Jamie and Doug Barthel opened Lotus in 2005. In a world of shrinking brick and mortar stores, they have continued to bring their customers unique, creative artwork, gifts and jewelry for over thirteen years. With a focus on small business, fair trade and sustainability, Lotus exhibits a wide array of items from around the world, with the majority of our items made primarily in the USA. We love the tourists who visit our unique town, but also develop strong bonds with our local clientele and tailor our price points to a wide audience. Our goal is to help our customers find something that is just right for them!
More about the Artist Jamie Barthel
Having grown up and raising her family in the Catskill Mountains of New York, Jamie always found herself drawn to the beauty and diversity of the region's plants and wildlife. That's where much of her work gets its inspiration. As you will see when browsing her beautiful and functional art pieces, most of Jamie's designs are related to nature, incorporating floral or animal themes and the striking variations in light and color that so distinguish the Catskills. The peach sunsets of late summer, the vivid jewel tones of flower blossoms in spring, the skeletal branches of birch trees in the dead of winter - they all speak to her and appear throughout her work, depending on how the mood strikes her. Yet Jamie is not limited to her own ideas. In fact some of her more successful designs have been the result of custom commissions. Jamie loves taking someone else's vision and interpreting it into a painting, "It's a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle - finding the right fit for all of the creative elements to come together smoothly". No matter the theme, each piece is a one-of-a-kind. Painted completely by hand, without the use of stencils, her glass paintings involve a painstaking process in which a complete understanding of the consistency of the paint and the size and shape of the brush - as well as an extremely steady hand and delicate touch - are crucial. Working on a round, concave surface is also a challenge, but a welcome one, as she uses the shape and the light it creates to its best advantage. Each piece is truly a labor of love. Jamie always hopes her clients enjoy her work as much as she enjoys creating it!
