All Things Beautiful: Connie Stahl Noftsier

*All photographs taken by Connie Noftsier

Connie Stahl Noftsier is a visual artist based in the charming town of Croghan. She was one of 18 artists in the North Country chosen to attend the Artist as Entrepreneur (2024) program at St. Lawrence University. This program was presented by the St. Lawrence Arts Council and NYSCA.

Connie’s studio is on George Street behind Monnat’s IGA. It is housed in a gorgeous Victorian Bed and Breakfast. The place lives up to its name: All Things Beautiful. Connie and her husband, Randy, have meticulously cared for it for the last 15 years. The restoration work is obvious, from gleaming hardwood floors, doors, and cabinets to a chef’s kitchen. Connie designed the kitchen and had it made by a local craftsman. Her attention to detail is clear.

Connie runs the five-bedroom B&B and creates art from her home studio. Her designs are unique and whimsical works in needlepoint, embroidery, photographs, and watercolors. She spent years as a photographer and still has equipment for taking photos of her art. She loves photographing the natural world and uses her photos in her designs. Also having been a landscape designer, Connie brings her love of the natural world into her artwork. Randy is a certified mushroom forager and Connie gathers much of her inspiration from the various mushrooms he collects. 

All things beautiful fill the entryway. Fiber sculptures of native flowers, Monarch butterflies, lunar moths, and mushrooms line the wall in three-dimensional forms. The first thing anyone wants to do is touch the ornate and detailed creatures. Nevertheless, signs encourage guests not to do so! Moving into the shop, many items line the walls and shelves, waiting for visitors.

Connie begins her day with all the administrative chores of artistry. She manages her Facebook and Instagram pages. Connie also updates her website and mailing lists. She then tends to the B&B, which is yet another work of art.  Connie keeps the house filled with guests during the summer months. In the off months, she still has plenty of room for guests and family. Each room is decorated with the art Connie has made herself or acquired from other artists. Even her family contributes. Their paintings adorn the walls. Their pottery decorates the shelves. Their musical instruments are placed on the floor in cases. Visible are a bluegrass banjo, a mandolin, and a guitar. Connie also mentions a newly acquired upright bass.

The artistry in every room is joined by plants. Some are draped over furniture, sitting in corners, or hung from the ceiling. One Burro’s tail is nearly nine feet long. Connie creates her patterns and chooses project colors during the day when the light is good. She can sit in one of her oversized chairs near several windows. Each window offers a stunning visual view of something she has painted or planted in the garden. There are also many fruit trees, berry bushes, and a variety of vegetables and flowers. 

Connie listens to audiobooks as she works her needle, She says. “It takes many hours to create one mushroom or flower. Then it takes many more hours to stitch the supporting pieces. The backgrounds or bases are then made to compliment and show each piece in a unique, one-of-a-kind way.” And they are unique. She uses a dimensional embroidery technique called “stumpwork,” which originated in the 17th century. She uses a floor stand to hold her embroidery hoop or frame. This helps her create the tiny details that make it so realistic. This often involves using various stitches and materials to add depth and texture. Besides the 3D creations of moths, butterflies, and flowers, some of her 3D mushroom creations appear both forward and backward-facing. This orientation allows an internal view of the mushroom. They should line the walls of botanical classrooms. 

Connie uses her photographs as backgrounds for her needlework. She embellishes the photo with cotton, silk, or wool threads. She enhances the photo by layering, and strategically choosing points within her photographs that allow for dimension and depth. One that is loved by all is the 3D landscape “Daisies on Blue Mountain Lake.” (pic). The foreground daisies have a texture that draws the eye and are balanced against the mountains in the background. The boldness of the dark mountains plays off the lively daisies. She plays with color and depth in these textured landscapes. Her “Sheep Herd” piece is another example that plays with texture while being playful. It reveals two chubby and fluffy sheep. They stand in the foreground while several sheep are intimated as tufts of white in the background. Viewing these works of art in person is preferable, given the minute details.

Most of her base layers consist of linen, wool, silk, cotton, and felt, upon which she builds her surface embroidery. Some of the designs look like aerial maps of Adirondack bodies of water. She works her stitches into water flowing or swirling, creating waves or rapids. Not only does she subtly blend the threads to suggest movement, but she also creates height and depth. Trees are tufts of greens, yellows, and browns. Some are captured in the fall and capture the vivid Adirondack oranges and reds. Some of her maps are so precise they look like a Google Earth satellite image!

Connie has also been experimenting with abstract art and cell life. On a chosen background, often wool, she stitches shapes and patterns, using various techniques to create organic designs. They lend themselves well to being customized. Then there are sonograms done in embroidery. These are, of course, customized. They are the perfect gift for an expectant mother. 

Connie spent the summer traveling all over New York State, attending fairs and festivals. Still, she is seeking the ideal venue for her signature art pieces. They are truly unique and can’t be found elsewhere. Her skills are truly distinctive. She creates items that do not exist on shelves in most places. Additionally, the possibility of customization lends itself to gifting for the holidays. 

Connie participates in two Shop Hops. One is on Mother’s Day weekend. Another is in early December. During these events, you should visit her shop in Croghan. You can also meet other well-known and talented artists in Lewis County. In the meantime, her work appears at Tupper Lake Art Center. You can visit her shop by appointment. Just call ahead to arrange a time here. Her website is here.

See Connie’s Presentation here: Connie Noftsier Presents Stitching Science: The Anatomy of Leaves in Fiber Art