Living Life In Metal Clay: Neighbor CJ Segal-Isaacson Prepares For Her Fourth Annual Fall Art And Craft In The Garden Show This Sunday, October 12

Head bent over a work desk flanked by 1940s paintings by her mother and a Frida Kahlo-looking woman drawn by her daughter, neighbor CJ Segal-Isaacson channels the the artistic expression that came to her later in life and fixes her eyes on the lump of metal clay in front of her. Amidst playing cards (which all metal clay enthusiasts will attest are used to measure a project’s thickness), she begins to debate: What shape should it be? Should there be a ruby? Does it need more texture?

This is the abbreviated version of events, of course, with the longer story involving tools and spritzes of water (the clay dries quickly) and, before all of that, years and years of practice to get to the point where, when a reporter asks to watch her work, she manages to produce a gorgeous piece of jewelry in less than an hour (sans it being fired in the kiln, of course).

A medical scientist by trade (she has a doctorate in nutrition from Columbia and is a faculty member at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx), CJ, who has lived with her husband, Adam, in their Ditmas Park home (where her dog, Peaches, and cat, Frida, “because of her eyebrows,” also reside), for more than two decades, was always interested in art but didn’t start seriously doing it until about a decade ago.

“I was the artistic klutz who couldn’t cut a Valentine from a doily, and my mother would look at me like I was being purposefully cantankerous,” CJ laughed.

While she insists this is true, it’s hard to believe, with her now being an artist who owns Hungry Cat Cafe Jewelry and spends hours each day perfecting truly stunning pieces of jewelry – everything from an orthoceras fossil silver necklace to  an abstracted beech branch bracelet with hematite beads.

After first diving into the world of beadwork about a decade ago (and being particularly enamored with making watches), CJ soon fell in love with creating metal jewelry after taking a metal working class.

As she started entering various art and craft shows, she became increasingly frustrated that there weren’t shows with well-made artisanal crafts in our neighborhood – which prompted her to launch the Fall Art and Craft in the Garden Show. Now in its fourth year, the show will be held this Sunday, October 12, from 11am to 5pm at 690 E. 18th Street (between Glenwood and Foster Avenues). It will feature 20 artists, many of whom come from the area, who are skilled in jewelry, silk scarves, art glass, ceramics, photography, handbags, hats, fine art, and more.
The following is a sampling of the artists who will be at the show, with  photos and descriptions of them from CJ:

Richard Aldorasi: Richard is an expert in the fascinating Turkish art of Erda scarf painting and will guide you in creating your own gorgeous silk scarf! The technique involves spritzing different colors of fabric paint on the surface of a trough of cellulose where the paint floats. One can then use a tool to swirl designs through the paint, making flowers, pinwheels and other designs effortlessly. After  your design is complete,  Richard and you lay a six-foot white silk scarf on the paint where the silk immediately picks up the pattern. The scarf is then rinsed and is now colorfast and ready for you to take home.

Jules Jappe: For the first time we have with us Jules Jappe, who specializes in knitted children’s wear and makes adorable and affordable hats, mittens, sweaters, as well as other types of clothing.

Barbara Gathers: Barbara is an extraordinary local ceramist who creates gallery-quality pieces at remarkably low prices. I strongly urge to you see her work before a gallery snaps her up!

Sandy Lindstedt: I met Sandy early this spring at a fine art and craft show. I was very impressed with her gorgeous light green glass table tops made with recycled glass as well as her smaller pieces. Sandy has a terrfic eye for design and affordable prices.

Photo via Peck’s of Maine Jams

Peck’s of Maine Jams: Brian and Lisa, a husband-wife team, make mouth-watering natural jams from local fruits. I currently have in my refrigerator their terrific strawberry-rhubarb jam. They currently live on Long Island but Lisa is originally from Maine.

Nelly Kouzmina: Nelly Kouzmina will be one of the fiber artists this time Art and Craft. Some of you may have visited her booth at last fall’s show. Nelly specializes in the fine art of felting.

Pamela Jean Hanna: Pamela Jean Hanna fuses different types of compatible glasses into gorgeous bowls, plates and other objects. This will be her second show with Art and Craft. She was a big hit at the spring show.

Donald Quigley: Donald is a local wood carver who creates both stand-alone pieces and wooden sculptural accents for Victorian houses. This will be his first time with Art and Craft.

Inna Dzhanibekova: Inna is both a talented jeweler and a research biologist. The “biologist” in Inna informs her jewelry designs, many of which have flowing organic forms. Inna works primarily in oxidized silver and colorful enamels.

Lynn Goodman: Lynn is one of our local Brooklyn artisans and lives on Prospect Park West. I’ve had the pleasure of watching Lynn’s gorgeous porcelain work get even more gorgeous! In the spring show she showed some lovely new pieces that was rimmed in gold glazes. Lynn makes platters, bowls, coffee mugs and many more items, affordably priced.

Kim Winkler: Kim lives on East 19th Street and is, by profession, a theatrical set designer. She decided to give herself a two -year sabbatical to realize her dream to learn to paint.

The Fall Art and Craft in the Garden Show will be held this Sunday, October 12, from 11am to 5pm at 690 E. 18th Street (between Glenwood and Foster Avenues). For more information, visit the show’s website here.