Jim Wilson, Gainesville, Florida, Wildlife Drawings

From Ball Point Pens to Prismacolor Pencils; from Insects to Elephants

Gainesville artist Jim Wilson, a Market Days stalwart for decades, is one of two featured artists for the 2022 event. Jim specializes “in drawing wildlife of any kind from insects to elephants,” and his images are utilized for book covers, national veterinary conferences, a 2022, 51^st edition wildlife calendar and everything from note cards and framed prints to t-shirts and medical scrub tops.

“As far back as I can remember I have collected and studied animals of all types,” Jim says. He planned to teach and was working on a PhD in Economic Entomology “when I decided I enjoyed drawing a lot more than working at a university.” He was “self taught” and “my development as an artist/illustrator was longer than it needed to be.” His early images were created with a Bic Ball Point Pen and later with India ink. In the early 1990s, he introduced color to his work, using Prismacolor pencils.

Jim has established a library of images which can be used for book covers “and almost everything from coffee mugs, collector plates, note cards, t-shirts, and medical scrub tops.”  He has published a wildlife calendar for the past 50 years; the 2023 calendar is the 51st edition.” Since 1992, he has done illustrations for The North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) and now Veterinary Meetings and Expo) (VMX).

Researching his wildlife subject matter is never-ending and Jim travels each year “searching out and photographing the animals.” He recently returned from three weeks traveling to five safari camps in South  Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Other trips have been to Central and South America. Alaska is his favorite US destination.

Jim has been showing professionally since 1972 and has missed only three Market Days weekends in Tallahassee over the years – once because his van broke down and had to be towed back to Gainesville. “Sales are impressive but the staff alone is worth the visit,” Jim says. “Market Days is like old home week. The event is always well organized but much more importantly, it is always run with an incredible sense of humor. I just love the people.”

His clients include private and corporate collectors throughout the world, and of course, 50 years of Market Days shoppers.

Susan Spivey, Mountain Mist Products

Susan Spivey’s Homemade Bath and Body Products Inspired by Smoky Mountains

Susan Spivey and her Mountain Mist products from Hartford, TN, featuring homemade soap, perfume, crèmes and mists, are a regular Market Days feature.

“We are located in the heart of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. Inspiration for our handmade, natural bath and body products is drawn from these ancient, majestic mountains and the unique, creative people who inhabit them,” Susan says.

Susan and Mountain Mist utilize “amazing natural ingredients like moisturizing shea butter, nourishing argan oil, skin-loving organic sunflower oil, soothing beeswax, and rich vitamin E” to create soaps, lotions, crèmes and other body care products. “Almost as important as what is in our products is what you won’t find – phthalates, petroleum, or mineral oil. We believe that what nature has to offer is far superior and better for you than questionable, synthetic ingredients.”

Kathleen Furness, Seashell Creches  Inspired by Beach Walks and Her Faith

Jacksonville artist Kathleen Furness’ seashell nativity scenes were inspired by walks along Florida beaches and her faith. Kathleen creates crèches from oyster shells, abalone and claim shells and vintage barn wood and tobacco stakes. This is her third Market Days and she is one of two featured artists for this year’s event.

“Beach walks and faith inspired my work.  I began walking on the beach after I retired from a long career as an elementary school principal,” Kathleen says. “The beach brought peaceful reflections of all the lives that intersected with mine.  As I walked the beach I saw images in sea shells, just like those who see familiar shapes in the clouds.  I was overwhelmed at the features in oyster shells that depict Mary and Joseph in the manger scene.  So the inspiration was born to create creches that would house these symbolic interpretations of the nativity, so familiar to all of us.”

Kathleen travels the U.S. East Coast looking for the perfect shells. She collects thousands of shells, sorting through them “to create the best rendition of the nativity scene.”  “One key to my art is that the shells used remain in a natural, unaltered state,” Kathleen says. “A pearl is used to represent Jesus Christ from the scripture in Matthew referencing Christ/Church as ‘The Pearl of Great Price’”.

Kathleen’s grandmother and mother “were collectors of nativities and both lived lives guided by giant faith and love.  I have always tried to live by their example, so building these nativities reminds me of them.  I also get great joy while participating in art shows, watching the faces of people who look at my art and ‘get it,’ as they understand the manger scene portrayed in shell art.”

This is Kathleen’s third Market Days. She learned about the event from her brother and sister-in-law who live in Tallahassee. She participates in several other shows each year, including Christmas Made in the South in Jacksonville, Savannah and Charlotte and Diamonds in the Rust and Art in the Park in Jacksonville. Her work is also displayed for purchase in artisan markets and boutiques in Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, St. Augustine Beach, and, now, Annapolis, MD.

Dr. Eric Lundgren, Jeweler

Holly Hill Jewelry Artist Loves New Ideas: “Ours or Yours”

Dr. Eric Lundgren, jewelry artist from Holly Hill in the Daytona Beach area participating in Market Days this year, will let you design a sterling silver piece and he will make it. “We love new ideas, ours or yours.” Eric says.
Eric produces sterling silver jewelry with semi-precious stones, including ocean quartz blue/green stone, white topaz, wild color topaz, a rare color green amethyst and London blue topaz. His pieces include stone rings, earrings, collars, bracelets and stone pendants.

“We are having great luck with special orders from our Internet site www.goldandstuff.com., and our past customers mostly, and it has kept us busy during this lousy pandemic stuff,” Eric says. “Each, of course, is one of a kind, but I can do similar ones if you tell me what you liked about a particular piece. I am not sure where this is going. It will be interesting.”