Jazz Art II: How to Acquire an Original Silk Painting

September 29, 2013October 11, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on October 11th, 2022 at 05:43 pm

In yesterday’s blog post we introduced the Jazz Art collection of original silk paintings by Vermont artist Linda Marcille. Today– a little more about how silk paintings are created, a short bio of the artist and information on how to acquire this remarkable collection at a “Vermont price”.

About Silk Painting

Who is this female jazz singer performing with a quintet? Ella? Sarah? Nina? — Who is this female jazz singer performing with a quintet? Ella Fitzgerald? Sarah Vaughan? Nina Simone? Original silk painting by Linda Marcille, available exclusively at Vermont Woods Studios – Stonehurst.

Linda Marcille:

“Silk painting is an ancient Asian art form and it is very unique and mysterious. The silk itself is seemingly so fragile yet it is one of the strongest fibers in nature. There is also a serendipitous quality to painting on silk with dyes. The process never allows the artist to be fully in control or to know exactly the effect that will be created.

“Painting on silk is an incredibly time-consuming and unforgiving medium. Just one drop of misplaced dye, or a broken resist line, and days of painstaking work are ruined. As challenging as painting on silk is, however, it is also one of the most rewarding art forms because the two-hour steaming process joins the fiber-reactive dyes molecularly with the silk, so the dyes take on the silk’s iridescent sheen. It is because of this union that silk paintings are able to produce an awe-inspiring range of reflective color that no other medium is capable of creating,”

Linda’s paintings feature the highest quality steam set French dyes from Europe, the finest crepe de chine silks from China and a one of a kind resist made only in New Zealand. Linda’s work appears in many publications. Her Jazz series has been showcased by the Guild of Silk Painters and featured in the Spring 2010 issue of their Journal.

About Artist Linda Marcille

*Jazz trumpeter: Miles Davis? Dizzie Gillespie? Original silk painting by Linda Marcille. Original silk painting by Linda Marcille, available exclusively at Vermont Woods Studios – Stonehurst.*

In 2012 Linda and her husband, Don, built a beautiful home and studio on 36 wooded acres in Westminster, Vermont where they are slowing down and living a more simplified life. The creative process has been a powerful healing force in Linda’s life, she strongly believes in the healing properties of art, both for the viewer and the creator. She feels that art must be made available to those with chronic & terminal illness as part of their treatment plan. Linda has been battling an autoimmune disease caused by advanced neurological Lyme disease since 2000.

How to Purchase Linda’s Paintings

Do you have the perfect spot in your home for this remarkable series of Jazz paintings on silk? We are proud to be able to offer them for purchase here at Stonehurst over the next couple months. These are the only jazz paintings Linda has done out of an extensive body of work over many years and she will not be creating more like them. They are an investment sure to increase in value.

The original paintings are priced very reasonably for the person or family who will cherish and care for them. We would prefer to sell them as a set or perhaps split them into two sets, if necessary. Dimensions are 29″W x 25″H, matted and framed (actual image approximately 20″W x 15″H). For additional information or to purchase please call Peggy, Liz or any of our sales team at Vermont Woods Studios. Looking to buy just one? We’ll talk.

This is an investment opportunity of a lifetime for jazz lovers and art collectors!

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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.

Lets Talk Apples!

September 26, 2013August 15, 2018 Kelsey Eaton

Last updated on August 15th, 2018 at 02:56 pm

Apples in Wooden Bowl at Vermont Woods Studios Showroom — *Ok…ok, so we love Pears too!*

There’s been a lot of buzz from Vermonters about apples lately. Probably because A) they’re delicious B) they’re perfect for fall and C) they have a long history in the state of Vermont! Well, we love these sweet natural treats just as much as any other Vermonter–so, lets talk apples!

