Summer Artisan Drive About: June 25th and 26th, 2010
The Stecoah Artisans are having the 9th Annual Artisan Drive About, a self guided driving tour of 9 artist studios and shops in Graham County, NC. The idea came about many years ago to provide a brochure and artisan tour and map for the Graham County artisans. Started by Karen Mickler of Yellow Branch Pottery and Cheese, and Crim and Jeff Bassett of Bee Global Studio Gallery, people now come from all over to experience the beautiful mountains and meet many creative and talented artists living and working in the area.
On the Drive About one can find Bee Global’s blooming wildflower gardens and unique beeswax lighting to Yellow Branch’s stoneware pottery and fresh cheese, made from their jersey cows. There are hand turned wooden bowls made and sold in a 75 year old tobacco barn that brings a sense of Appalachian curiosity. Visit the Stecoah Valley Art Center, the hub of this small mountain community, and one can find traditional and contemporary art and crafts; weavings, pottery, photography, Cherokee crafts and more.
A silent auction will be taking place in conjunction with the Artisan Drive About. The auction items consist of local and regional art donated by artists themselves. The money raised will go towards the arts program at the Stecoah Valley Center, SVC. The auction will be held both days, June 25 and 26th, and taking place at the SVC. The final bid will be Saturday night after the evening music performance. It’s a lot of fun!
For more information, please visit: www.stecoahvalleycenter.com
Or click here to download a printable map of all the participating artisans.
Winters Renewal
Winter is an introspective time. It’s a time of resting the creative mind but also preparing for the work that lies ahead.
We usually spend our winter month’s tidying the flower garden, which requires moving numerous tractor loads, to the delight of my boys, of aged plant material to the compost. Going through the endless seed catalogs and deciding what new and exciting seeds we will plant takes time. Inside the studio the worktables are filled with beeswax, tools and clay for candle making, sculpting and mold-making. As we work, our wood stove glows from within. During this time we also update our website and product information as well as clean and assess inventory. Staying on top of orders is a priority as well.
In these cold winter months we huddle together like the bees of our hives knowing that with winter’s renewal we will be ready for a busy and prosperous new year.
Beeswax
Our first experience with beeswax left us intrigued, and today we still feel the same way. As wax artists, we believe it is the perfect medium. The composition of beeswax has a high melting point, excellent plasticity, and unique structurally integrity. When it burns it produces a wonderful aroma and shines with a peaceful luminosity. It has centuries of global history and is a sustainable renewable resource. Beeswax offered the possibility to create in a way that is functional, beautiful, unique, long burning and reusable. Of all the outstanding features of beeswax, the light it cast is the most fascinating. Whether it is a lamp, lantern, ornament or pillar, each with their different glow, the light is warm and comforting.
Summer Craft Fair Report
The Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands took place July 16-19th in the eclectic mountain city of Asheville NC. It was a beautiful weekend, providing a wonderful backdrop for all the folks that came out and supported the fair. Seeing old faces and meeting new faces, whether an artist or a customer, is one of the great things this show provides. We took the opportunity to display our newly scented beeswax pillars, which were very well received. Many of our customers commented on the excellent quality of the show. Everything at this show is unique and the artists are passionate about what they make. The work really is a reflection of each artist, offering a glimpse into their lives. If you get to Asheville in October, it is a really amazing time to see the leaf season and feel the cool fall air, come see us for the Fall Fair, Oct. 15-18th.
Summer Artisan Drive About: June 26th & 27th, 2009
Get the downloadable map of the Drive About locations.
For more information please go to www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.
The Stecoah Artisans are having the 8th Annual Artisan Drive About, a self guided driving tour of 9 artist studios and shops in Graham County, NC. The idea came about many years ago to provide a brochure and artisan tour and map for the Graham County artisans. Started by Karen Mickler of Yellow Branch Pottery and Cheese, and Crim and Jeff Bassett of Bee Global Studio Gallery, people now come from all over to experience the beautiful mountains and meet many creative and talented artists living and working in the area.
On the Drive About one can find Bee Global’s blooming wildflower gardens and unique beeswax lighting to Yellow Branch’s stoneware pottery and fresh cheese, made from their jersey cows. There are hand turned wooden bowls made and sold in a 75 year old tobacco barn that brings a sense of Appalachian curiosity. Visit the Stecoah Valley Art Center, the hub of this small mountain community, and one can find traditional and contemporary art and crafts; weavings, pottery, photography, Cherokee crafts and more.
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