Contributed by Holly Knott / Skaneateles Artisans

Artist Opening: Skaneateles Artisans, 11 Fennell St., Skaneateles. First Friday, 11/7, 6:00 – 9:00pm. Skaneateles Artisans is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibit featuring artists Donna Smith (jewelry) and Nancy Smith (handbags). Music by Jazzitude, featuring Louis Nocilly. Through 11/30. The gallery offers off-street parking and accepts major credit cards. Visit the website at www.skaneatelesartisans.com. For more information, call 315-685-8580.

Artist Bios:

Donna Smith
Syracuse, NY
Jewelry Artist/Metalsmith

All of my life I have been creating in some form. I am especially interested in all areas of design. This interest in design led to the exploration of jewelry fabrication. As a self-taught jeweler, I love working with metal and the endless possibilities it affords. Bold design, color, and texture on metal are the fundamentals of my work. Inspiration for design comes from everything around me especially nature, which is full of color.

When designing a piece of  jewelry, I take into consideration fashion trends, functionality, and wearability. Each piece should not only have a visual, artistic appeal, but a tactile one as well. It should be an expression of oneself and feel good against the skin. To complete the design I employ techniques such as sawing, forging, etching, roll-printing, soldering and enameling.

Nancy Smith
Camillus, NY
Handbags

The Village BagSmith is owned and operated by Nancy Smith in Camillus, New York. Nancy has sewn everything from dolls to bridesmaid dresses, but she fell head over heels for purses in 1998. Since then, her one-of-a-kind bags have found homes all over the world. She is best known for her creative use of luxury upholstery fabrics, antique buttons, and unique finishing details. Each purse is fully lined with quality materials, such as silk or satin. All-occasion purses and tote bags feature key fobs and reinforced pockets, while evening bags are often elegantly finished with antique crystals. Nancy’s philosophy is that every woman, whether a soccer mom or a business woman, seasoned or young, tall or short, deserves beautifully hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind purses as unique as her lifestyle. Let the purse be more than practical. Let it proclaim your purse-onality!