Did you know that…

The first Macs grew in Canada. The first McIntosh apple tree sprouted from one of several seedlings that were discovered in 1811 by John McIntosh on his farm in Ontario!
In 1868, Dr. T.A Hoskins brought the McIntosh to Newport, Vermont right from Ontario. A descendant of John McIntosh, William McIntosh, planted these apples in his West Berlin, Vermont orchard in 1870…and the first printed reference to a mac apple appeared in 1876.
In 1920, the “big four” Vermont apple varieties were McIntosh, Fameuse, Northern Spy, and Wealthy.
In the 1980s, Vermont had an average of 79 growers on 3,500 bearing acres in total, and produced an average annual crop of 1.25 million bushels of apples.
In England, to destroy an apple orchard was seen as almost sacrilegious, and it was said that if an orchard was destroyed to make way for another crop, the crop would never prosper.
An old Samhain charm was for all the district’s unmarried young people to tie an apple onto a piece of string and whirl it around before a fire. The one whose apple fell off first was said to be the first to marry
McIntosh, Vermont’s “bread & butter variety,” remains within the top six apple varieties desired by consumers.
The 2007 census reported 264 farms growing apples on 3,241 acres of land in Vermont, and the 2011 survey found those same results!
If you loved these apple facts as much as we do, take a minute to check out Vermont Apples, a website with tons of information and history about apples, including more facts, orchard listings, and apple news! And for brilliant, tasty apple recipes… take a look at The Apple Lover’s Cookbook, a 300+ page book containing 100 magnificent apple recipes!

And let us know what your favorite apple recipes are & your favorite places around New England to apple pick in the comments section or on Facebook!

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Gov. Shumlin: Top 10 Reasons to Attend Our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

September 22, 2013August 14, 2018 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on August 14th, 2018 at 12:19 pm

Stonehurst | Vermont's Newest Fine Furniture Showroom and Art Gallery — Stonehurst, Vermont’s newest fine furniture showroom and art gallery is open and ready for business. All we need now is for Governor Shumlin to come down to Vernon and cut the ribbon on Tuesday October 22 at 3pm.

Dear Governor Shumlin,

We know you’re busy with economic development, health insurance and other important issues. But we’re hoping you can break free and make a quick trip to Vernon on Tuesday October 22 at 3pm for our ribbon cutting ceremony at Stonehurst, Vermont Woods Studios‘ new fine furniture showroom and art gallery.

Now I realize one might ask why such a busy man would carve time out of an already ambitious schedule to visit a small Vermont furniture business? We’ve thought of many reasons, but here are the Top 10. At Stonehurst you can:

Marvel at the world class handwork of dozens of Vermont’s fine furniture makers
Learn how a small Vermont business transitioned from a spare bedroom to a scenic destination shopping experience in the last 3 years
See how Vermonters are marrying the best of old world craftsmanship with cutting edge communications technology to make Vermont the Fine Furniture Capital of America
Visit Pine Top, a former Vermont ski area that not only showcases fine wooden furniture but also provides 100 acres of forested backdrop where customers experience the value of working lands and sustainable forest management
Enjoy original artwork of talented Vermont artists like Susan Osgood, Linda Marcille and Janet Picard
Check up on how we’re investing the $100,000 grant monies we were awarded by the Vermont Working Lands Initiative
Experience the beautiful landscaping artistry of celebrated author/gardener/landscaper Gordon Hayward and Torben Larsen of Putney, VT
See the positive signs of growth in Vernon and connect with a community that’s struggling to plan a new course for the future
Witness the synergy and collaboration among Vermont’s fine furniture professionals that’s bringing our work out of the woods (so to speak) and into the homes of customers in all 50 states and several countries abroad
Visit a local, green renovation project in action where great care was taken to restore a c 1790 farmhouse using Vermont made materials (local maple flooring, Vermont slate hearths, Green Mountain Windows, Vermont castings stoves and more)

If that’s not enough to convince you, how about just sitting down to relax and enjoy the view? That alone makes Stonehurst worth the trip.

Enjoy the view at Stonehurst, Vermont's newest fine furniture showroom — *Sit down, relax and enjoy the view. We’ll provide the wine.*

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Wood Furniture Care: Tips on Climate Control

September 21, 2013February 17, 2021 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on February 17th, 2021 at 05:14 pm

Solid Wood Furniture: Tips on Climate Control and Humidity — We received this beautiful picture of our Cherry Blossom Single Pedestal Table from Mary M in Palm Desert, CA. I love how she blended a relatively modern cherry dining set with what looks like a 16th century Baroque painting, a Colonial American corner cabinet and a collection of vibrant patchwork quilts. But it was her combination of different woods that reminded me to talk about wood movement today.

