah Conn works in transparent watercolor to create florals, portraits and figures, still lifes, and landscapes. Check out Deborah's Gallery to see examples of her work. All pieces are available as fine art giclees and note cards. To view original paintings that are still available for sale, check out Deborah's items
Jane McElvany Coonce
"The way light falls on an object has always fascinated me. In paintings and in sculpture, I strive to capture the interesting effect that light plays on the subject."
Jane McElvany Coonce has been in the art field for over 35 years. She works in acrylic, oil , pastel and in terra cotta. Her works are held by private collectors, and her corporate collectors include the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, the International Country Club of Fairfax, Virginia, Georgetown University, and the Rickover Naval Academy. She has won numerous awards for both her paintings and her sculptures, including first prize at the International Miniature Society of Washington D.C. in 2000 and first prize in the plein air competition of Kensington in 2005. She was a featured artist in Elan Magazine, June 2004, with her art work appearing on the cover. In the Spring of 2007, she was the featured artist at NBC News in Washington, D.C. In the summer of 2002, she had a solo exhibit at Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria Campus. One of her paintings was featured on the cover of the Washington Post Magazine, Oct. 14, 2001 and The Olde Town Crier, April 2001. Her work is featured in the newly published book, How Did You Paint That? 100 Ways to Paint Still Lifes and Florals Vol. II , published by International Artist Publishing. Prints and cards by the artist are carried at Georgetown University. In 2005, she was commissioned to do the portrait of Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the nuclear submarine. Her work is represented by The Kevin Butler Gallery in Martha’s Vineyard, MA and in West Hampton, N.Y, and Aerie Art Gallery in Rehoboth, DE.
She has been an art instructor for Arlington County Adult Education since 1980. She presently teaches at Drew Model School in Arlington. She is the founder and president of the Arlington Artists Alliance and is the former vice president of the Miniature Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Gravers of Washington, D.C.
Born in Washington, D.C., Jane McElvany Coonce was raised in Arlington,
Virginia and still resides there with her husband and three sons. http://www.jmcelvany.com
Jane will teaching classes at Stifel and Capra in 2009. For more information
about Jane's work and her classes, please contact Theresa at Theresa@StifelandCapra.com.
Check out Jane's
items or for more examples of her work, look at Jane's
Gallery.
Deb Easter
Deb Easter, of Woodbridge, VA lovingly pieces, quilts and sews beautiful
yet sturdy stockings together by hand. No sewing machine, just a comfortable
chair and a very good light! Deb constructs her stockings from velour, velvets
and playful holiday themed cottons. All stockings are full lined so the
treasures don’t get stuck inside!
Check out Deb's items
DJ Gaskin
DJ Gaskin has a passion for paper. Reading and writing and books have enticed
DJ from the time she could turn a page. Also into art since childhood, she
rediscovered that joy in recent years. Blending her love of artwork and
wordwork, she now writes and draws and paints and collages and enjoys making
things both fun and useful, including her unique books and cards….
• Hardback—DJ’s hardback journals feature covers resembling
mini assemblage collages of trinkets and fibers, and spines bursting with
fibers and beads, making each unique journal a celebration to use.
• Softcover—Her softcover journals are made from handmade and
other decorative papers in patterns and textures from wild & colorful
to soft & natural, some with a simple slip-stitch, others featuring
Japanese stab binding and collaged front covers for every mood and expression.
• Limited-collection Coptic-stitch—DJ’s limited-collection
Coptic-stitch journal books bind hand-torn natural papers to their covers
with the intricate exposed-spine patterns of thread that make up the ancient
Coptic stitch.
• Art books—DJ also creates delightful ‘art books’
– hand-bound accordion books featuring original art and text on quality
watercolor paper. These little works of art are perfect for displaying on
desk or shelf and, with themes that celebrate friendship and love and more,
they make great special-occasion gifts.
• ‘Haikugami’ greeting cards—In her handmade cards
she calls ‘haikugami,’ DJ uses select handmade and decorative
papers and incorporates origami figures and original haiku on themes of
birthday celebration, thanks-giving, friendship, travel and more, including
a special ‘pink ribbon’ line honoring breast cancer survivors.
