Sara Costello and Deborah Threlkel at Coast Hwy Art Collective
The members of the Coast Highway Art Collective in Point Arena are excited to host the monthly artist reception on Friday, November 6 from 11:00am to 5:00pm for Sara Costello and Deborah Threlkel. Both artists are jewelers and this exhibit highlights the myriad of ways shells, beads, turquoise, silver and other natural elements can create beautiful pieces.
By extending the hours of the opening, guests, the artists and the staff can better adhere to social distancing guidelines. Under current guidelines, 6 guests at a time will be allowed inside to view the exhibit. Guests will be encouraged to social distance on the open-air patio until space opens inside the building. Please note, facemasks are required.
Costello, who now lives in Humboldt, started Costello Rose Designs in 1994, but has been creating jewelry since 1974. Her inspiration goes back to her roots as a New Mexico native taking trips to old town in her hometown, Albuquerque. There the Native Americans displayed their jewelry and wares on the ground spread out on beautiful woven blankets and rugs. She was drawn to the one-on-one transactions, being grounded with real people, the colors of turquoise, jet, coral, jaspers, shell, and silver.
“This is what I see in my mind's eye as I create my pieces,” says Costello. “My fondest early memory is from school when a father came to share the art of Tufa casting. I was mesmerized by the torch and the molten silver pouring into the mold. These memories and the act of creating art are what keep my heart beating evenly - that is why I continue to create.” Costello says continuing to connect with customers online during the pandemic has been challenging, and she is excited to be showing her work at CHAC with her friend of 50 years, Deborah Threlkel.
Local artist Threlkel is a beach comber, a rock hound and a collector of interesting things, inspired to create a connection to the delicate balance of the natural world. She moved to Gualala from San Francisco nine years ago and started incorporating shells and beach glass into her necklaces. As a result, Abalone Queen was conceptualized. “I love collecting, probably my favorite part of the process and then I sort and drill. Tom, my husband has become an expert, drilling sometimes as many as 100 pieces of beach glass for one necklace. Using a combination of gemstones, shells and beach glass I wire wrap each necklace, creating a chain out of a single piece of precious metal wire,” says Threlkel. As a result, the finished product is delicate in appearance but also very strong and durable. Threlkel says she loves every part of the process that completes a necklace or earrings, “knowing that Abalone Queen jewelry will feel as if you are wearing the ocean."
Threlkel and Costello met in Jr. High School in Berkeley in the 1960s and have been friends ever since. Their individual artist careers have flourished over the years, and this show, their first together, highlights their creative journeys.