Mary’s M’s cherry dining furniture (shown above) was made in Vermont (a relatively humid place, especially in the summer) and shipped to the desert of Arizona. Since we ship a lot of Vermont made wood furniture to desert locales in California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and elsewhere, I thought I’d post a few tips on humidity and climate control.

Wood Furniture Moves in Response to Changes in Humidity

When wood is part of a living tree, water moves up the trunk, from the ground and through the pores and fibers of the wood, as it travels out to the leaves. After a tree is cut and sawn into lumber, water continues to move back and forth through the wood fibers until the wood’s moisture level reaches equilibrium with its environment.

The job of woodworkers is to design and build furniture with a thorough understanding of the characteristics of wood movement. But in spite of their advanced knowledge and skills, no woodworker is able to create wood furniture that is completely unresponsive to temperature and humidity in your home. So here are a few climate control tips from our Furniture Care section to ensure that your wood furniture will remain beautiful and structurally sound for generations of enjoyment.

Climate Control Tips

Keep your home around 70°F-72°F with a relative humidity of about 50-55%
This often requires a humidifier in winter and an air conditioner in summer
Place your furniture away from heat sources such as radiators, heat runs or fireplaces
Store table leaves as close as possible to the table so they adjust to the same humidity conditions
Use a dehumidifier during wet, rainy times and in damp rooms to remove excess moisture from the air
For wood furniture with an oil finish, re-oil it frequently to create and maintain a patina. A rule of thumb is to oil your furniture:
- Immediately upon receipt
- Once/week during the first month
- Once/month during the first year
- Once or twice/year after that

Normally if you’re comfortable with the temperature and humidity in your home, your wood furniture will be comfortable as well. It’s designed to be durable and to accommodate normal changes in climate so most homeowners need not worry. Relax and enjoy it. Given reasonably good care your wood furniture will last for generations.

Tips from Furniture Restoration Experts

Check out this furniture renovation article from our friends over at Porch.com. You’ll learn even more tricks and techniques to make you an expert in wood furniture care.

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Fall Asleep in Style

September 18, 2013March 13, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 05:44 pm

Copeland Monterey Bedroom Furniture | Arts and Crafts Meets Asian Style — *The Copeland Monterey bedroom furniture collection fuses Arts and Crafts design elements with Asian style.*

Copeland Monterey Collection. Carefully Crafted, Elegantly Styled.

After a stressful day at the office who doesn’t want to come home and melt into a comfortable cradle, drifting off to sleep in style?

Copeland’s high end Monterey Bedroom Furniture Collection updates traditional Arts & Crafts style with a modern Japanese touch. The headboard is reminiscent of a Shinto shrine’s torii gate, an icon that represents the transition from the “profane to the sacred“. Such an appropriate analogy for the transition from your day of hard work into a night of peaceful slumber!

Handcrafted in real cherry hardwood, the Monterey Bedroom set is made to order and can be customized online in your choice of natural cherry, windsor cherry, autumn cherry, congnac cherry, saddle cherry and smoke cherry wood stain. The platform bed can also be customized with an upholstered headboard in your choice of 5 different microsuedes and 3 leathers.

Storage Bed

Copeland also offers a Monterey platform storage bed which features four 8″ deep, under-bed storage drawers that provide plenty of stylish storage– now essential for small apartments. Nightstands are designed to allow easy access to the storage drawers– it’s great furniture for small spaces.

Craftsmanship and Construction Details

Learn more about the craftsmanship involved in building the Monterey bedroom collection in our construction details section.

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Stonehurst, Showroom Updates!

September 14, 2013September 16, 2013 Kelsey Eaton

Last updated on September 16th, 2013 at 09:12 am

Stonehurst continues to see lots of updates and upgrades! From our beautiful walk way, to our new utility shed, to the updated deck being built outback– the improvements are coming along quickly and creating a truly picturesque place to showcase our Vermont Style Furniture.

