Tile artist featured at River Artisans; riders pony up $33,000 for cancer research

River Artisans’ Artist of the Month, Carol Keiser, in her studio

November’s Artist of the Month at the River Artisans Cooperative in Saxtons River is Carol Keiser, who paints on both canvas and tile. She works in her Vermont studio creating rich and colorful images that include scenes of women at leisure, romantic couples, flowers, still-lifes and landscapes. Her work shows influences from having lived in Mexico and visiting places like Italy and Costa Rica.

Each tile is designed and hand-painted by Keiser, using a palette of glaze colors and kiln-fired for permanence. The tiles can be installed in kitchens, baths, spas, fireplace surrounds, or a single tile may be framed or unframed and enjoyed as a small work of art.

Keiser’s colorful work is reminiscent of Marc Chagall’s.

Keiser’s paintings and tile work have been exhibited in galleries in the United States and Mexico and are now at the River Artisans shop. In addition to being a cooperative member, she is a member of the Vermont State Craft Centers, The New Hampshire League of Arts and Crafts and The Newbury Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston.
Her tiles and paintings can be viewed and purchased at The River Artisans at 26B Main St. in Saxtons River. For more on Keiser and her work visit her website at www.carolkeiser.com.

For more information the River Artisans Cooperative, call 869-2099, visit www.riverartisans.com or visit the shop. It is open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. New members are always welcome and are encouraged to stop by the shop during business hours.

Vermont Ride for the Cure raises $33,000

Thanks to the 69 horseback riders who took part in October’s Fifth Annual Ride for the Cure and the event’s host, the Green Mountain Horse Association, Susan G. Komen Vermont-New Hampshire has raised in excess of $33,000, bringing the ride’s five year total to more than $272,000.

KaitLynn Jones and horse, Mickey take home Ride’s Platinum Rider and the Pinkest Pony prize.

Lois Steele Whidden, the Vermont Ride chair and three-time breast cancer survivor, pointed out the significance of local events like the ride, which was held in mid-October in Woodstock.

“It’s important to remember that up to 75 percent of all of the money raised at the ride will stay in Vermont and New Hampshire and be used for breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs. The remaining funds,” she said, “go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure national and international research programs.”

KaitLynn Jones, took top honors as the Ride’s Platinum Rider, bringing in $2,400. Jones and her mount, Mickey, also took the Pinkest Pony prize for the third year in a row.

Other award winners include:

Gold Riders — Christine Giddings, Anders Jensen, and Samantha Walton who each raised more than $1,000;

Silver Riders — Marianne Busse, KateLynn Matteson, Alice Ryan and Sage Stark, raising more than $750 each;

Bronze Riders — Sara Bernard, Karen Buffum, Stef Costello, Beth Dunklee, Nancy Guild, Amy O’Brien, Amy Stark, Kylee Taylor and Brande Wood, raising more than $500.

For more information on the Vermont Ride and to learn of other local efforts to find a cure for breast cancer visit komenvtnh.org. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.