We are extremely happy to include him as a member of our talented team, and we take great pride in having him as our featured artisan. Take a moment and get to know Jon Parker…he’s really one in a million.

OOOH:  How would you describe the craft you work in? What sets your items apart from other artisans?

JP: I design and build unique woodcraft from recycled lumber and salvaged logs. Many times the found wood has an aged patina that cannot be duplicated using new lumber.

OOOH:  How long have you been crafting? Have your interests and materials changed over the years?

JP: I started as a young boy making my own toys with wood from salvaged vegetable and fruit crates. The warmth and organic character of wood have never lost their charm.

OOOH: Typically, what steps do you take when working with reclaimed wood to enhance its beauty?

JP: I choose the most beautiful or interesting “face” of each board for the outside surface, carefully join the parts, progressively sand to enhance the grain and figure, and carefully finish to achieve a soft “hand”.

OOOH: Each of your creations has a story. Do you have a piece that had a particularly interesting story or one that you are most proud of?

JP: From roadside cast-offs to dead trees, wood is everywhere and mostly free for the taking. I received a pile of partially burned, huge barn floor planks from my neighbor for helping clean up after his historic mid 1700s barn was destroyed by arson. The 300 to 400 year old virgin red oak planks made 30 benches and tables that naturally finished to a deep golden brown color that only aged lumber can provide.

OOOH:  Where do you find inspiration and how do you keep up with the latest trends?

JP: The simple Shaker type designs that showcase the woods beauty lends itself to using reclaimed wood. The wood tells me what I can get out of it to maximize use and minimize waste. Usually, the small quantity of found wood limits production to “one of a kind” pieces while avoiding the trend to mass produce.

OOOH:  Do you have any plans for future work? What would you like to accomplish?

JP: To create more sculptural designs in the Wharton Esherick tradition would be satisfying.

OOOH:  What would be your best advice for someone interested in crafting unique furniture and accessories from reclaimed wood?

JP: Start looking for wood, it’s everywhere. Don’t be scared, in woodcraft one only gets better with practice.

One of our beloved artisans, Kathy Dries (who lives right in our town of Emmaus!) has created a stand-out collection of children’s accessories that truly belongs in fashion magazines. These gorgeous floral items (hats, pins, hair clips, headbands) compliment her adorable vintage pillowcase dresses, and their brilliant colors and textures are certainly appropriate for the upcoming spring weather! We’re happy to present this artist interview to show just what inspires Kathy’s line of beautifully crafted accessories. Stop by to see them in person…they are a delight!

OOOH:  How would you describe the craft you work in? What sets your items apart from other artisans?

KD: I do several types of crafts mostly needle arts and floral to decorate my home. Right now I am continuing to do knitting – something my grandmother taught me when I was a girl. I resumed my interest in knitting about 10 years ago when all the beautiful Italian yarns became available and I made many scarves. Since then I have followed the trends and have quite a stash of yarn. I love to add beads to my work. I also had an aunt who taught me to sew as a girl and I have made clothes, learning to smock when my own girls were little. I think I also made every Disney Princess costume for Halloween. Although my girls are grown and I am not yet a grandmother, I still love to make fancy things for little girls – hence the vintage pillowcase dresses and fabric roses.

OOOH:  How long have you been crafting? Have your interests and materials changed over the years?

KD: I have always loved to make things and be creative – my friends tell me I am all right brain. I have been “making things” since I was little and recently came across all the handmade gifts for my mother I made as a toddler and she will get another this year. I always have to be doing something and cannot just “sit” somewhere – knitting is very portable.

OOOH:  Your handcrafted accessories often include vintage elements. Where do you find these treasures?

KD: I love the thrill of the treasure hunt (and a good bargain). I have kept many of my grandmother’s things and like her, love the make things and be creative. I go to flea markets and antique malls and shops for vintage scaves, hankies, buttons, laces, pillowcases etc. I cruise through thrift shops as well.

OOOH:  Where do you find inspiration and how do you keep up with the latest trends?

KD: I love to go to craft festivals and read craft magazines for inspiration and then adapt the idea to put my own spin on it. The internet has great ideas and one website leads to another and I can get lost.

OOOH:  Do you have any plans for future work? What would you like to accomplish?

KD: I always have plans and usually have more ideas than time. I have a closet full of things “to do” . I see something that inspires me and I decide I can do it myself and make it my own.

OOOH:  What would be your best advice for someone interested in creating handcrafted accessories and clothing?

KD: Just do it – it is a great way to relieve stress – knitting is very relaxing and helps keep the brain in shape. It gives me an outlet to be creative and feel like I have accomplished something. My hand made gifts are always appreciated.

Thanks to Barbara for answering some interview questions so as our fans may become better acquainted!

OOOH:  What craft do you primarily work in?  What sets your work apart from other artists?

BS:  I primarily work in stained glass done in the copper foil technique, “Tiffany Style.”  I often incorporate beads into my designs to give them added dimension.  I have been working in stained glass now for twelve years.

OOOH:  How long have you been working with glass?  What was your first inspiration to begin?