Visit Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture Studio Stonehurst — *Some updates on two recent renovations. Both are still a work in progress!*

Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture Showroom — *The deck in progress!*

We know that a lot of our friends and customers like to keep up to date with whats happening around Stonehurst, just out of general curiosity or to find out when is the best time to plan for a visit.

And despite all of the updates going on around Stonehurst, we’re happy to have guests! The inside of the showroom looks absolutely beautiful, fully adorned with high-end decor and one of a kind art pieces from local Vermont artisans.

Here, take a peek for yourself!

Vermont Woods Studios Showroom — *A peek inside part of the showroom!*

Stonehurst Vermont Fine Furniture Showroom — *Loving the flower arrangement!*

Well, there’s a tiny peek at what the showroom looks like. We’ll save the rest for your first visit! 🙂 See you soon!

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5 Southern Vermont Towns You’ve Got to Visit

September 10, 2013January 16, 2019 Kelsey Eaton

Last updated on January 16th, 2019 at 05:35 pm

There is so much to love about Southern Vermont. Especially the way that the towns are surrounded by mountains and rich expanses of trees, making them even more beautiful in that brief autumn period where the leaves are multicolored and bright. These 5 southern Vermont towns are each unique, and vary in size and culture. But all of them are rich in artistry, with diverse communities of independent artists, performance arts, and theater.

These 5 communities thrive with quaint downtown areas, promising lots of food and plenty of shopping! Antique stores, one of a kind book stores, eccentric decor shops, galleries, and much more are what make these towns so special and true to Vermont.

All of these towns are less than an hour away from us at Stonehurst, and we’d encourage you to visit them to see all of the wonderful things they have to offer!

1. Brattleboro

Brattleboro, VT Photography — *A Rainbow over Brattleboro, Vermont. Photo by Professor Bop via Flickr*

2. Bellows Falls

Bob Taylor Photography — *‘Bellows Falls Street Scene’ Photo by Bob Taylor, via Flickr.*

3. Wilmington

Wilmington Vermont Photography — *Wilmington, Vermont. Photo by Kimberly Vardeman via Flickr*

4. Bennington

Bennington, Vermont — *Bennington Battle Monument, Photo by Jim Guerard via Flickr*

5. Chester

*Chester, Vermont. Photo by Lee Bennett via Flickr*

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Nina Markiw and Dennis Getting Snappy at Stonehurst

September 8, 2013May 4, 2018 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on May 4th, 2018 at 03:21 pm

One of the challenges of running an online fine furniture store is taking enough professional quality photos to be able to accurately portray your quality and craftsmanship on the web. At Vermont Woods Studios we’ve been collecting photos for many years but everyday there is a need for new ones.

Luckily, Stonehurst (our new fine furniture and art gallery) provides us with an ideal space for taking high quality pictures to post on our website. Above Dennis and consultant Nina Markiw of White Blossom Art are setting up for silhouette shots– this one is of the handmade Cherry Moon vertical mirror.

Soon they’ll be photographing fine furniture vignettes throughout Stonehurst– both indoors and out. Stay tuned for inspirations and ideas from these two creative photographers. Our goal is not just to convey our quality but also to bring the natural beauty and tranquility of Stonehurst into your home. And maybe even persuade you to make a trip to Vermont to see our handmade fine furniture in person.

Leaf peeping season’s not far away. Grab a picnic basket, a bottle of wine, maybe some Vermont artisan cheese and you’ll be in the all set club. Home decor shopping will never be the same after you’ve visited the fine furniture and art gallery at Stonehurst.

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Forest to Furniture: Local Wood = Local Good

September 4, 2013March 13, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 05:40 pm

Our friend Kathleen Wanner of the Vermont Wood Manufacturer’s Association VWMA is fond of the saying, “local wood = local good”. It captures Vermont’s passion for supporting small, local businesses that emphasize sustainable use of the working landscape: our forests and fields.

Consider for a minute, your impact on local economies when you buy American made furniture versus imported furniture (most furniture in America is imported from Asia). If, for example you buy Vermont made wood furniture, you are supporting the local land owner who grew the trees, the forester who manages the land for sustainability, the logger who falls the trees, the sawyer who slices and dices the wood, perhaps a wholesaler (and/or retailer) who inventory the wood, the furniture maker who builds your furniture and (unless you buy directly from the furniture maker) the retail store that sells you the new bedroom set. That’s why we say “local wood = local good”.

