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Great Beginnings
The Mountain Artisans Art & Craft
Shows started in Macon County in 1987 .Only 8 artisans
exhibited at the first Christmas
craft
show in Franklin . We never imagined we were headed to the
wonderful Ramsey Center on the Western Carolina University in
Cullowhee, North Carolina. It is just
incredible. As the years have flown by, more and more artisans
joined us to exhibit their wares. They wanted a good place to
sell their hand work, too.
So many of our craft businesses have been sent overseas
but no imports here. The southern craftsman is
alive and well in this area. Many of the heritage crafts are handed
down from the older generation. The quilting, pine needle baskets,
blacksmithing, clay art, folk dolls, corn shuck flowers, broom
corn brooms, carved spirit sticks, and primitive
furniture were inspired from Grand pa. You will find it all here. Mountain Artisans
Art and Crafts Shows provide a
marketplace for customers and artisan to meet. It is an amazing
collection under one roof. You would have to visit 75 shows to
find what I have gathered at one place.
Cullowhee, North Carolina is home
to the Western Carolina University. On the campus is the Ramsey
Center arena that boasts 18,000 square feet of climate controlled
comfort for everyone. A great set up crew makes this big event
happen for me two times each year. Quaint Cullowhee Valley nestles off Highway 107
that runs up to Cashiers, North Carolina from Sylva. It is a
stop off the Southern
Highroads Trail. All around are big, soft mountains. A foot bridge crosses the Cullowhee Creek to get
to the show. It is peaceful to your soul to be here.
Every year, I run the wheels off my little car
visiting many of the areas craft shows (sometimes three a day!) to find these unique artisans. I hand out information and get to know as many
as possible at every show. Not every craft is right for this area but I feel
confident each exhibitor selected is outstanding in their field.
Spring is Here !
Get ready, get ready, get ready for the 24th "Summertime" Arts and Crafts Show! For
this show, 99% of the artists are in the
building's main arena but a few exhibitors prefer to be outside.
Outside Exhibitors
The sidewalk leading up to the big Catamount door entrance
will be a sample
of the quality artisans inside .
- Doreyl Ammons
will be demonstrating pastel painting . She has several
originals ,one of a mountain snow scene .She will be working
on a fund raiser painting for Catman2 Shelter.
- Everyone's favorite canvas hat and
accessory maker Jan Kleinrath will be
on the sidewalk.
- Jan's good friend , Allyson Gerhandt
will be next door with her gemstone and silver smithed
jewelry .Lots of color here!
- Remember the driftwood birdhouses and
fountains from last summer? Well, Steve Carter
will be here with another great collection .
- I have talked Bobby Bearden , creator of
kerosene can creatures , to bring his newest art and be on
the sidewalk .
- Alice Bowden
will be playing
playing a tune
on a spam can? What fun!
- Brenda Long has been out for
a few season's . She creates kudzu
wreaths and baskets for your patio and garden.
- Artist Pauline Marr is
writing a book and will not be back until it is finished .
You go girl and all success to you .
- I have just heard from Jimmy Hopkins
who turns scrap into amazing yard art . He will be
outside the front door with colorful ,fun stick downs.
-
- The white washed furniture makers ,Edward and Celia
Scheffer are coming back with new pieces if their
truck is out of the hospital !
- .
- Ramblewood Ridge is a fun wood
craft business . They will be on the front with accessories
for your mountain home garden .
-
Local author and artist, Joe Meigs, will be on the corner with his novels and paintings
.
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We have kettle pop corn to munch ,too.
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Others will be added as the weather warms.
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Inside
Exhibitors
I am so glad to have Karen and Tim
Chambers 's happy folk art coming .They can turn a gourd
into a cheery chicken in a second .If you are a collector , they
will have new pieces for your house . They have reclaimed wood
with painted screens that are one of a kind .
I am happy to report that Tom Livingston's
fine wood Intarsia will be at this show. He is one of the best
craftsman in his field .
The
pottery category is already filled for this year's show :
- Starting in the truck tunnel is a favored
potter Sue Malsnee. She has many area
collectors of her work . They will be glad to find
her newest designs.
- Mike & Cindy Hart
stoneware pottery will be returning with unique
pine cone patterns . New this show is the 8 place
settings .
- Mark Wingertsahn's little clay
fantasy houses have been out for a few season's
but will be back with new work .
- Doc Welty is a fine potter
from Leicester. He is new this year .You are going to
like his glazes.
- Renee Speenburgh and Bill Ensign are also
first time exhibitors , introducing their stoneware and raku
.
- Look for Harold Sims Catman2
booth. We all support his No- kill cat shelter
in Jackson County. Please
donate generously, too.
- Dogwood Crafters from
Dillsboro will be selling samples of their unique shop.
They feature handcrafts from the mountain area ,also.
- ( There will be live guitar
music floating from the fingers of Macon County's
Ronnie Evans .He will be playing favorite holiday
tunes and selling his CDs.
-
- Kathy Nash will be back with her
heirloom nut brittle goodies. It is the best ever
homemade candy . The chocolate sauces folks from
Georgia are bringing spreads for your buttered
biscuits .Stay tuned . Yum , yum . Terri Cook was
a hit in November with her homemade dips, mixes and
southern meat rubs. I noticed lime chiffon pie mix on
her web site .She will be here again so stock up . A new
food vendor from Tennessee is House of Douglas Bakery.
