“Summer pleasure,” a huge oil painting by contemporary expressionist Christi Dreese of Spring Lake, takes its viewers to a sun-drenched beach with calming blue waters and summery yellow, orange and blue Adirondack chairs beckoning. Just the thought has me feeling calm, relaxed, even pampered. And smiling.
The painting sells for $2,500.
But those same chairs on that same beach are in my sun room, on coasters I bought at a holiday craft fair last year. It’s Dreese’s painting but a lot smaller, in size as well as price. Less than $15.
About six years ago Dreese began sublimation printing, transferring her artwork onto small home goods items. I can’t stop buying.
“Most people love this because it’s west Michigan, and it’s happy artwork,” she says. “It’s bright, and it’s cheery.”
And, with Dreese’s belief that her art is for everyone, it’s now more affordable on coasters, magnets, dishtowels, pot holders, rubber jar openers, mugs, luggage handles, wine stoppers, stickers.
And note cards, my favorites. I’ll be getting several; to write on, yes. But moreso, to frame. My new take-home gift to friends from away who come to visit me.
New this year is Dreese’s Mackinac Island collection with scenes of Arch Rock, Round Island Lighthouse, Mackinac Bridge and more.
For Don Peterson of Montague, it’s all about wood. Reclaimed wood. Among his most stunning pieces are Michigan-shaped cutting boards, typically of the “mitten” and often in butcherblock. His motto: “Michigan grown, Michigan made.”
“The tree still has life in it,” he says. “There’s more to the story. It lives on in someone’s home.”
Terry and Shelly Bosma of Grand Haven work in wood, too. Terry cuts the items, Shelly decorates them. Popular last year were small rectangular wood blocks with pine trees, or pages of Christmas music from hymnals, on the front. But their all-time best sellers have been welcome signs, particularly with live edges.
Grand Haven’s Kim Street creates multi-media fiber art cards with backgrounds done with alcohol ink or zentangle. “Handmade and never duplicated,” she says.
Potter Peg Lepo, also of Grand Haven, offers tree ornaments and magnets, many Michigan-themed. “I make a lot of what I like,” she says. “Things I enjoy. I like giraffes, so I made a giraffe. I like flamingoes, so I made a flamingo. And it went from there.”
Debbie Woessner of Norton Shores works with fabric, upcycling clothing. Think sweaters and jeans jackets that become something a little different, a lot more unique. She says her capes are her best sellers. Capes made from blankets, often with fur collars. One size fits all. “I cannot hang onto them,” she says.
Yarn is the material of choice for knitter Sharon Yonker of Grand Haven, who says she can’t remember when she didn’t knit. She fashions practical winter items – think hats and mittens – that look stylishly chic rather than ordinary. She loves creating Fair Isle items.
Brightly-colored yarn fashioned into crocheted critters by mother-daughter team of Sandy Pearo and Pam Cleveland of Nunica may just produce more smiles than any other booth. In a twist from the usual, it was daughter Cleveland who taught her mother how to crochet. Call them critter-creating crazy; they’ve probably got more animals than does any zoo.
Yes, the holiday craft fair season is already upon us. Many bazaars are at churches or schools or community centers. Just google your area. And go. They’re full of fun. Definitely full of gotta’-have one-of-a-kind items that are pretty easy on the pocketbook.
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