Old Mill Artistry

Multimedia

Artists John Stynchula Jr. and Allison Quiller have been creating their mountain-inspired, multi-media artwork separately and in collaboration for over a decade.

John’s work and persona are thoroughly connected to the land. He brings out the natural beauty of wood through his Bristlecone and Douglas Fir bowls and plates, which are responsibly sourced from the Creede area. The finish is a natural butcher’s block oil, so no harsh chemicals or varnishes are used throughout the process.

The scenic beauty and rich culture of the San Juan mountains are the driving forces behind Allison’s painting and printmaking. Having studied for years under Water Media master Stephen Quiller, she is excited to be applying the skills she has learned to her own interpretations, which are heavily influenced by the mountains she calls home.

John and Allison's collaborative work includes the creation of Glass Collage, a unique process they developed. This process involves arranging found objects or cut glass on a window pane and coating them with high-quality epoxy resin. The result is a textural stained glass window (both abstract and representative) that, when hung in a place with light, creates captivating color and shadow effects. www.oldmillartistry.com 

Bob Smith

Pottery

Bob has been a studio potter for about fifty years, starting in functional stoneware, but quickly moving to low-fire work, especially raku. Silhouette and form, with a quiet contained presence, has always been his major concerns. His most current work reflects this ongoing fascination with form, plus an increased exploration of greater depth, subtlety and drama in the surface, with new directions in color, scale and texture.

Terra sigillata, entering his ceramics life nearly twenty years ago, and used in various forms of saggar firing and pit firing - as well as other methods of atmospheric firing - has made a large impact in both scale and gesture, and impacts his raku as well. While he continues to use the vessel as his point of departure - enjoying that historical connection - architectural and wall work invade his thinking more and more.

Through some stroke of good fortune, he has found work which is satisfying, engaging, challenging, and comprehensive. He is beginning to understand the complexities of his medium, and because he works hard and with care and sincerity to train his hands to do what they must, in this self-actualization, he has become passionate. www.bobsmithraku.com

John Lawley

Willow Baskets

Bio Coming Soon!

Sam Saunders

Wood Bowls

Sam Saunders spent many years as a cabinetmaker and since 2005 has used his creative talents to showcase the beauty that can be found in unique creations resulting in wood bowls and platters. The rough wood for the pieces is cured for up to two years before being turned on a lathe to reveal its hidden beauty. He uses aspen, black willow, sycamore, cherry, and hackberry, and enhances each piece by attaching Southern Long Leaf Pine needles to the edge with fiber from the Raffia Palm in a manner of weaving.

Sam studied at the Arrowmount School of the Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, as well as the Water Works Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After spending 20 years on the Western Slope of Colorado he makes his home and studio in Tulsa.

Jocelyn Russell

Bronze Sculpture

Jocelyn Russell is an avid outdoor and wildlife enthusiast. From an early age, her frequent family trips to the mountains afforded her the hands-on experiences of nature and kindled her desire to pursue her childhood passion of being an artist. She has flourished in the opportunities of the art world and her dedication to research has taken her to many destinations in the U.S. as well as to Costa Rica, Alaska, and Africa.

Russell has attained recognition through multiple exhibitions, honors, awards and publications, including several honors at the NatureWorks Wildlife Art Show of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the commission for the creation of multiple large sculptures including “Staff Sergeant Reckless” for the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia and “Secretariat” for the 50th anniversary of the horse’s iconic wins. www.jocelynrussell.com 

Jenny Inge

Jewelry

It had rained all the way from Dallas on the day Jennifer Inge rode her motorcycle into Creede, Colorado. She was instantly in love with the raw, rugged mountains and wild spirit of the tiny silver mining town, intoxicated by the scent of aspen and bristlecone pine, thinking, "What a great place to live, ride horses…".

With every ride, she brings back a wealth of inspiration and a packhorse loaded with treasure. Wave of lava flow, texture of wood, silhouette of bristlecone in full moon, streaks of red in skies or cliff face— all swirl in her mind's eye, guiding her hands to tell a story with gemstones, found objects and precious metals, exotic leathers and horsehair.
Though Jenny's first artistic passion is metal smithing, she is most known for her fine horsehair braiding. The Inge Horsehair Jewelry Collection is unique in the world. Childhood braiding and macramé, along with college studies in anthropology, lead her to decipher antique patterns and invent new ones. Her work has shown in galleries and museum shops across the country and memorializes the cherished equine friends of horse lovers. www.rarethingsgallery.com