Here’s a typical Forest to Furniture scenario that happens routinely all over Vermont:

A local logging company or tree service harvests the trees.

Chuck Mayotte from Mayotte’s tree service in Guilford looks to find the highest and best use for the trees he removes. Sometimes trees will be used for firewood, but when Chuck comes across high quality logs or those with special character, he sells them to area furniture makers.

Local sawyers cut the lumber into planks or beams.

Vince Johnson is a local sawyer in Vernon with a portable sawmill that he drives to the woodlot at harvest time. He sawed black locust and norway spruce logs for us at Stonehurst, our new fine furniture gallery. They are currently being used to build a deck behind our showroom.

Kerber Mills is another local sawyer with a small mill in Guilford, VT. Clint Kerber milled the cherry and maple wood for our hardwood floors at the Stonehurst showroom.

Local furniture makers transform the wood into fine furniture.

vt-furniture-makers — Check out some of the specialty Forest to Furniture products that have been made by members the prestigious Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers including Richard Bissell of Putney Vermont and David Hurwitz of Randolf, VT.

So… what do you think? Does the story (and the benefit to local economies) behind local wood furniture add enough value to sway your buying decision? Or is imported furniture just too darned affordable to pass up? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook!

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True to Vermont: The Story of Copeland Furniture

September 1, 2013March 19, 2019 Kelsey Eaton Leave a comment

Last updated on March 19th, 2019 at 02:10 pm

Copeland Vermont Made Monterey Bed — *Copeland’s Monterey Collection*

Founded in East Cornith, Vermont, Copeland Furniture is guided by its values of preservation and stewardship. Environmentally conscious before “green” was anything other than a color, Copeland has been expertly crafting heirloom-quality wood tables, chairs, desks, beds, and case goods since the 1970s.

Copeland’s commitment to stewardship is revealed in the woods they choose – all Copeland wood comes from within 500 miles of their factory, which means less fossil fuels used and less CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. Sourced primarily from the great American Northern Forest, Copeland uses durable and beautiful hardwoods like maple, cherry, and walnut, all of which is sustainably harvested. Their sustainable harvesting practices ensure that the Northern Forest will continue to be among the healthiest forests in the world, continuously building biomass. Plus, Copeland offers a water-based finish on most pieces – these formaldehyde-free finishes are every bit as durable as a catalyzed lacquer, but with drastically reduced VOC emissions at the factory and off-gassing the home.

Copeland Furniture Catalina Collection — *Copeland’s Catalina Collection*

Part of their commitment to the environment includes heirloom-quality craftsmanship. In some ways, these artisanal pieces are a response against the disposable. Copeland’s promise is to build furniture with the best materials and workmanship available, beautiful pieces that will be handed down for future generations to use daily and to enjoy for years to come.

This family-owned business started out as a one-man operation in East Cornith, but has grown to become a state-of-the art manufacturing facility on the banks of the Connecticut River in Bradford, Vermont. Copeland has skillfully adapted to changes in technology and the market – they expertly combine old-world handcraftsmanship with leading-edge advances computer-aided design. They identify their design aesthetic as “transitional,” neither strictly traditional or contemporary. Design influences are drawn from the Japanese, Shaker, and Scandinavian design styles, as well as from the landscape and culture of their home base of Vermont.

Copeland's Sarah Shaker style Cherry & maple bed — *Copeland’s Sarah Shaker Style Cherry & Maple Bed*

Copeland has worked hard to stay true to the New England traditions of quality craftsmanship and enduring design from which it emerged. They believe that continuous improvement is ultimately what best serves the customer and work to continue to innovate, while keeping a keen eye trained on the health and well being of the earth, its resources, and its employees and craftsman. Copeland Furniture, as a company, possesses great care and respect both for the land and those of us who live and work on it.

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Peggy Farabaugh	Kelsey Eaton
Riley Farabaugh	Megan Fulton
Marina McCoy	Alexandra Thompson
Dennis Shanoff	Katrina Moore
Loryn Dion	Michelle Rooks
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