Edmonds Arts Festival

Over Father’s Day we went to the Art Festival in Edmonds, WA and had a great time. Our 6 year old daughter had a painting on display for her school and there were a lot of promising artists to be seen from the multitude of children’s art. 

There were lots of choices in food, great household decorating from wall art to items to snazzy up the garden. It was easy enough to find a wish list big enough to empty one’s bank account! For those of you who have followed my blog, you know jewelry and stones have a very special place in my heart.

There were probably 20 or more jewelry artists on hand myself not being one of them. The jewelry ranged from crafty kitsch to commercial in efforts, but as always there were a few I found that had something in their design or artistic endeavors different worth mentioning.

I found a very earthy and fun artist in Zena McCoy who runs Semilla designs, she crafts jewelry from various unique seeds. While looking great is one thing, but how about light weight? Yes I hardly noticed what I tried on, this is definitely jewelry that will not weigh you down.

I also found a sweetheart of an artist in Mandy Allen who runs Allen metal arts out of Protland, Or.  She had clean contemporary work with lots of color and urban style. She was open to explaining her processes and was really someone who cares about their work.

The display ran by Dale and Karen Snyder was a fun three dimensional treat. They used weaved, knotted, and twisted metal wire. Around glass, stone, and even covered the ground from precision to freeform work. As a couple they were funny, engaging and warm, that lent a lot to how their display felt and definitely made you want to stay!  They will be happy to see you at Ential River Glass & Jewelry

Alice Macdonald runs Chrysalis and has a real eye and execution to let you into a world of fantasy. Her jewelry has a bit of free form to it, but it is really one of the few artistic designs that I felt merited a real shot in the arm. Her designs are like stepping into another time and place, one where you do not have to be yourself. Her art is as special as the best costumes are, in the way they can take you away to somewhere else. Her vision is hers and anyone of us would be lucky to own one of her matched sets!

There were a few artists like Beate Degen, her work was great and earthy, but I really felt you all need to catch her work while you can! Her work is so underpriced it is a steal for all of us! Catch her work at shows and earthworthjewels.com.

I must say Vincent LaRochelle was like a throwback to a time of innocence. His work reminded me of when artists had the ability to be openly free, more than our daily routines in the modern era can provide.  The one thing I feel most people will not see in his work is the quality and uniqueness of the stones he cuts. Hands down he had the best colors and vision in his cuts and choices. Go see his work at Designslarochelle.com.

Terrance Deemer and his partner Michele Black had very modern visions and organic styling. The magnetic clasps they had designed were so simple and solid and that set them apart from anything else at the show that was even in a similar vein. Catch their work at upcoming shows and at esoterica-id.com.

Outside of jewelry I have to mention Pamela Milewski of Merry Canyon Studio. Her wood work was clean and precise but had such a great feel it even made my artist husband stop and really look. From furniture to decorating her work is at home and is a joy to look at. Yes you can have functional cabinets and small trunks, dark woods and light woods, all of which is very, very special. See her work at merrycanyonstudio.com.