About the Artisan's Village

For eleven days each August, the Friends of the Visual Arts partner with the Oregon State Fairgrounds to manage and operate the Artisan's Village. Artists and craftspeople from all over Oregon teach, demonstrate, and show off their skills--and many invite YOU to try your hand as well!.

The 2008 Village will feature several brand-new booths, as well as the old favorites!

• Pottery and Raku Ceramics, sponsored by the Willamette Art Center. Not only do we host the Artisan's Village, we put on our own exhibit. Choose a handmade ceramic pot, glaze it, and we'll fire it on the spot in our Raku Kiln. In an hour, you can come back and pick up your own creation.

• The Craftwork of the Pioneers, featuring Rob Lewis. Climb aboard an Old West stagecoach, made by hand the old fashioned way. Rob Lewis (manager of the wood shop at the Oregon College of Art and Craft) and his team of wheelwrights and coopersmiths will bring history to life.

• Lavender Thyme Herb Farm, featuringTaffy Donalson. A booth of Wonderful Scents, including farm dried lavender bouquets, linen mists and lavender oil.

• Berg Artworks, featuring Sharon Nyberg. Sharon uses a Lampworking torch to melt glass strips or rods to make glass beads. If you're a bead lover, you'll want to pull up a chair and watch--and you'll go crazy over her detailed, dichroic creations!

• Cool Shoes & Moccasin Co. featuring David and Penny Peek. Hand-made footwear "from the ground up!" Watch David tool the leather and create shoes sized Just Right, on the spot!

• Carvings by Dave, featuring Dave Disselbrett. Whittle away the warm afternoon with Dave and his gallery of marvelous animals and characters, all hand carved and painted.

• The Capitol Woodcarvers. Members of the Capitol Woodcarvers guild--the same folks who created the beloved Salem Riverfront Carousel--will demonstrate all aspects of the time-honored art of wood carving.

• Glassblowing Local 503, from the Gorge Glashaus. This booth is HOT! Watch in amazement as molten glass takes shape right before your eyes.

• K K Creations, featuring Wes Kesten and Gretchen Kirk - Watch Wes take a "boring old rock" and reveal incredible beauty within, as he carves and polishes geodes, Oregon Sunstones, and much more.

• Art in Oils, featuring Markus Willis. Come see why Markus has the longest-running booth at the Artisan Village. His oil paintings are rich and unique--many of them are painted on tiny canvases that are assembled into a final montage. As always, Markus will be painting in the booth throughout the fair--come learn some tips from a master!

• The Dramatic Arts, hosted by Salem's Pentacle Theatre. This all-new booth presents all the details of dramatic arts, including costuming, stage decoration, acting, directing... everything it takes to Make The Show Go On. Check back soon for a complete schedule of presentations!
  
  Special Presentation: Oregon Ballet Theater, Aug 23.
  Master costumer Kathy Scoggins from OBT will present "The History of the Tutu." Watch her demonstrate the construction of dance's most recognizable costume. Details to come.

• Blacksmithy, featuring Nick Marcejlas of Red Troll Forge and Eric Grip of Iron Grip Forge. Watch Nick and Eric make incredible tools, household items and jewelry out of Red Hot Iron!

• Toyu Ceramics, featuring Beverly Toyu. Beverly makes beautiful and haunting ceramic impressions from a person’s face.

• Mary’s Glass Works – Mary Smith - Stained glass

• Textile and Fiber Arts, sponsored by Tanglewood Fiber Creations and the Northwest Regional Spinner’s Assc. Spinners, knitters, weavers and other fiber artists will knock your socks off--and then make new ones--amidst beautiful yarns hand woven and dyed here in Oregon.

• Pyrofuse – Robert Fox - Lampworking to create works of art

• Art by Anya – Anya Wilson - Drawing, painting and using collage-materials

• Chainsaw Carving, featuring the Whited Brothers. Who runs this family, anyway? Watch the Whited Brothers Rip It Up with their chainsaws, creating art as big as a tree or tiny enough for your desk.

The Village Stage, featuring family-friendly music all day, every day, thanks the following donors, whose contributions to our stage will make it better than ever!

Dr. Ted Williamson
Redwood Spring Acupuncture
Vida Family Medicine
Salem Pediatric Clinic
The Salem Clinic
Umpqua Bank
Mike and Kellie Swaim
Jim Vick
Chip Paluska, DMD
Ed and Sally Daly
Fred Meyer S. Commercial
Safeway Center St.
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