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   Where is Cullowhee??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2023 "Summertime "Featured Artist

Bobby and Janie Bearden

Blue Ridge, Ga.

Metal Yard Art

 

 

 

 

Small Beginnings :
 
     The Mountain Artisans Art & Craft Shows started in  Macon County in 1987.  Only 8 artisans exhibited at the first Christmas show in Franklin, NC. 
We never imagined that, down the road, we were headed to the wonderful Ramsey Center on the Western Carolina University campus in Cullowhee,  North Carolina!
(92 Catamount Dr. ,Cullowhee, NC 28723 )
 
     It is a dream come true.  As the years have flown by, more and more artisans wanted a good place to sell their handwork and  joined us.    The southern craftsman are alive and well in this area.  Many of us are descendants of the first settlers in this area. We grew up using  heritage crafts and sleeping under quilts our Mother's made .
The older generation inspired us with the sewing , pine needle baskets, clay art, and primitive furniture .We are hoping to preserve and  share with you these vanishing crafts .
If you are visiting this magical area, we have an amazing Jackson County Chamber  www.mountainlovers.com

 You will find it all here.

     Mountain Artisans Art and Crafts Shows provide a marketplace for customers and artisans to meet.  It is an amazing collection under one roof.  You would have to visit dozens of  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.  It is home to the Catamount's basketball games but two times each year, they move over for our craft shows.  A great set up crew makes it all look easy for me. 

     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  highway. All around are big, soft mountains. A foot bridge crosses the Cullowhee Creek to get to the show from the parking lot.  It is peaceful to your soul just  to be here.  Click on the map to see how to get to Cullowhee NC from Asheville, Cherokee, and Atlanta.

     

Notes from the Show Promoter - contact  me :Doris Hunter (828 ) 524 3405 .

                                                                                                       (828)  421-8181    

Outside Artists: The sidewalk and surrounding area leading up to the big Catamount door entrance has a sample of the quality artisans inside.  Look for the following exhibitors:      

   

  • Master woodcraftsman, Jerry Stanley NC Mountains Outdoor Furniture with Adirondack chairs, swings, birdhouses (for real birds) and more.  All constructed with Western Red Cedar, stainless steel nails and blue ribbon quality; made one at a time
  •                                                      click   to enlarge
  •                                            e

                        A.W. Ruff :  Mountain Crafts                       

                    Beetle Traps  Bird Houses, Cutting Boards

 

                 Pam Price : Pumpkin Center Pottery

                                      www.pumpkincenterpottery.com

                 Jim Price : 3D Woodworking  www.mcclain-co.com  

 

                        Bobby Bearden : Metal Yard Art

 

                Allyson Gernandt www.allysongernandtsilversmith.com

 

                Janette Kleinrath  www.jansallthingscanvas.com

                      Jan will be back for Christmas show

 

                       Michele Schwartz www.mydivinelandscapes.com

                        Mountain Photography

 

       Patty Media Wander Yonder Folk Art FB

                         

        Brenda Banach  Hand Stitched Cards -Hand towels www.fibreBee.com  coming soon

      

                                

 

 

Come inside. The  entrance tunnel has some exciting exhibitors

       Andrew Hunter : Rustic Mountain Furniture  

                             click to enlarge

                      

 

                              

 

 

         Kathy Murray Kathy Murray Designs

                  Lighted Glass Pieces and more

                 :

 

          Anna Marie Sullivan Morris :The Mudd Princess 

                       Folk, functional and whimsical clay art

 

.Bill Prather :Ole Man Hickory Rustic Wood Furniture supreme.

 

 

                   

CLICK TO ENLARGE Bench  (Black Walnut-Mountain Ash Trim )                                                                 

                                    

 

                Ronnie Evans :  There will be  live 

 guitar music floating from the fingers of Macon County's own

         .   He will be selling his CD's to enjoy all year 

 and signing copies of his latest historical book about Panther Bill.  

 

         

                                

         Dogwood Crafters will be selling samples from their unique store and

         demonstrating vanishing arts .

         They feature quality mountain  handcrafts from  their shop in Dillsboro, NC.

                               Diane Ellis is making Rag Rugs

                                       

                   Deborah Freedman :Barn Board Quilts Patterns

                                .www.dogwoodcrafters.com                                                            

  THE FRONT STREET ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW

  SATURDAY,  JUNE 15  10-4   Dillsboro,  NC      

             call BRENDA ANDERS   info@dogwoodcrafters.com

      

  • Tom Livingston's Piece by Piece Intarsia takes many kinds of wood and shapes them into
  •  amazing  pictures. He will be back for Christmas giving and dressing up your home.
  •                           Click to enlarge
  •                 
  •                   www.piecebypieceintarsia.com

    Arena :

The pottery section includes :

 

 New ! Christie Walker WOODLAND FARMS POTTERY

 

 

   Amanda Janes     Dogwood Bowl   

                        

                using Mountain Botanicals as patterns

                         www.HomecookedPottery.com 

 

 

              Cory Plott       

 

Specialty foods and  sweets: 

 

 Kathy Cirka : The Backwoods Bakery organic Bread and Goodies

                                            www.backwoodsbakery.com

 

Katie  Wall    honeybykandk@gmail.com  will be bringing certified

       Pure Sourwood Honey and  a good selection of other varieties of 

       blossom products .

     Macon County Bee keepers  will have an Educational Hive

                                       Click to enlarge        

                                  

      

  • Terri Cook's Delightful Dips is a perennial favorite  with her homemade dips,
  •  mixes and southern  meat rubs.