DJ is a poet and writer published in numerous literary journals and other venues, and also conducts expressive poetry workshops. In addition to her artistic and literary interests, she works full-time in corporate HR communications and also enjoys tending to her Springfield, Va. back yard, a National Wildlife Federation ‘Certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat.’
For more information, please visit DJ’s website, http://www.LionessPress.com
Judith Guy
"I took my first art class when I was 12, from an artist in my neighborhood, a watercolorist who had also taught my father and his friends when they were children. Mrs. Depenbrock told me that she would not teach me to draw but rather to see. I have held onto that notion for these many years. That’s why I did a painting this week of the inside of my kitchen cupboard. I was struck as I took out a pitcher for milk by the shadows and light in this funny little place I looked at every day, the three pitchers waiting, their serenity and solidity. In college at the University of Virginia, I concentrated on printmaking and photography, but also studied painting. My graduate degree from the University of Delaware is in printmaking and photography, all black and white. A trip to France in 1997 reminded me of everything that I love about color. Since then, I have been working on images of ordinary time, domestic moments, what I love about the things and people around me."
Elisabeth G. Hudgins
“I am inspired by everyday objects and scenes: cats napping in the afternoon, a family story, a song on the radio or my daughter’s jeans… these are the small things that start my creative process. My art is about taking these familiar things and depicting them in a new and unusual way. I use various media and processes in my work, depending upon the subject matter. I generally work with watercolor, acrylics, charcoal, pen and ink, monoprinting and collage.”
Elisabeth’s art journey started at a young age, when she was inspired by her grandmother, a working, teaching artist. Elisabeth was awarded her BFA from James Madison University and went on to a career as a Graphic Designer and Art Director. After her 2 children were born, she felt the need to reconnect with her creativity on a more personal level, and she began painting again. This leg of the journey has taken her from representational watercolor paintings, to her latest, mixed media studies that explore the link between past and present.
Elisabeth has served on the Board of Directors of the Arlington Artists Alliance, and is a member of the Art League of Alexandria. Her paintings have been accepted into many juried shows, and won several awards, including a First Prize in Connessione: Things in Common Art Show, Falls Church Arts. She has exhibited her work in solo and group shows through out the state of Virginia, and has recently been selected to have a solo show at the Fisher Gallery in the Schelsinger Art Center in Alexandria. Fine art giclees and note card sets of many of her paintings may be special ordered, and she accepts commissions. Contact Elisabeth at eghudgins@gmail.com or drop by her new studio space upstairs!
Check out Elisabeth's Gallery to see examples of her work.
David Jenkins
Biography - Papercutting isn’t my day job—that is a senior management position with the federal government. But it is an expression of my creativity and, despite being compared to “doing brain surgery on paper,” I find it relaxing. I am a self-taught papercutter exhibiting at juried craft shows in Virginia and Pennsylvania since 1999. These shows include Holiday Craft Fairs in Arlington, McLean, Reston, Fairfax, and Falls Church, and the New Growth Arts Festival in Indiana, Pennsylvania. I am also a founding member of the Dominion Hills Fall Craft Show, featuring local Arlington artists. In addition, the Indiana Pennsylvania Arts Council featured my work in a three-month show in 2004, and collections of my work have been displayed at the Arlington Central and Westover Branch Libraries. Over the past ten years, I have sold over 1,000 original pieces, including numerous special commissions.
Artist’s Statement - "I use simple materials to create complex images out of paper. Silhouette paper is black on the front and white on the back where I draw my original designs in the reverse. Each piece is hand cut from a single sheet of paper, using an X-Acto knife or scissors. I take pride in the exactitude required to work with this rather unforgiving medium—one wrong cut and the piece is ruined. I also frequently employ vintage backgrounds, such as antique sheet music or ledger sheets, seeds packets, magazine advertisements or game piece cards, to contrast with the silhouette. Occasionally, I incorporate old postage stamps to inject color into a design, creating a stained glass effect. My designs are eclectic and range from more traditional works echoing German scherenschnitte to humorous contemporary pieces to elaborate alphabets depicting culinary, floral, musical, or marine subjects."
