Santa Cruz Sea Glass Festival - November 2010

On a rainy Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago, we spent the afternoon at the Santa Cruz Sea Glass Festival.  This year the festival featured 37 artists, and was held at the Coconut Grove on the famous Santa Cruz boardwalk.  A little sideways rain, a little wind, but not enough to stop this Northwest beach girl from exploring some fabulous sea glass treasures!

Met some amazingly creative people - 

Santa Cruz Sea Glass Company put a ton of time and effort into making this year's festival a success. They have an outstanding collection of sea glass from Santa Cruz and Monterey beaches, some of which actually glowed when a light was applied.  The biggest crowd was gathered around their booth!

This is just one example of Krista Hammond's art - chunky beautiful tumbled sea glass treasures! 

Christeena of Sea Glass Jewels is a lucky lucky artist, living for half of year in Key West, and the other half collecting sea glass in Greece.

Liked her unique silver pieces and colors, most of her glass does come from walking on the beach in Greece - tough duty.   I admit it, am a tiny bit jealous of her jet setting!

Polly of BluMag Photography had a great idea - she uses her incredible photographic talent to capture photos of sea glass and beach objects on her local Aptos beach. She then uses those images on beautifully made black lacquered jewelry boxes.  Unique idea from the shores of Monterey Bay...

Hope you can see this "tree" with pieces of sea glass ornaments - what a great idea!  Not just for the holidays...

Had a great conversation with Gary, of The Sea Glass Journal.  What a cool display of sea glass finds he had from the East Coast! (including some flotsam and jetsam)  When I got home, I checked out his website - educational and interesting for us sea glass enthusiasts.  When you get a chance, check out the The Sea Glass Journal too, I think you will like the articles, pictures and information that can be found here.

Met Joselin Iselin, the author of a fabulous photographic art series of  "beach" books.  Loved her, and had so much in common.  Could have talked to her for hours about beach combing and beach preservation.  Am looking forward to touring her San Francisco studio the first week in December, should be a great blog post!

"Beach, a book of treasure" (click to read more)  was released this past spring and can be found at your local bookseller.  A little history, a little beach walking, shells, sea glass... would make the perfect gift for the holidays!  Try Liberty Bay Books for availability....

The best part of the festival?  I got the chance to meet one of my sea glass facebook friends in person!  Aileen Cabral, the artist behind Art of Seaglass  makes fabulous, original silver art pieces embedded with brightly colored pieces of tumbled beach glass collected on Southern California beaches.

Small world too, my friend Janet, who owns Potlatch Gallery, knows Aileen also and sells her creations in her gallery.

Had no idea how talented she was until I had the opportunity to see her jewelry in person. All hand crafted and designed by Aileen.  Wow, think you will love too!

The best part of the whole day?  Tom bought me some gorgeous pieces of Aileen's jewelry.  Have to confess,  I have worn these almost every day since he bought them for me!