HARTFORD — With U.S. financial markets hemorrhaging Monday afternoon, the irony of positive economic news for Connecticut was not lost on Congressman Chris Murphy (D-5) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who teamed up to present the results of a manufacturing survey in a televised press conference at the state Capitol.Launching the survey in April, the congressman and senator provided online links to a questionnaire, asking respondents to give their outlook for the future of their businesses and to identify pros and cons of doing business in Connecticut. Murphy said they collected responses from 151 manufacturers from across the state who suggested that business is beginning to boom again.“We are of the belief that Connecticut’s economy cannot thrive going forward without a vibrant manufacturing sector, and as we have seen with the last round of jobs numbers, manufacturing is far from dead in this country,” Murphy said. “In fact, it is one of the leading edges of growth as our very fragile economy continues to creep toward recovery.”Murphy noted that 89 percent of manufacturers surveyed reported that they had plans to hire new workers or maintain current employment levels in the next year, which is in contrast to a decade of decline in manufacturing in Connecticut and across the country. “The optimism that you hear nationwide from manufacturers is reflected in Connecticut,” the congressman said. “In the last month, the United States added 24,000 jobs in manufacturing, and since December of 2010, this country has added almost 300,000 new jobs in manufacturing. That reverses a decade-long decline in manufacturing throughout this country. We are on the brink of a reindustrialization of this nation, and Connecticut has to make sure that it is part of that manufacturing rebirth.”Murphy said the primary lesson from the data was that America should not decrease its investment in education and vocational programs. “When you hear that almost 90 percent of manufacturers want to expand and almost 90 percent are having trouble finding trained workers, it should be a caution to anyone in Washington who is talking about dramatically cutting funding for education or job training,” he said. “Cuts that could come down to the state of Connecticut could result in a reduction in slots at community and technical colleges and that could have a devastating impact on Connecticut’s ability to be a part of this manufacturing renaissance.” Murphy said it would be “foolhardy” to make such cuts.Blumenthal agreed with Murphy and called the manufacturing survey “a game changer. It shows in the real world that Connecticut manufacturing is poised for expansion, creating jobs and new businesses. “The takeaway here is that almost all manufacturers are looking forward to hiring or maintaining their present workforce and that what they need is the skilled workers to fill those potential openings,” Blumenthal said. “We’ve been hearing that but to have it reinforced so overwhelmingly by these numbers is really groundbreaking.”Both Blumenthal and Murphy acknowledged that the positive economic news was coming on a bad day for the U.S. economy, as the markets reacted to the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) first-ever downgrade of the country’s credit rating, from triple-A to AA+. As Connecticut’s congressional delegates were delivering their positive survey results, President Barack Obama was addressing the country regarding the downgrade and its effects on the markets.“I know we’re going through a tough time right now,” Obama said from the White House. “We’ve been going through a tough time for the last two-and-a-half years. And I know a lot of people are worried about the future. But here’s what I also know: There will always be economic factors that we can’t control — earthquakes, spikes in oil prices, slowdowns in other parts of the world. But how we respond to those tests — that’s entirely up to us. Markets will rise and fall, but this is the United States of America. No matter what some agency may say, we’ve always been and always will be a triple-A country.”Financial markets continued to reel Monday afternoon, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 634 points to settle at 10,809.85 while the NASDAQ lost 174 points, or more than 7 percent, to end up at 2,357.69. Blumenthal had particularly strong words for Standard & Poor’s, which he said was partially responsible for the country’s fiscal crisis. “Standard and Poor’s has completely surrendered, in my view, any claim to credibility and integrity over the years by its contribution to the fiscal crisis that brought this nation to the precipice of catastrophe,” the senator said, adding that the credit-rating agency was “a little bit like the arsonist setting the house on fire, pouring fuel on it and then wanting to claim a reward for reporting the house on fire when the fire department’s already there.”Blumenthal also noted that, in his first six months on the job, he has been “astonished by the gridlock, even paralysis,” that exists in Washington, but he remains encouraged by the manufacturing survey response. “I think there has to be consensus that the American economy needs more jobs, that we need to rescue the home manufacturing industry and we need manufacturing to thrive, and the way to do it is to provide workers to fill those openings,” he said.Murphy said he and Blumenthal would be taking the survey results back to Washington to lobby for support of education and job-training programs and to address manufacturers’ concerns about health-care costs, tax structure and regulations. “There is a lot of new information in this report, but some of it simply confirms a lot of what the senator and I have been hearing as we’ve been traveling around the state,” Murphy said. “For me, it reaffirms some of the work that has already been underway and gives me new impetus to be a stronger voice on many issues.”
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Textile designer Justine Valla sits in her father’s chair, which she painted, alongside her husband, illustrator and muralist Victor Valla, in their Atelier Valla studio.
“I was always drawing as a child,” Justine recalled. Victor dreamed of illustrating magazine covers like those of the “Saturday Evening Post.”
