Christmas is special at Harvest Gold Gallery. It was eighteen years ago on the eve of Christmas eve when two of Santa’s elves (Bill Rudd and Lynda Rasco) moved north from Fryeburg to Lovell Maine and opened the Harvest Gold Gallery. They brought with them their hammers, mills, files, saws, vices, anvils, presses and all the tools it takes to design and create their beautiful and award winning jewelry. During the next six months preparations were made to turn the long-standing Severence Real-Estate store into the Harvest Gold Gallery. They opened on their Sweet Sixteen wedding anniversary in May that spring.
Lynda and Bill had been creating unique, wearable gold and sterling jewelry for many years before moving to Lovell. They traveled to the big wholesale shows in Philadelphia, Boston and many other cities. Selling to jewelry stores and fine galleries around the country and abroad they were ready to meet the people who wore their jewelry and open a retail space.
Many of their pieces include Maine gemstones like tourmaline and amethyst mined right here in Oxford County. Tourmaline is found in beautiful blues, greens and pinks. Watermelon crystals are especially beautiful because they have both green and pink in the same gem. The amethyst they use is from the famous Fourth of July find in Sweden, Maine a few years back. They have become quite good at recycling old family gold and jewelry into new family heirlooms. Changing the color and style of the old gold to reflect the new wearers own unique taste while keeping the sentimental quality of the piece.
Over the years they have expanded the other artists in the gallery to include over 200 American artists, most being within an hours drive. Their mission from the very beginning was to specialize in America artists and crafts people. Now the gallery includes glass blowers, watercolorists, fine wood workers, stainless steel sculptures, oil and acrylic painters and even a pigmented pulp artist from Berlin, NH. The fine outdoor pieces that are as functional as they are useful. Potters who aren’t afraid of color and size, and traditional fabric artists combine to dress up the dinner table. The book section is filled with award winning children’s stories and classic Maine humor and stories of history and folklore for the adults.
"Snow River" by Varvara Harmon original oil 42"x 31" framed |
"Crystal Pitcher" by Jean Swan Gordon Watercolor and ink, 30.25"x36" |
Glass blown Rainbow Trout by Michael Hopko
measures 15.5"x 2.5" x7.5"
Bill Eland "Dragonfly" Stainless Steel Sculpture |
"Daffodil" Lamp by Max Howard Marble and Stainless Steel |
"Buck" Michael Tatom Bronze Sculpture |
Blue Lobster's Holiday Children's Book Series by Robin Taylor-Chiarello |
Ceramic Pitcher by Morgan Rudd |
Oak and Walnut Checkered Bowl Bruce May Wood Work |
"Oakhill Farm" by Roland Simard Handcast pigmented pulp, 23"x35" framed
Stop in when you are traveling through beautiful downtown Center Lovell and wish them a Happy 18th! Find out why Yankee Magazine voted them Best Gallery with a View in Maine, both inside and out. Wonder through their seven rooms and see if you can pick which is more beautiful, inside or outside. Located on route 5 across from the Center Lovell Inn over looking Kezar Lake and the White Mountains, open daily and on the web www.harvestgoldgallery.com
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