They will be bringing Scottish and Irish breads,
and scones.
- Patricia Adams ,a local
photographer will be showing you the mountains like you
have never seen .
- Mike Smithwick will be
returning with his recycled bottles.
- Nancy Basket is a basket
weaver that recycles kudzu and pine needles.
She will be demonstrating and selling her creations .
- Bill Reed is making his
popular goat
milk soap like crazy to have enough for the summer show.
- Rhonda Nowicki is also an
artisans soap maker and new this year
- .
- Marker Mountain Herb and flower Farm is
coming back with soy candles, spices and various teas.
- Elly Davey is a perennial
favorite with her whimsy dolls. She adds new creations
each the show.
- Janet Anderson' is a glass
artist of the highest acclaim. She will have fused creations for all her
customers.
We have attracted some wonderful
fine artists and painters this show such as :
- Patti Best paints the
mountains .She will have originals and prints that you
will have to have . Felicity Pierson is new
talent this year. She will have oil paintings and prints
.
Alan R Young , wildlife
artist and Elizabeth McAfee will have their summer
collection with prints , originals and giclees .
Jeanne Mack , a popular
southern artist , will be back with new work .
Welcome back to Jessie Collins from
Blairsville. She paints wildlife and mountain landscapes and
maps.
I have just received word that
Connie Tilley's bird watercolors will be here .
We are honored to have the fine art of Pui-Lan
.She came here from Hong Kong in 1995 .Her paintings are mixed
media with watercolors and Chinese inks on selected rice papers.
Each painting is embellished with calligraphy . Welcome Pui
-Lan.
I met Cheryl
Greenfield a few years ago in Gatlinburg . She is from Ohio
.She paints Christmas on plates, wood bowls and bobbins .
She is coming all the way down here to sell her wonderful work .
Collectors will love her ornaments . She will only be here for
this show so don't miss out .
Nancy Moore is a
folk artist who has claimed ribbons on her painted
recycled items. She used to exhibit with me back in
the Franklin show . I am so delighted to have her come to WCU
.She will bring gourds, baskets ,windows , saws and milk cans.
Carolyn Cordell is a mixed media artist .
She will be back in her little gallery with metal [paintings ,
mobiles and jewelry .
A decorative tole painter from Tennessee is
Tammie Hulse . She is returning with her wood
items, signs and switch plates and more.
Je Donne Morton is a decorative painter
from Virginia . She will have Christmas art on wood and tin .
The fabric art catagory is looking is
looking good including : Linda Levy quilting ,Sandra
Kennedy: quilted purses , Gretchen Branning :
purses from a man's neck tie , Norma Jean Corhn:
18' inch doll dresses, Glenda Davis : Ladies
Clothing with lace ,Dana Godsey :Hand Stitched Framed art,
Trudy McFerrin: hand sewn purses: Charlene Wooten :
recycled quilt items, Linda Van Order : Beary Hill Bears
and stuff . Eleanor Trollinger(Practical Peaces) , hand sewn
accessories. Jeanne Henderson makes "Anjelique
Classy" purses from tapestry fabric . I am glad that she is going
to have a nice collection for her customers.
The wood craftsmen are just the best around :
Dennis and Judy Wilkie : wood craft gifts and jewelry, Brad
Smith: cutting boards & boxes, Ron Thompson: wood
turning , Ken Rudd: furniture, trash bins .
Steve Simonelli :fine wood furniture . Laura DeWeese
just got her space .Their specialty is natural bark edged fine wood accessories .
The Armour family are coming up from Georgia to bring their
rustic furniture for your cabin home . You will like their
prices and quality.
. Lane & Shelvia Whitley are new with
pewter ornaments . I met them years ago at the Market Days show
in Tallahassee .There , I bought some of their animal ornaments for my
children who just loved them . I am so thrilled to have my
friends at this show for the first time .
Look for Larry & Shirley Cotton: Hummingbird
feeders,
Dora Reynolds : Cloth plates and platters .
Tommy Hill : Fine leather works .
Animals from recycled railroad spikes ? Yes. A
whole farm from Rich and Rhonda Peters. You will
love these little creatures.!
Mary Ellen Boutelle & Cindy Murphy :
Stained Glass mosaics
The knitters are in vogue right now : Eva
Tolotti : scarves William T. Smith : Shawls yarn
& pins and accessories. The Plaid Sheep Yarn :Johnetta Heil
:Hand woven for the home & wear .
We have master jewelers : Roy and Dot
Meade : wire wrapping , Joy Whitney: beading too,
Brenda Winburn : original jewelry, Grady & Peggy Nolan
: silver plate crafts, Neal and Nanci Hearn
:Glass boxes and hand crafted jewelry . Ellen Speed makes
amazing accessories from soda cans . What fun.
Rich Andrews who carves folk
art signs and things is coming back . He will be demonstrating
his craft . Also returning is Steve Smithwick with his recycled glass bottle luminaries.
Good news: Phyllis Mann is bringing her
hand woven cotton rugs .This is a vanishing art so stock up
while you can.
Lumber Jill is turning throwaway
boards into neat bird accessories for your garden. She has some
neat rustic tables too .
Kathy and Bob Kimmel are settled in their new
mountain house and are coming back with their signature folk art
.
Stay tuned as the show fills .
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