Victor studied design and illustration at Rochester Institute of Technology, then received a fellowship to study painting and printmaking at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaigne. He graduated in 1967. The following year, he received a grant from the Tiffany Foundation to study printmaking in Paris at Atelier 17, an experimental graphic arts workshop founded in 1927.
“What a great experience that was!” he recalled.
Returning home after the Paris uprisings of 1968, he discovered that the magazine covers he’d hoped to paint had largely given way to photography. His agent suggested trying record covers, which he pursued along with illustration and graphic design.
He also began teaching at Kean University in New Jersey.
“Kean had a wonderful graphic design and illustration department. I loved teaching Graphic Design, even though I never thought I would.”
He later taught at Syracuse University and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.
In the late 1980s, he decided to stop teaching and concentrate on his own art. He moved to Falls Village, to a house on the corner of Minor and Prospect Streets.
“I used to call the studio ‘Minor Prospects Atelier,’” he said.
He continued working in illustration and graphic design, creating book covers for stories by H.P. Lovecraft and other authors, along with magazine covers, logos, advertising and murals.
Justine and Victor Valla in their studio with a painting of Victor’s,”Jonah and the Whale.” Robin Roraback
His local commissions include the green and gold Noble Horizons signage and wall murals for the Stockbridge Inn, the Spa at Norwich Inn, Orchards Hotel in Williamstown and the David M. Hunt Library’s children’s section.
Justine grew up in the Bronx and studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduating, she took on whatever work she could find, including designing toys and novelty items for Russ Berrie. But her true calling was textile design.
She moved to Los Angeles to pursue that calling, where she learned silkscreen printing from 1960s design icon Corita Kent.
“I was in her program at Immaculate Heart College. All fabric design at that time was silk screen. My first job in textile design was in L.A., creating wallpaper for Bob Mitchell Design.”
Justine returned to New York City, where the advent of computers required her to learn new design techniques. She enrolled at Parsons School of Design, studying Photoshop, Illustrator, Lectra U4ia and Kaledo.
Around this time, she met Victor online and moved to Falls Village.
A recruiter found her a job in Arkansas at Dillard’s, a department store chain operating in 30 states and known for its exclusive designer collections.
“They had the best equipment I’d ever seen,” she said.
She became a senior computer-aided design designer there, designing fabric and preparing purchased designs for production.
The Vallas left Falls Village for Little Rock.
“It was a big move,” she said. “It was a different culture, but Little Rock was very progressive.”
The originally planned to stay in Arkansas for five years but ended up remaining for nearly 10.
Then Justine was hit by a car. She suffered injuries to her leg and head and required four years of rehabilitation.
“I lost the ability to paint after the accident. I struggled to paint again.”
The Vallas returned to Connecticut, this time settling in Salisbury, where they’ve lived since 2013.
After leaving Dillard’s, Justine had planned to sell her work through Printsource in New York City, an international showcase for surface and textile design. But after the accident, she no longer had the mobility or energy to travel back and forth to the city.
Instead, she began selling her work locally at craft shows, including clothing, hand-printed tea towels and floorcloths.
She is currently working on selling her collection of textile designs.
In December, Justine will have a show of her tea-themed watercolors at the NorthEast-Millerton Library.
Victor recently exhibited “The American West: A Pictural History” at the NorthEast-Millerton Library. The series, created in the early 1990s, was part of a commission from the Postal Commemorative Society for which he completed 100 paintings in two years.
He hopes to place the series in a museum and has created books from its images, complete with text. Over the years, he has designed many other books that are ready for publication, including “Looking In, Looking Out,” a cosmic view of the universe.
Reflecting on his career, Victor said, “It’s about doing what you love”.
Justine agreed.
To see, purchase or commission work, contact Justine at justinevalla@gmail.com or Victor at victorvalla@comcast.net, or call 860-596-4282.
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Jane Herold’s beautifully simple dinnerware.
Cornwall ceramicist Jane Herold explained that there’s quite a lot of enthusiasm for Clay Way among the region’s ceramic artists.
“We all need work space, which is hard to find or afford in urban areas. The wood-fire crowd needs lots of wood and outdoor space. This area is great because it’s rural enough for us, but has a wonderfully enthusiastic and supportive population of pottery [patrons].”
While many of the artists are returning from previous years, the loose collection of unofficial organizers likes to keep the event manageable for the public, limiting the number of artists and studios each year. A direct drive from the southernmost point at Ann Heywood’s studio in Wingdale to Herold’s big barn in Cornwall is under 40 minutes. But if you want to catch it all, plan for a full day’s worth of art exploration along some of the most beautiful roads in New England.
Starting at its northernmost point, Herold’s studio will host Matin Malikzada of Afghanistan, whose polished, modern interpretations of traditional forms are instantly recognizable. They’ll be joined by wood-fired ceramicists Steve Johnson, with his raw, organic forms, and Harry Levenstein, whose works relate closely to Johnson’s while making even more direct references to nature.