       Chuck and Amy Ney :Homemade in Haywood 

Canned goods and Mountain  Toys                  

              FB Homemade in Haywood

 

      PLACEMATS click to enlarge

:         

Heritage Soap:

  •    Bill Reed Freedom Farms is not coming to the summer show .
  •  He will be back for Christmas with his popular goat milk soap
  •  and his personal grooming accessories.

       Kelli Hubbs MountainSoap Box

         www.mountainsoapbox.com make cold pressed

       soap in delicious flavors . 

 

       Kaiti Blythe  Turquoise Tortuga  Pure Soy Candles    

       Other special crafts

  • Bonnie and Denny Wallace Greasy Creek Crafts
  •   presenting their summer decorations for your home .
  •   Denny has wood turnings, too.

        :                        

  • Fran LeRoy: handcrafted wreath collection

                       .

 

        Lin and J.L. Stepp Mountain Hill Press : Regional Novels and Guidebooks

          www.linstepp.comwww.linstepp.com

 

         Joy Young Pirate Industries :Teas and crafts www.pirateindustriesllc.com 

         ISLAND FRUTAS

 

       Martha Dobson 'Encouraging the Nations " A missionary project to support

         the orphanage in Uganda .

 

        Tommy Hill  quality leatherwork

  •  
  • .
  • He has made the perfect  gift for someone special.

 

  •   David Pruitt Another Place In Time has a SMALL COLLECTION THIS SUMMER  AS HE IS
  •     RECOVERING FROM SURGERY .
  •    Wife, Silvia Pruitt will have  her hanging kitchen towels, coasters and  star ornaments.
  •                   

 

  • Heather Seaman Pine Needle Basket Weaving  and  Demonstration
  •                  

      

 

               Roberta Wehle SnowflakesbyDesign

                                 Click to enlarge snowflake

                                

                           www.snowflakesbydesignco.etsy.com

         The ornaments are all original designs. Wire, various beads, and glass pearls combine

              to make a sturdy but lightweight heirloom treasure.

..

 ..     We have some wonderful, fine artists  :

           Jeanne Mack JeanneMack Originals

  • Southern Paintings always has new customers for her southern paintings
  • and charming feline art. 

                 

  •  

 Nancy Moore Folk Artist is almost  famous for her Painted Windows and Mosaics

 

              

 

  • Regenia Ford 'Mountain Memories is a Tennessee artist who hand paints barn wood
  • and antique windows.
  • She  will probably be at Christmas with her ornaments and rustic wood paintings .
  •    

 

  •  Linda Mathias :Bloomscapes Acrylic Paintings .From her
  • studio in beautiful Otto, NC, she is working on a Bloomscapes painting
  • "Sunflower" for your home !
  •                   

 

     The fabric and Fiber art category :

     Bev Bordchardt

       presents her summer  collections of Quilts,

        Wall hangings and Hand towels .

                        Click to enlarge quilt

                            

 

        Nicki Russo  : Coasters, Trivets, Bowl Cozies and more

 

       Rita Barnwell Sugar Falls Designs :Vegan Leather Hair bows

           

      Olivia Mc Fadden Cuddlie Duddlie soft creatures

                       .

  •  

       The wood craftsmen at this show are some of the best around:

        NEW Larry Ricci Fine Woodwork           click to enlarge

                                               

                Betty Rickman    Kitchen Boards by Betty

                            

 

   

          Mike Saverwald Wood Boards 

         Kim Saverwald

                                      Handcrated Ceramic Trees

 

      We have some of the most skilled jewelers and glass artists from our area         

           

       

  •                                                                             

    :

 Jean Whisnant   Hand Blown Glass

  •                            
  • Janet Anderson Wild Fired Glass  is a favorite artist in glass,
  • She is coming back with her
  •  original glass art; fused and slumped. Her new line of jewelry is
  • diachronic glass accented with imported crystals. A fine gift for a lovely lady. How about you ?
  • Breaking news : Janet is getting a new knee and will be aol for awhile .
  •                          
  •                               www.wildfiredglass.com 
  • Angel Hudgins Hudgins Designs will be  back for Christmas with unique, cool designs for the 20something crowd.
  •  Jacolyn Campbell,  master wire wrapper .She will have chain styles, also.
  • Faye Jackson Henry CH Creations : Jewelry, Earrings
  •   Frank and Judy Scott Unicorn Fused  Jewelry and Glass 

                    :

 

 Dates for the 2023 'Hard Candy Christmas "are  Nov 24-25 .

Thank you for making

it your first stop for original arts and crafts at great prices!

Our area American artists and craftsmen are still making  beautiful things

with our hands and our hearts just for you! Come, have a mountain apple, a

piece of hard candy and shop from the best area artisans .

You are sure to catch the Christmas Spirit.

In October, I will  make my way over the mountain to visit Barber's Orchard

in Waynesville, NC .

 I  reserve  bushels of mixed apples.

They will rest  in the cooler until the week of the  show .My favorite  Cameos,

 Delicious and Galas will  be piled into the big basket on the ticket table to share

with our customers.

Peppermint pieces and mixed sweets will be in the antique candy jar to enjoy, too.

 It is  my way of preserving  our mountain Christmas tradition.

 

MEMORIES :The smell of freshly cut evergreens brings me back home

when I was small .

Then, my big sister led the way to bring home the family  Christmas tree.

It was always  a cedar scrub tree, picked from a neighbor's sagebrush field.

 She and I struggled through the briars and over the creek with our treasure.

 (I remember the year my brother came home from the War and brought 

bubble lights!  Wow!) Decorating that annual tree 

 was unforgettable.  No matter how lean the year had been, we got a stocking

with an apple, orange, and, of course, Hard Candy . The name of my show

is centered around the tradition of our mountain Christmas  of celebrating

Jesus' birth. Truly, the most wonderful time of the year .

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