In traditional folklore, dragons are serpents of huge sizes that breathe fire. Deb Hoffmaster’s are less intimidating.

“Initially the dragon was much more fierce,” Hoffmaster said. “It kind of came out cuter than I anticipated.”

A dragon pendant by local artist Deb Hoffmaster. Photo Courtesy Deb Hoffmaster.

Hoffmaster, the metalcraft moderator for the Toledo Gem and Rockhound Club,  works with fabricated silver and mixed-metal jewelry. The dragon piece is part of a series of pendants Hoffmaster calls “story pendants.” They all go together, but have individual inspiration.

“The thing about the stuff that I do is that I don’t do too many things that are the same,” Hoffmaster said.

She started the series with a pendant of a bear catching a salmon to eat. She has since done a hummingbird and a fox.

There may be another dragon piece in the future, Hoffmaster said, but the ones she has now will be featured at the Heralding The Holidays event set for Dec. 7-9 at the Toledo Botanical Gardens, 5403 Elmer Drive.

The free event will bring together local talent to sell their work. It will include jewelry, pottery, glass, paintings, photography, textiles, soaps, lotions, jams, herbs and more.  Hours are 5-9 p.m. Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 8 and noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 9.

Hoffmaster’s pieces range in price from $25 to $500.

“I think it’s nice to have a variety of things,” Hoffmaster said. “People who don’t have a lot of money can still buy something unique.

The dragon, what she calls “a special piece” will be one of the more expensive ones.

Hoffmaster said Heralding The Holidays is always a fun event to be a part of.

“For me Heralding is the beginning of the Christmas season,” she said. “I know that everybody else puts out their stuff after Halloween, but for me, Heralding is the point at which I start to feel like, ‘Oh yeah, Christmas is now coming.’”

For more information, visit toledogarden.org.

Tags: Deb Hoffmaster, Heralding the Holidays, Toledo Botanical Garden, Toledo Gem and Rockhound Club

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 5th, 2012 at 12:38 pm and is filed under Arts and Life, Holidays.
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