Whidbey Islanders are the luckiest of gift-givers. They reap the rewards of the fawning praise and gratitude from the besotted friends and family on whom they bestow something made by a local artist.
Savvy island shoppers know that there is a veritable bounty of exquisite items that have been crafted with elf-like precision by the many highly-skilled artists who quietly while away the hours working their magic in the wooded hollows of South Whidbey.
The Friends of Freeland annual Arts and Crafts Sale at Freeland Hall is the place to be this weekend to find this unique trove of treasures. From 9 a.m to 5 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, shoppers can find everything they need to adorn, gift and feed their family and friends through this holiday season.
The spark that created Friends of Freeland occurred when Freeland area residents saw the need for a local group that could undertake small projects that would have an immediate impact on the quality of life in Freeland.
In the spring of 2001 a board of directors was elected, and Friends of Freeland was formed as a non-profit organization.
The mission of Friends of Freeland is to provide leadership and a public forum for the conservation, enhancement and preservation of land and natural resources, the visual environment, wildlife and its habitat in order to improve and maintain the quality of life in Freeland.
The annual Arts and Crafts Sale is one way Friends of Freeland has combined their mission to enhance the area while supporting the many artists who cherish the sanctuary of the island that inspires the work they produce.
Many of these local working artists are members of Friends of Freeland and support each other in their grassroots efforts to see Freeland thrive as a healthy community.
For this event, Friends of Freeland provides a full staff that sets up and sells the artists’ work during the sale. Artists receive 70 percent of proceeds from sales, while Friends of Freeland reaps the other 30 percent. In this way, both the artists eking out a living on the island and the community which they value and want to protect, are nourished.
So, not only will shoppers benefit by being the classiest gift-givers of the season, but they will also be benefiting a community that is reaching for the kind of modest utopia that has nothing to do with malls and the commercial nightmare that some feel have stolen the joy out of holiday shopping.
The Friends of Freeland sale features local ceramics, blown and fused glass, garden art, metal art, handmade books, jewelry, photography, paintings, woodcarvings, holiday arrangements, dolls, wearable art, fine textiles and more.
Peggy Juve’s booth will feature her “Toppers and Wrappers,†items to adorn the heads and necks of many a fashionable islander. Fabulously fun, fleece hats reveal Juve’s knack for geometric design and her painter’s eye for color. Her classy scarves are wonderfully unique in that she uses both new and vintage fabrics to create eclectic combinations of color and patterns for these silky soft neck trimmers.
If it’s a potter’s piece you crave, check out Joan Govedare’s raku-fired, hand-painted pots. A ceramic artist of more than 30 years, Govedare’s designs are influenced by her astronomer father – her studio is called Night Sky Studio – and the current series explores the myths, astronomy and astrology of the twelve months of the year.
Amazingly, Govedare accurately renders whole constellations on these evocative and delicate vessels.
The wonderful world of blown glass is represented by several of the island’s glassblowing specialists.
Amazingly, there are at least 30 artists working in “hot shops†just on South Whidbey alone and islanders are very lucky to have some of the best glass artists in the world designing these exquisite pieces right in their own backyard.
Island Art Glass of Freeland features the designs of Janis Swalwell, created by glassblowers Rob Adamson and Bob Hodges. Browsing through the fine collection of ornaments, vases, lamps, stemware and all manner of elegant glass, it feels like walking through a candy-colored dream of beautifully realized art. The pieces from Island Art Glass will surely put shoppers in a merry mood for holiday festivities.
Anna Mastronardi’s paintings are stories of color and light on canvas. Landscapes and wildlife from all over Washington influence her work as seen in the painting, “Wild Blue Yonder,†of a great blue heron ascending. The painting will be on sale and Mastronardi would like to see the piece adorn the walls of the new Freeland library, a donation from a buyer she says that would speak to the preservation of the wetlands that is part of the mission of Friends of Freeland.
Mastronardi will also have smaller pieces on sale, including a series of cards using colored pencil that are a combination art piece and recipe card and that are quite beautiful.
She is offering a two-hour, painting workshop for some lucky artist, as well. This will be a hands-on, private class to take place in her studio, deep in the woods of Freeland. Look for the item at the table where her work is being sold.
Tastebuds will be treated, too, at Freeland Hall by some of the best culinary artists who are loved by mainlanders and islanders alike. George Brunjes is the name behind “Chocolates by George,†South Whidbey’s very own chocolatier. He creates devishly delectable treats that provide that fabulous final touch to holiday meals, or, perhaps, a special surprise in the stocking of that die-hard chocolate lover.
“Pie for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner,†is Shirlee Read’s answer to providing sweet and savory masterpiece pies for everyone.
Out of Read’s wonderful baker’s kitchen in the woods comes beautiful pies for every occasion. Her pre-frozen, endless array of fruit pies — including apple crumb, marionberry and pumpkin — sell for $16, and the take-and-bake savory chicken or classic meat pies are $20. Both are an easy way to save some time and impress friends.
Read also provides choices for vegetarians, including roasted veggie pie and carmelized onion quiche.
Read uses only the best ingredients, of course. But the true sign that these pies will taste delicious is that Read genuinely enjoys the enterprise of making pies and they sell like hotcakes, or… well, they sell fast. Read sold 100 pies in two hours on the last Fourth of July and that pleased her. And a happy baker makes a tasty pie!
Think about making someone happy this holiday by buying local at the Friends of Freeland sale.
Freeland Hall is located at 1515 Shoreview Ave., Freeland.
Patricia Duff can be reached at 221-5300 or www.pduff@southwhidbeyrecord.com.
