John Scarffe, Coal Creek Canyon. Coal Creek Canyon artists and vendors gathered for the Annual Spring Arts and Crafts sale at the Coal Creek Canyon Improvement Association June 7 from 6pm to 9pm and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. The annual events take place during the second weekend in June and the weekend before Thanksgiving. The Mountain Artisans Guild also conducted drawings for door prizes. 

 About 15 artists and vendors filled the Association building for the sale. At the front of the room, Jimmy Freeman with Wabi-Sabi Metals Studio, LLC, displayed jewelry fabricated by hand with attention to detail, and each piece is unique. 

Freeman has a studio in Pinecliffe. “I love working with metals and semi-precious gemstones, combining techniques of metalsmithing, stone setting, beading and wire wrapping to handcraft jewelry for men and women,” he said.

Tom Cowherd with Nature’s Elements had his jewelry display set up in a corner. Cowherd, who lives in Gilpin County above Black Hawk, makes one-of-a-kind jewelry from copper and silver. Cowherd obtains polished rocks and then sets them in silver and copper with solder. 

Both Freeman and Cowherd purchase their polished rocks primarily from vendors both locally and throughout the country. Cowherd once traveled to New Zealand to collect stones but can’t afford that on a regular basis.

Kathy Bremers brought her water color and acrylic paintings. She has lived in Ward, Nederland and, most recently, Coal Creek Canyon for five years.

Phylleri Ball with Three Sisters Weaving also specializes in yarn work, dying, knitting and weaving and also creates artisan soaps. She weaves hats, scarves, shawls, robes and hand bags. Ball said her older sister taught her to weave, and her younger sister bought her first loom.

Other artisans and vendors displayed pottery, clothes and artwork. They included Gilpin Clay Studio, Potter Musette Young from Golden, specializing in ceramics and stained glass and Gabrielle Gewirtz with functional art and decorative ceramics.

The next Mountain Artisans Guild Arts and Crafts Sale will convene during the weekend before Thanksgiving.

(Originally published in the June 13, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)