Check out David Jenkins' Gallery to see
examples of his work.
Marsha Lederman
Artist and illustrator Marsha Lederman lives and works in Arlington where
she specializes in commissioned works for print as well as portraiture of
people, pets and places. She has been drawing since she could hold a pencil,
and her education and training include a BFA from Rhode Island School of
Design. Marsha also loves life drawing and can be found sketching people
surreptitiously in all kinds of venues, from PTA meetings to the Metro.
Clients have included The National Trust for Historic Preservation, National
Wildlife Federation, Habitat for Humanity, Defenders of Wildlife, National
Public Radio, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Ford’s
Theatre, United States Information Agency, National Institutes of Health,
Child Welfare League of America, National Geographic World, and Heifer International.
She has also completed commissions for other associations, public and private
organizations, and law firms. Marsha recently art directed and completed
over 100 images for a children’s book that follows the Virginia 4th-grade
SOLs in History: Virginia: An Alphabetical Journey through History. She
presents book talks at area schools on the process of making her book, from
research to printing.
Marsha works in a variety of mediums, finding that pastel lends itself to fur for pet portraits and watercolor is wonderful for houses and historic structures. She enjoys working in black and white for portraiture and houses as well. Her yearly humorous black-and-white catalog covers for a legal-book publisher––done in a combination of watercolor and pencil––are available as individual prints. She is also happy to take commissions for portraits as well as personalized art for kids’ rooms. She is noted for her anthropomorphized animals and can combine a child’s favorite animal with special activities and interests.
Marsha enjoys getting to know the people she works with and loves to be
able to take her own photographs of subjects, in addition to working from
existing photos. Check out Marsha's gallery
to see examples of her work.
Elizabeth Geers Loftis
I'm inspired by patterns and primitive works. I love using oil pastels because it puts me close to my work- I'm happiest when my hands are dirty." Elizabeth begins with a pencil sketch and then layers on the color! She favors earthy, ethnic combinations that refer back to her international travels while her husband was in the Foreign Service. After Elizabeth is happy with her colors she applies a layer of watercolor to provide a neutral base for her composition. Elizabeth has both framed and unframed pieces in the shop and can be tapped to do custom pieces as well! Check out Elizabeth's Gallery - some originals are still available, fine art giclees and note card sets are available for all of her works, just contact Theresa. We have some items listed separately - Check out Elizabeth's items
Phil Napala
Phil Napala
Born: Mc Donald Island, California, 1951
Falls Church Virginia
Digital technology has changed us dramatically over the last decade. We
do things faster, better and ways unthinkable by individuals from previous
generations. With photographic computer manipulation software, endless combinations
of effects and filters can be applied to an original image. But many of
these combinations are just blind alleys that make no coherent sense. We
can do many tricks, but often we end up with too little. I needed a guide
where form follows feeling and I found Japanese woodblock print masters
as my guides. Japanese woodblocks capture the control, precision, and clarity
of the period landscapes and natural forms. I follow the Japanese woodblock
path to make my photographic message stronger and clearer.
Simplicity and form: what I try to do is take photographic images and strip
out the nonessential. Photography is transcription art form that records
everything that is in front of the lens. It’s too much information,
coming from all possible angles, at too great a speed. The way we live right
now is similar with 24-hour news reports and mobile phones, video streaming
and impossible emails that demand personal attention. Basically what I did
a few years ago was to shut down. I need a more intimate impression of the
world, a more stripped down version.
“You can have anything you want, but you can’t have every thing.”
I filter the world, seeing small, more snug, with more intimacy. I show
what I see, not what the camera sees a much more narrower view.
To learn more about Phil's art, check out Phil's online gallery at S&C to see examples of his work. Or you can stop by the Studio and Shops at Stifel and Capra or see Phil's website at http://www.philnapala.com
Sandi Parker
Arlington, Virginia artist Sandi Parker works in oil, with a specialty in Provence and Tuscany landscapes, seascapes, and youth sports.
