Last year I watched “Blown Away,” a glass blowing reality competition show. I believe it was the holiday special. One of the prompts was for the participants to make something inspired by the most meaningful Christmas gift they’d received. When I tried to think quickly about what I ...
One thing I really missed during the pandemic lockdowns was experiencing art in person. Now I’m ready to dive back in. Last week, I went to check out the WVU faculty exhibit, “Post Pan,” at the Creative Arts Center and talk to participating ceramicist Shalya Marsh. I met Shalya when ...
Last week I had fun making caramel apples for my weekend DIY feature. This surprised me, as I’ve never enjoyed eating a caramel apple. I find myself wanting to share behind the scenes details and personal opinions which didn’t fit into the project instructions. Caramel apples always ...
The evening before first frost is often a mad frenzy for gardeners, who rush to bring tender plants indoors and a final harvest of cold-intolerant produce into the warmth of our kitchens. This year my garden was a flop. Almost nothing I planted — be it seed or transplant — grew. But a ...
“Growing up, I knew I wanted to be an artist in some capacity,” Doug LaRocca told me. His path as an artist took him through college where he studied art, focusing on illustration, through a break from creating altogether, and then into becoming a full-time artist. Doug creates ...
This year my garden completely failed. I attribute its abysmal lack of success to several factors — pests (large and small), several family trips over the summer, the seemingly constant rain and when all of these took their toll, my despair at the state of things. I got my usual start in ...