BS:  My interest in the glass medium began many years ago after a visit to the Corning Museum of Glass, and my desire to learn how to make stained glass was DEFINITE after a tour of  the Frank Lloyd Wright home, Fallingwater.  After my youngest child was born, I signed on for a basics course at Lehigh County Community College.  This was the perfect “Mom’s Night Out” for me, I enjoyed it so much that I have continued to make stained glass ever since.  I started experimenting with making jewelry out of the glass scraps simply so I could use them up.  I didn’t want to discard any of the beautiful art glass scraps.  It was very challenging working with the tiny pieces of glass, and working with lead-free solder was much more difficult than I had anticipated.

OOOH:  What continues to inspire your work?

BS:  Coming up with new design ideas and making them work is what keeps me inspired.   I get very excited and motivated when I hear a customer say “I just love that piece I bought,” or ”I always get so many compliments when I wear the necklace you made!”

OOOH:  Within our store, your work ranges from small pins and ornaments to large glass panels.  What work are you most proud of?

BS:  What I am always most proud of seems to be the piece I have just finished at the time.  Right now I have completed a new abstract and earthy panel that is my favorite of the moment.  Mastering the jewelry done in stained glass has been challenging for me and holds my interest as the jewelry fashions change constantly.  I am always happiest when working on a new design, whether it is jewelry or stained glass.

OOOH:  Where do you normally find your glass supplies and equipment?

BS:  Most of my stained glass supplies are purchased at Warner Glass in Allentown, and I am always keeping my eyes open for unusual pieces of vintage glass to incorporate into my work.  I often travel to New York to do some bead shopping and keep up with current fashion trends.

OOOH:  Craft shows are another outlet for your work, and you are often participating in shows around the area.  What are your most successful venues?

BS:  I participate in several shows each year.  My favorite is the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival because it was my very first breakthrough show.  My favorite fall show is the Rockaway Beach Arts & Music Festival where I have many repeat customers there and it is fun to see them each year.  My favorite local show is the Bethlehem Fine Arts show that is held every Mother’s Day weekend.

OOOH:  Do you have any plans for future work?  What would you like to accomplish?

BS:  My future goals are to always progress by creating new designs and improving my skills.  I would like to broaden my business by finding more retail outlets for my work, and  teaching others the craft.

OOOH:  What would be your best advice for someone interested in working with stained glass?  Where should a beginner start?

BS:  My best advice for beginners is to find out the basics of stained glass making before paying for a class and buying all the tools on the list.  Many people I went to class with found it was just not for them after a several hundred dollar investment! If you are already sure it is for you, then a community college course would be an excellent place to start.  You can also find classes at glass shops & art schools.

OOOH:  What sort of quilting do you primarily work in?

LM:  I mostly enjoy geometric-type piecing, and in using triangles and squares that when combined, build a whole picture not seen in only one single block. I am working with a piecing method called Foundation Piecing. This is a technique that allows you to have finer, sharper points and intersections between fabrics. You actually sew upside down, using a printed grid instead of lining up the fabrics against each other.

OOOH:  What do you think sets your work apart from other fabric artists?

LM:  I believe every fabric artist has tried quilting of some sort – I just like the challenge of color combination, and adding embellishment (such as old buttons) to compliment the piece.

OOOH:  How long have you worked with quilting?

LM:  Do I have to admit this? When my children were pre-school, we lived in Lancaster County – almost 25 years ago I made my first wall hanging, and still have it over my piano. It reminds me of how “green” I was, using scraps from clothes I had made for my daughters. Looking at this piece also reminds me of how far I have come with my skills, and encourages me to create unabashed!

OOOH:  Who or what inspired your first quilt, and what continues to inspire you?

LM:  My first whole bed quilt (a queen size log cabin that I hand quilted) was inspired by the Amish quilts I would see when I drove through southern Lancaster County during the day. They were hanging high, airing in the wind, and they just called out to me – you can do this, too!

OOOH:  In our gallery, your work ranges from smaller ornamental creations to large scale wall hangings.  What interesting items have you created in the past?

LM:  I have been asked to do many custom pieces – some successful, and some not so much. It is difficult to envision another person’s thoughts in abstract. One success was for the mother of distant cousin who wanted a wall hanging in a lofted foyer. The pattern she chose was out of my comfort zone, and I was nervous when I brought it to her. She loved it, and that gave me added confidence. It is nice to know something you do pleases others.

OOOH:  Where do you normally find your supplies?  Do you have a favorite supplier?

LM:  I like to shop the fabric department of Good’s Store in Quarryville, PA, and at Shady Maple near Morgantown, PA. My favorite online supplier is Keepsake Quilting in Centre Harbour, NH – where I visited with my family one summer. I was in heaven!

OOOH:  Do you have any new plans for future designs?  What would you like to eventually accomplish?

LM:  I am working on two miniature projects, one a log cabin star, and hope to have them framed and in your shop this season.

OOOH:  What would be your best advice for someone interested in working with fabric?

LM:  Go for it! Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Fabric is an ever changing medium, and there is always something new and exciting out there to sample. You will always have to rip out some seams, re-do some of it, and form a love-hate relationship with it, but in the end, there is great personal satisfaction and solice in basic acts of creativity. When your friends ask why you buy large pieces of fabric, cut them up into smaller pieces and sew them back together again – smile and say “You would not love me any other way!”