Saratoga News Photograph by Shari Kaplan Nancy Jo Lopp, a photographer and lavender grower, is among Aegis Gallery's members who contributed to Artist Tree Two. Artists decorate gallery trees with creative gifts By Shari Kaplan In keeping with the theme of togetherness underscored by the holiday season, the artist members at Saratoga's Aegis Gallery have come together for Artist Tree Two, their annual group show for the holidays. Many hail from Saratoga, some from Los Gatos and a few from other cities on both sides of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Through Dec. 27, visitors to the brightly lit main gallery can take in not one but three displays. Joining two white-branched Christmas trees with handmade ornaments adorning their delicate limbs is an item that was once a tree and then took another life working with trees--an old wooden orchard ladder. It stands in the center of the gallery, with ornaments and other small gifts items sitting or hanging on its rungs. Among the items in the exhibition are cast paper eggs and spheres crafted by Jeanne Tillman from recycled paper or plant fibers. Natural variations make each ornament unique, and all are surrounded by various ribbons, threads or beads. Another of Tillman's hallmarks are recycled paper gift tags, stamped into festive shapes such as angels, wreaths and Santas. Soft muslin sachets filled with dried lavender from Nancy Jo Lopp's Santa Cruz Mountain lavender fields also adorn the trees. New this year to her Highland Lavender collection are gift baskets filled with items such as dried flowers, sachets, vases and note cards with photographs she has snapped of the purple flowers. Another photographer, Lynn Bowen, puts her scenic travel images on clear glass ornaments by transferring the emulsion layer of photographs onto the glass in a painstaking process. Not quite so painstaking but a labor of love nonetheless are petite, perfectly folded gift boxes--complete with fitted lids--made from watercolored paper by Judith Marshall. Nancy De Weese contributes dainty angels of varying skin tones with dresses of white, red or gold fabric and wings made from glitter-dusted feathers. Nearby are vitreous enamels by Sandra Ellen Bradshaw. This process involves fusing ground glass to copper or precious metals by multiple kiln firings to build details layer by layer. Other items include wood-turned vessels by Rich Johnson, cat paintings by Yoju and small mixed media paintings and collages by Judith Marshall. Aegis Gallery is at 14531 Big Basin Way, Unit 2. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, December 16, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.