Herold herself creates work that is both beautiful and utilitarian. Her prolific output of objects is intended to be used by everyday people as part of their daily lives.
Moving south is Todd Piker of Cornwall Bridge Pottery. Piker has been making pots in his giant wood-fired kiln since 1971. The kiln looks more like an ancient blast furnace than something designed to transform clay into ceramics, but over the years, he’s mastered its intricacies and produces an impressive amount of fine work.
A ceramic vase by Kathleen Heidemann.Provided
Piker will host Sanah Peterson, who works at Cornwall Bridge Pottery and draws inspiration from both her time with Piker and her time traveling the globe as a child. They’ll be joined by Stephanie Haines, whose vibrant, eye-catching work features underglaze illustrations of birds, fruit and the bounty of nature.
Further along in Warren, Jessica Dubin’s pieces will be on display at the studio of Christine Owen. Both artists seem to appreciate the chaos and unpredictable nature of clay but find ways to refine it all using their own unique methods.
Heading east to Washington, Conn., Will Talbot’s creates intricate work while allowing for the unpredictable nature of clay to play a role. His studio will house Tom Knox and his wide variety of textures and forms, as well as New York City-based Alex Lebedev, who lets music and the nature of improvisation guide his work.
There will be two studios participating in South Kent. Alison Palmner, whose page on the Clay Way website states she “strives to achieve a lighthearted meld of human forms, animals and the vessel.” Her studio will host Ben Eberle, who trained under the guidance of legendary potter Toshiko Takaezu; James Guggina, whose intricate work can appear both deliberate and whimsical; and Paula Shalan, who blends rough, unrefined surfaces with polished precision in individual pieces.
Joy Brown’s delightful ceramic sculptures.Provided
Nearby is Joy Brown, whose work have become a staple of the area, with her figurative sculptures dotting the Northwest Corner. Brown’s studio will also feature Bonnie Levine, who taps into the beauty of chaos and destruction in her work, and Brendan Moore, whose more utilitarian forms are perfect for everyday use.
Finally, the tour crosses the border into Wingdale, New York, where the studios of Drew Montgomery, Ann Heywood and Amy Brenner will host Jackie Sedlock, Lynn Behrendt,and Kathleen Heidemann.
Brenner creates some of the most colorful and vibrant pieces on the tour, while Behrendt’s work is among the most studied and precise. Heywood creates carefully considered, intuitive forms, while Heidemann moves from simple minimalism to intricate textures. Montgomery and Sedlock both find new ways of playing with traditional forms, producing delightfully distinctive pieces.
To learn more about the artists and download a map of participating studios, visit clayway.net
Matteo works as the ever-enthusiastic auctioneer, and he puts on a real show. In just a few hours, he presents and sells hundreds of items, from antique furniture and rugs to art and decorative items, even taxidermy, jewelry and other odds and ends you probably wouldn’t expect. Community is part of the show, with Matteo joking around with regulars. Attendees congratulate each other on their purchases, and even educate each other about the items as matteo keeps the momentum going. If items aren’t moving, Matteo will remind the room that he’s got alimony to pay, and it’s up to everybody in the room to help him raise the funds.
For the past 15 years, this has all happened in that highly visible building at the main intersection in North Canaan. Now, Mattea, Kolbacher and their Stateline Auctions crew have moved off the beaten path. For some frugal bidders, this might seem like a good thing. After all, the fewer people who know about the auction, the fewer people they have to bid against when their lots come up.
Hundreds of items at Stateline Auctions, including a candy-apple-red Crosley pickup truck.D.H. Callahan
Unfortunately for those who consistently show up, the competition these days is less in the room and more online. Stateline has been running simultaneous auctions through the real-time auction website and app LiveAuctioneers.com, where the entire event is streamed live. Throughout the eight-hour event, the online viewership rarely, if ever, dips below 600 individual users. This technological development creates more potential buyers for Stateline and also allows busy bidders to keep an eye on their lots while out and about.
The new space, still in North Canaan, just barely south of the Massachusetts border, is a sizable warehouse packed to the ceiling with precious finds. It’s bigger, brighter and has ample parking.
The auction on Oct. 11 featured all kinds of lots, including three cars. A candy-apple-red Crosley pickup truck grabbed every eye in the room and even more attention online. Amid all the enthusiasm, it was heartwarming to witness the entire audience erupt in applause as young bidder Molly Seitz burst into tears after winning the truck. The beautiful vintage vehicle had belonged to her grandfather, who had given her driving lessons in it before he died.
Between resellers, collectors and the casually curious, the performance that is a Sunday at Stateline Auctions is a delightful way to breathe new life into old items. There’s rarely a set date for the next auction, but it generally takes about six weeks before they’re ready with their next round of goods. This time, Matteo predicts a sale after Thanksgiving, but if you want to be safe, follow their auction on liveauctioneers.com.
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