Sandi is a member of the Arlington Artists Alliance, the Art League of Alexandria, Falls Church Arts, and the Rehoboth Art League. She regularly exhibits and sells her work at local cafes and offices around Arlington, at numerous art shows in the area, and out of her studio/gallery on the second floor of Stifel and Capra. She has received several awards for her work at local juried shows.
Sandi donates a portion of income from art sold to a charity she started
called “The Kids Fitting In Fund.” The fund supports students
in need at Arlington’s Middle Schools and High Schools.
Artist's Statement:
"I am especially drawn to the vivid purples of lavender fields in Provence,
the yellows of Tuscan sunflower fields, and the pastels of the sea. In these
works I attempt to create a soothing mood through the use of color. In my
paintings of youth sports I strive to capture the action, drama, and touching
interaction between players and coaches."
Sandi's work can be seen on her website, http://www.sandiparker.com.
Many of Sandi’s works are also available as giclees upon request,
and on notecards, which sell for $10 for a package of 10. See what we have
in her gallery. For more information, contact
Sandi at sparkerart@yahoo.com.
Cathy Soltys
When she is not busy creating new jewelry designs, Cathy Soltys enjoys
time spent with her husband, Peter, their two daughters, Madison and Lillian,
and two greyhound children, Kirby and Ellen. Cathy, who is a graphic designer
by training and education, moved from Indianapolis, her home town, to Fairfax,
Virginia, and began a career with a defense contractor. Several years later
her first daughter was born, and she became a full time stay-at-home mother.
One more child, two dogs, and twelve years later, Cathy discovered the joy
of making jewelry, thus the name of her business – Joie de Beads.
Designing and making jewelry is the perfect marriage of colors, shapes,
and movement, plus some basic engineering. Her designs are simply sophisticated
and uniquely elegant. For Cathy, “life gets richer and lovelier with
every passing year.” To find our more about Cathy, come see her at
the Shops and Studios at Stifel and Capra, or check out her website at http://www.joiedebeads.com
Check out the items Cathy has for sale.
Theresa Wells Stifel
As the proprietor and artist in residence of Stifel and Capra, Theresa is keeping busy. Her custom pillows, original art dolls, and mixed media collages are featured in the store, on this site, and in living rooms all over the country. To see examples of her work, check out Theresa's Galleries You can also check out what Theresa has for sale here at Stifel and Capra.com. Theresa also has an Etsy store http://www.TheresaWellsStifel.etsy.com
Cathy Summers
Cathy Summers is a nature photographer based in Falls Church. Cathy's primary subject areas are landscapes and macro images reflecting the diversity of the seasons in the Mid-Atlantic and other areas in the United States.
While photographs are static two dimensional images, Cathy tries to convey more than just the moment in time when the shutter was opened and the image recorded. Cathy tries to help the viewer see more in a familiar flower, face or place than the viewer may have noticed standing beside her when Cathy took the image. To see a sample of a variety of Cathy's work, please check out her gallery.
Cathy's prints, as available here, are made on an archival ink jet printer using the highest quality materials to ensure the long life of the finished piece. Cathy has found the digital darkroom to be a better way to make prints that match her feelings and what she wants to communicate while remaining faithful to the image captured in her viewfinder. Read about Cathy's perspective on "Is it real?" here.
Vicky Couzelis Wilken
Vicky Wilken is a Greek American. She was born and raised in Egypt before
marrying and moving to the United States in 1961. Vicky has had a life-long
passion for art, maintaining her involvement while raising a family, running
a household and participating in many local and national organizations.
In recent years she has dedicated an increasing amount of time to her creative
side. Over the past 10 years, she has painted regularly with various local
art groups. She is a Board Member of the McLean Art Society and a member
of the Vienna Art Society. Her paintings have been exhibited at locations
throughout Northern Virginia, including a two-person show entitled Greek
Odyssey and Beyond at the Arlington Central Public Library. Several of Vicky’s
works have been selected for inclusion in juried art shows and have received
honorable mention awards. Vicky has worked in several media, but oil is
still her preference. She paints a full range of subjects but is most attracted
to scenes from her native Greece and the many places that she has traveled
to around the world. Come and visit her upstairs in her studio. Examples
of Vicky's work coming soon.