By Hand Gallery

By Hand Gallery is presenting the work of its newest member, Marc Tschida whose hand, scroll-saw cut, wood puzzles have added a delightfully charming and playful addition to the arts and crafts represented by the gallery. The exhibit, The Pieces Are Falling Into Place: 10 Years of Wooden Puzzles by Marc Tschida, reveals the artist’s personal journey and exploration of the jigsaw puzzle. He began this crafting foray in 2013 with designs drawn from regional historical or geographical sources. His tourism lens proved to be a hit with the public, but Tschida expanded his scope and designed and cut intricately pieced icons drawn from popular culture. The mythological and sci fi creatures include dragons, unicorns, robots, and griffins cut of mixed cherry, oak, and walnut pieces and play a dual role as standing sculptures.

Marc Tschida, a fixture working behind the scenes in the Bloomington performing arts community, began handcrafting wooden jigsaw puzzles in 2013. Though a self-taught woodworker, he has presented workshops on puzzle making across the state of Indiana, in New York, Massachusetts, and Alaska as well as teaching puzzle making class at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking. His work in included in the permanent collection of the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY. He is a both an owner/member By Hand Gallery and the Brown County Craft Gallery. When not scrolling puzzles, Tschida is out in the community walking

By Hand Gallery is a locally owned, cooperative gallery that currently has 12 artisan members. By Hand Gallery has been in the Bloomington community for over 30 years and has a reputation for selling art works that are of superior design and quality artisanship. Besides our cooperative members, there are over 70 artists who sell their work through By Hand Gallery.

The exhibit is free and open to the public.
By Hand Gallery,
Inside Fountain Square Mall

101 W Kirkwood Ave, Suite 109
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.byhandgallery.com
812.334.3255
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00am – 5:30pm

Sunday 12:00 – 4:00pm

Over the past several years, I have finally begun to feel a little weary of working primarily as puzzle production line (though still handcrafted). Moving into 2023, and my tenth year as a puzzle maker, I am ready to branch out into creating more complex and sophisticated puzzles.

By Hand is a 40 year old fine arts co-operative located inside Fountain Square Mall on the south side of the Courthouse Square. By Hand features art by local and regional artists including painting, jewelry, pottery, knitting, wood, weaving, photography, glass, and more.

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Inside Fountain Square

101 W. Kirkwood Ave. #109 Bloomington, IN 47404

812-334-3255

byhandgallery.com

Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

featured-exhibit

MARCH 3 — April 1, 2023

OPENING RECEPTION March 3rd, 5-8 P.M.

Children, arguably the most important people in the world and works of art themselves, represent what is possible — they arrive in this world filled with potential and beauty. By Hand Gallery is excited to celebrate the child by presenting Toys Made By Hand. Exhibiting artists have drawn from their memories and experiences of playing with toys and making them for those that they love — all made by hand and from the heart.

Sarah Nichols, an artist new to By Hand Gallery states:

I can remember as a child having my imagination take me away for long swaths of time. Days, maybe even weeks, could be absorbed by a single story I was creating for myself for the sheer joy of the ability to get lost in something of my own making. This tableau, A Picnic on a Spring Day is an ode to that child, a love song to the person who grew up to be me, still in awe of the world around me, still looking at everything with eyes that are full of wonder. I tried to follow the threads that inspired me and to not say no to any idea that struck, while using only materials I had on hand.

David Joseff Sloma shares:

When I answered the call to participate in an exhibition titled “Toys Made By Hand”, I felt the need to engage my own fiber arts with my inner child. I grew up in the mid-sixties and seventies in a very conservative household and at that time, as a boy, I was only allowed the stereotypical male type items such as toy trucks, toy cars, building blocks, toy models, and sport related items. Everything was boxy, hard and had sharp edges, and I craved things that were soft, malleable, and huggable.

As an adult, queer fiber artist participating in this exhibit, I created something I needed, something that would inspire play and imagination. I asked questions of my younger self what he wanted. We answered these questions together through the creation of a “Dandy Doll”.

Using my fiber art skills, I worked with natural textiles, hand stitching, embroidery, and needle felting to create the “Dandy Doll”. The doll body and clothing are of my own design. This doll is not intended for young children, just the young at heart; he’s here for all who value play and imagination as part of their lived experiences.

Dandy Doll is a stylish, fashionable, and strapping young fellow. His name is Baron Ludwig Flammulin the Fifth. He comes from an aristocratic lineage that is generations old. Fashion is everything to him, so he sold everything but his home in town and his country manor estate. With his small fortune, he spends it on his couture fashions and throws fabulous parties. On this day, whistling a happy tune thru the entrance hall of his town home, he opens the front door and steps into the sunny morning…

Whether you are a child yourself or simply young at heart, you will take delight in this exhibit — the artist-made toys will provoke playfulness and ignite a childlike heart.

By Hand Gallery is a locally owned, cooperative gallery that currently has 13 artisan members. By Hand Gallery has been in the Bloomington community for over 30 years and has a reputation for selling art works that are of superior design and quality artisanship. Besides our cooperative members, there are over 70 artists who sell their work through By Hand Gallery.