Harvest Gold Gallery Celebrates 18 years!

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 18^th!  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

A Glance at Our Holiday Open House and Book Signing Event!

Authors Lorraine LaJoie and Robin Taylor-Chiarello 

 Last Saturday, November 29th, we had our Annual Holiday Open House and Book Signing Event, We had several artists here roaming the gallery including Tom Merriam, Sandy Bell, Sandy Crowell, Bert Weiss and Authors Lorraine Lajoie a and Robin Taylor-Chiarello mingling with our guests and signing books. A great time was had by all and we especially loved the wine, sparkling water, and homecooked hors d'oeuvres made by Bill and the Elves.

Artists Tom Merriam and Sandy Crowell enjoying the work of  fellow artist Jean Swan Gordon

Bill and Sandy pause for a candid!

Thank you ALL for yet another wonderful event at Harvest Gold Gallery!

Thanks for a wonderful book signing with Robin Taylor Chiarello!

            Robin Taylor-Chiarello, mother, grandmother, primary school teacher and acclaimed children books author, is the phenomenal writer of The Blue Lobster, a tale about the strife for acceptance.  The Blue Lobster highlights the struggle that those who are unique, especially by birth, face in a closed society. Inspired to write this book by the loss of her own son, who was born blue because of a heart defect, and from hearing on the radio the findings of a “one in a million” blue lobster catch on the United States coastline, she created this unique children’s book that can be enjoyed by all because of its moral and understanding.  This tale teaches that acceptance is the only way, because one day, the one who is different may become a star.

            The Blue Lobster certainly did become a star as Robin released a second book called The Blue Lobster’s Holiday! in which diversity and love is shown loud and proud. Robin is an advocate for multi-cultural children’s environments, and about loving no matter how different a being might be. She brings forth those morals in this diverse tale of celebration and giving, acceptance and the spirit of the holidays. The story’s undersea life celebrates all cultures and religion, from Hanukah to Christmas, and blessings for all!

The Blue Lobster Wins! Los Angeles Book Festival Honorable Mention, San Francisco Book Awards First Place, Boston Book Festival Honorable Mention, Silver Mom’s Choice Award, and Paris France Winner Children’s Division. 

           

            This past Friday we had the pleasure of meeting the author, reading the Blue Lobster Series, and taking home a signed copy from Harvest Gold Gallery. We enjoyed wine and cheese and small hors d'oeuvres from Bill rockin' in the kitchen.  We enjoyed conversation with each other and the opportunity to talk with Robin, about her career, inspiration, and love for diversity and acceptance. Contact Harvest Gold Gallery at (207) 925-6502, Located on Route 5 in Center Lovell, Maine. Voted Best Gallery With a View by Yankee Magazine, we are overlooking the White Mountains and Kezar Lake. Open daily.