Congratulations to member Carol Gingrich for receiving a Sampler Award for her original needlepoint entitled “LadyBird.” The award was presented to her by representatives at the American Needlepoint Guild National Seminar held in Washington, D.C. in August 2018. Carol has been a member of the Pocono Arts Council for many years and a generous sponsor of our Mac & Cheese Bake-Off events. We thank Carol for her involvement and support and for sharing her story below.
“My life has always been about creating Art. In my teens, I enjoyed creating large crewel tapestries with fiber. After high school, I enrolled at Philadelphia Community College with the desire to improve my drawing abilities, but instead, I discovered clay. I loved the dimensional aspects of clay and enjoyed combining a painterly touch to the surface. I was fortunate to study under Meil Ling Horn and Frank Gaydos. Philadelphia College of the Arts (now the University of the Arts) was the next stop on my life’s journey. There I studied with Bill Daley, Liz Steward and Larry Donahue. All my teachers taught me to ask “What if?,” and I have used this in every aspect of my life.
“While raising children, I exhibited in the fine craft show circuit with my functional ceramic art, winning domestic and international awards, and having many pieces in both private and public collections. Alas, life had other plans, and due to illness, I had to close my ceramic business and never work in clay again.
“Life offers many paths if we choose to go down them. I taught myself about herbs and essential oils during my recovery. And that is how Carol’s Scents N’ Soaps was born. I traveled the same show circuit and built a thriving business. My husband, George, has joined me and now makes all the soaps (much better than I ever did).
“A few years ago, I rekindled my love for fiber by creating original works in needlepoint. I enjoy using the fiber to create texture while depicting my subject matter. My net goal is to add three-dimensional elements to my pieces, while strictly adhering to using only canvas and fiber. ‘Lady Bird,’ my award-winning piece, is a study that allows only the texture of the stitches to depict the subject matter and its’ details.
“I am looking forward to the journey down a new path that life has offered.” Carol’s Scents N’ Soaps offers a wide variety of products, including homemade soaps, body washes, body butters, deodorants, lip balm, bug repellant, pretty puppy products, gift baskets, and more. Visit the store location at 8 N. 6th Street in Stroudsburg, shop online at www.scentsnsoaps.com, or call 570-421-1510 to speak with Carol or George.
