Made with the adult collector in mind. Like fine china or glass, this delicate work is not recommended for child's play.
Belara Beach Original Miniatures Presents
P.O. Box 1206
KDH Outer Banks, NC 27948
SOUTHWEST by DUSTY ACRES
About The Artists and Their Creations
SOUTHWEST by DUSTY ACRES
Southwest goods and wares in miniature est. 2002
The idea of our little Trading Post, located in a dusty corner of a work room out in the California Mojave Desert, is to supply authentic looking pottery, baskets, rugs, dream catchers, kiva ladders and such for all the fabulous southwest rooms being created in miniature, also for collectors. We are a family of artists. Jude McQuay here, pleased to meet you.
I have been a selling artist for 50 years and my first love has always been American Indians and their fabulous art. This is where my inpirations are born. My son, Christopher Maestas supplies the wonderful thin walled pots for me. Chris and his sister Deana, dream catcher designer, have Pueblo heritage from their paternal grandmother, who was from one of the Rio Grande villages of New Mexico. Holly McQuay, the best artist of us all, creates very real looking baskets out of clay. They are replicas of Hopi, Navajo and Tohano O'Otham (Papago) baskets. Our last partner is Molly Schultz, my talented sister, who will always be with us if only in spirit. The beautifully fine rugs are her work.
Dusty Acres was first featured in the May/June 2003 issue of American Miniaturist Magazine and continues to gain popularity through collectors of doll house miniatures, shadow boxes and Southwest art lovers. We would offer you a cup of coffee and Indian Fry Bread to enjoy while you browse if we could but hope you'll still enjoy our virtual hospitality as you browse.
Visit us often for new additions always being created. Would love to hear your comments and suggestions through our guest book provided below. Questions also welcome. Each piece is a one of a kind original, signed and dated by the artist and will never be exactly duplicated. We hope our creations will be treasured items in your collection for many generations to come.
Jude McQuay, Founder and Proprietress of Dusty Acres Trading Post
ABOUT THE POTTERY
Dusty Acres creates their pots as 1 inch scale models of full sized pottery. They use polymer clay. The actual clay used to make the larger pots would not make for the very thin fine walls that Dusty Acre's potter achieves. The complete item is as close to the large pottery as possible. Jude's son Christopher Maestas, is the talented pot maker. Jude is the painter. She has researched and studied the different styles of Pueblo potters for many a year. The patterns and designs she uses often closely resemble the work of famous potters. With sincere respect and admiration for the fabulous potters of the Southwest.
ABOUT THE BASKETS
The wonderful little baskets are the work of Holly McQuay, Jude's daughter. The baskets are made with clay, but as with all items, done in such a clever fashion, they look and even feel very real. Holly meticulously coils fine strands of clay, scores the piece and takes great pains to enhance the effect with tiny paint strokes. The designs are perfectly matched on both sides, just as on a large coil basket. As with all fine pieces, you have to be careful not to tweak, twist or drop the baskets. Holly replicates actual Hopi, Navajo and Papago basket designs.
ABOUT THE RUGS
So the legend goes, Spider Woman, that great master weaver, taught the Navive American people how to weave their fabulous rugs. Bright, sharp rugs are the work of Molly Schultz, Jude's sister. She saw they were having so much fun creating miniatures, she wanted to jump in and play too. She came up with the concept of the rugs and perfected her technique. The sides have been hand painted to continue the pattern, some with weft strings added to the corners.
ABOUT THE OTHER SOUTHWEST ITEMS
Originating with the Ojibwa of the Northern woods, dreamcatchers, a charming concept, have been adopted by almost all of the Native American Indian Peoples. Dusty Acre's dreamcatchers are the work of Jude's daughter, Deana Maestas, She has mastered her delightful craft. The kiva ladders are another item from the workshop of Molly Schultz. Kiva ladders can be found in the finest homes of the Southwest. They are often used to display bright rug runners and hanging pottery such as the canteens. Also look for steer and buffalo skulls, chimenias and more because you never know what Dusty Acres will come up with next.
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