The Willow Glen Resident Photograph by Skye Dunlap Holiday Mood: Mixed-media artists Nancy Gano (left) and Chris Sager are two of the five Willow Glen artists participating in Christmas in the Studio Oct. 29-31. Artists hold Christmas in the Studio--Halloween weekend By Sharon Parks This Halloween weekend, five Willow Glen artists will be getting a jump on the rest of the holiday season by participating in the 19th Annual Christmas in the Studio show at the San Jose Scottish Rite Center. One such artist is Carole Westlund, who is displaying functional wares in the form of vases, mugs, casseroles and bowls. These are pottery pieces in different colors with some of the natural clay coming through. "I've been participating in this event for 18 years," Westlund said. "The show started off as a money-raiser for a woman, Maxine Kirmeyer, who had a basketry school." Kirmeyer started Christmas in the Studio with some artist friends, who brought finely crafted items to her studio for a group show right before the holidays every year. By popular demand, the tradition continues, even though Kirmeyer retired in 1993. Another Willow Glen artist participating in the show is Nancy Gano. She has changed her craft this year. She once showed rubber stamps, but now she is putting her creative energies into assemblages. Her pieces are angels made from wood sticks and broken metals. "I go to the flea market regularly and buy old chairs and break them apart for the angel wings," Gano said. "The bodies are from old boxes; the legs and arms are out of metal. It's a lot of work, but it's fun." Willow Glen artist Anne Kerchner will be showing spirit animals at this year's Christmas in the Studio. With her busy schedule, she will be showing only two pieces this year. They will be in the form of a cat and dragon. Her concept is to resurrect items from dead animals to craft her art. "I make cats out of rough fur that I find on the road or at flea markets," Kerchner said. "I use my cats' whiskers that they shed on the cat dolls. I use rusty tin for their faces." She puts artifacts on the dolls, along with a little made-up story about them that is placed on their tags. "The spirit animals are kind of a reincarnation of animals that have once lived," Kerchner said. "I like to think of them as being part of this Earth. If I can use something from them, it is honoring them. I have friends that save me strange pieces of things for me to use." Kerchner has been contributing to the Christmas show for 10 years off and on, making rubber stamps concurrent with jewelry. The other two Willow Glen artists in the show are Sally McLeod (pottery) and Chris Sager (3-D collages). The remaining artists will be showing ceramics, baskets, clothing, quilts, dolls, paintings, graphics, handmade ornaments, greeting cards, jewelry, textiles, beads, glass and other arts and crafts for viewing and purchasing at the studio. The show is being held at the San Jose Scottish Rite Center, 2455 Masonic Drive, on Oct. 29, 4-9pm; Oct. 30, 10am-8pm; and Oct. 31, 10am-5pm. There will be an artists' reception on Oct. 29, 6-9pm. [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, October 21, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.