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2010 resolution: Let’s spread ourselves a little thinner…
Written by Lyman Speckheuer and Ashley Kokkinakos

What? You might say : “I’m already going 10 different directions at the same time!”

Yeah—me, too. I am not asking anyone (especially myself) to take on any more tasks –not even the really good ones like exercising, eating better, or using fewer paper towels.

So what do I mean by SPREAD YOURSELF THINNER?
Remember how we could find some spare cash for the Salvation Army pot and other such important cultural necessities? Let’s keep that spirit and spread the wealth around a little at a time. We’ll never know what good we all would actually bring ourselves to do with fortunes we’ll never have.

But we are blessed. There is need everywhere and we can’t make it go away by ourselves. But if we support the little initiatives in our own little ways and ask all our Facebook friends to do the same, it would be interesting how that kind of grassroot could grow.

You’ll see us at Via Creativa with lots of spreading this year in the gallery. Some of our artists already donate a portion of the proceeds from their handcrafted items to initiatives in their own areas. Let’s all do our part and seek to spread ourselves by making purchases which go further and touch a need.

THANKS to everyone who helped us have our best Christmas so far. We are a small, family business and really appreciate your support! All of the folks represented are also small businesses throughout the country plus our fair trade groups. I know some of them had some rough times in 2009 with studio flooding out (Fred Imhoff-glass artist), and major equipment failure (Black Mountain Pottery), flooding in Zambia and oxen dying on the Options for Children Farm (Tribal Textiles). But it’s 2010 and we’re all still in business –thanks to fine patrons. Keep spreading the word about our little gallery “with good juju” as one young woman commented.

Ashley and I will be off next month to meet with the wonderful artists again looking for creative items to bring back to the gallery. (Johannes and Toto will be holding down the fort.) Let us know what you are hoping we find.

We will be having some GREAT BARGAINS to make room for new inventory so come often and check out the specials. Email us at viacreativagallery@yahoo.. com and get on our email list for our secret shopper specials.

2010 Spreading Thinner at Via Creativa Gallery
10% of sales of Cheerful Giver Candles will go to Heart Havens.
10% of sales of all glass items will go to Save the Bay Foundation.
All sales of Tribal Textiles go to support Options for Children of Zambia.
10% of sales of pottery will go to our local Food Bank.
10% of the sales of judaica items will go to the Jewish Family Services
10% of the sales of journals and cards will go to the local SPCA.
10% of the sales of jewelry will go to Operation Smile.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE CRAFT MADE FROM RECYCLED MATERIALS?
How about sharing it with us? We’ll be having some crafting days this spring. Get on our email list to keep up to date with our upcoming events.

Lyman has been restoring artwork for the last seventeen or so years. She is the owner of Fine Art Specialists which also offers custom framing with first rate conservation techniques for artwork, textiles and rare documents. She opened Via Creativa to get back in touch with her creative side and enjoys promoting the handworks of both American Craftspeople and Third World Fair Trade groups.
For more details check out the blog at http://viacreativagallery.wordpress.com/ .