What an amazing, crazy month it has been! I can barely believe July is coming to an end! Now that I have a moment to breathe, I am glad to finally have the opportunity to do this post. Last month on June 28^th, I attended another RAW artist showcase. Solstice had a fantastic variety of painters, photographers, and live performances. Some of my favorites were Alex Puryear, a wildly colorful, abstract painter, Brian Paul Crawford, another talented and original artist, and Alysse Dalessandro with her display of one-of-a-kind jewelry. Appropriately tilted Ready-to-Stare, Alysse’s collection features many pieces made from natural metals. Her skill of metalworking is obvious in the detail of each piece (see the beautiful, leafy earrings bellow!). While Alysse has showcased her vintage clothing designs in the past, she says this was her first opportunity to showcase her jewelry line exclusively.
"I enjoyed putting the collection together and pushing myself to make real showpiece items that I've never made before, like the harness and head piece," said Dalessandro. "I loved working with the models and it was such an amazing feeling to see my work on stage. I felt like it really embodied my brand of everyday statement pieces. Although it was the first time Ready-to-Stare hit the runway, it wont be the last!"

As always, I look forward to my next opportunity to attend a RAW artist showcase! Keep an eye out here for event highlights as well as the RAW website, www.rawartists.org.

Lauren Wilkins Photography.

Ready-to-Stare by Alysse Dalessandro.

Chris Lesage performing on the Double Doors stage.

The Snake Oil Salesmen rocking out at Double Door.