Mural Dreams

Yesterday I woke up with a smile on my face because I was about to have a new art experience: helping to paint a mural in the new community room at @leap4localfood.
Today I woke up smiling too, thinking about how amazing it was to make new friends while making big art together.
That’s some powerful magic, y’all.
Watch this community space: @leap4localfood has big plans for this community room, and it’s going to be so much fun to see what unfolds here.
Jon Murrill had this wall prepped and the mural design sketched out and organized ahead of time. In 3 hours this is how much our team painted. Throughout February Jon will add spray paint shading to make the mural come alive with okra, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, collards and a blue ridge mountain background.

For more about Jon, here are some links:

Jon's website

Jon's Instagram Account

Happy Small Business Saturday! Find sale items in my web shop (under the Store tab).

Rainbow Beaded Snowflake Earrings

I’ve got polymer clay earrings and beaded earrings for your loved ones. There’s something about working with polymer clay and glass beads that feeds my soul this time of year. I’ve got some new designs coming soon, as well as the beautiful items already in my shop.

ArtFields 2022

Summer of a Thousand Hexies is on display at ArtFields 2022! Visiting her on the brick wall of Main Street Mercantile was like seeing a dear friend again. After all the separation we’ve collectively experienced during the pandemic, leaving my quilt temporarily in the hands of the Lake City ArtFields Collective has been a tender experience. I’m pleased to be able to share my quilt with others in this way, and honored to participate in the rejuvenation of a community through the power of art. ArtFields

ArtFields 2022 runs through Saturday, April 30. There are over 350 works of art on display throughout the town of Lake City, South Carolina. This is the tenth year of ArtFields.

ArtFields 2022

My work “Summer of a Thousand Hexies” has been accepted into the ArtFields 2022 Competition. Lake City, South Carolina brings 400 works of art to their town every April for a giant week long art exhibit. They offer over $100,000 in prizes. I learned about it from a flyer at the Hermitage Handmade Festival, and spent a long time considering what piece to enter. There were over 1000 candidates this year, so I am honored to be selected and looking forward to experiencing the event.

Hermitage Handmade Festival

My first art tent setup with a variety of items, including original paintings, jewelry, project bags, hand dyed yarn, bunting, rope bowls, knitwear, and ornaments, all made by me. Coming soon, I’ll have display racks so I can get those 50 plus paintings out of the boxes and off the ground.

I traveled to Norfolk, VA for the Hermitage Handmade Festival and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was the first time I offered my original paintings for sale in a format larger than pendants. The Hermitage Museum and Gardens are a beautiful setting for a festival. I posted to Instagram in real time but I realized I hadn’t made an entry here yet, so I am backtracking. It was the first time I set up my art tent and display. I learned a lot, made friends and had fun.

Wilderness Fiber Retreat

We had a fun time at the Wilderness Fiber Retreat last weekend. Have you ever had a retreat with your fiber community?

Trunk show with Cesium Yarn at the Knittin’ Coop in Salem, Virginia

This cloud-soft hand dyed yarn is on a new base of 87% cotton 13% nylon, making its debut at the trunk show.

We’re having a great time at the Knittin’ Coop. Stop by tomorrow to see our selection of yarn, project bags, stitch markers, pendants, bracelets, key fobs, baby hats, tiny sweaters, tiny hats, earrings and some surprises!

My website is live and my shop is open! Welcome!

Here it is: my new website and shop! valstricklin.com

I’m so happy you’re visiting. Please have a look around. If I could, I would make you a cup of tea and serve you dessert in the garden under the maple tree. We could chat about your dreams and mine. Instead here’s a short list of what I’ve been up to and what’s next for me:

I will be adding art and other products for sale in the shop over the coming weeks. Check back often, I plan to add new offerings to the shop frequently.

I’m painting. A lot.

I have an art tent! And I’m going on the road to art shows, craft shows, shops, festivals, and retreats.

I’ve been making project bags and stitch markers for knitters and crocheters.

I’ve hand dyed lots of yarn and made lots of new items with it.

I’ve started a portfolio, and I look forward to expanding it.

I’m working on surface pattern design collections for licensing.

Soon you will be able to order prints of my art.

I’ve got sewing patterns in the testing phases.

I’ll be adding classes.

I’m happy to consider custom work.

If you are interested in talking about dreams which are being crafted into reality, reach out, I love to listen. I also love to collaborate.

I post frequently on Instagram. For behind the scenes process videos, peeks at new work, breathtaking Blue Ridge sunrises, and updates on my studio helpers Junie and Bee, that’s a great place to follow me.

I hope you’re finding joy in art!