The 2017 Artisan Roster will be announced around April 1st!
Stay tuned!

Artisans 2016

Basketry

Judith Saunders

While traditional basketry techniques are used in Judith’s art pieces, the results are far from traditional. Her vessels are intended to be more sculptural than functional.  The "shell basket" series always starts with an Ocracoke shell that provides a new design challenge.  [email protected]

Collage

Martha Johnson ~ Four Sisters Studios

Martha is a collage artist who draws her inspiration from the natural world around her, her travels far and wide, the words of many authors, and from color and texture itself.  Her collages, cards, and magnets can be found in various local, regional, and national galleries.

Drawing

Stephanie Kiker

Stephanie loves her life as an island girl.  Her island happens to be Hatteras Island, N. C., where she is literally immersed in the textures, colors, patterns, shapes, and movements that you will find in her soft pastel, color pencil/ink and silk painting. When not at the drawing board, Stephanie is likely kitesurfing or surfing...doing a little market research! www.stephaniekiker.com

Kim Mosher

Cape Hatteras Color Pencil Artist Kim Mosher draws detailed fish & wildlife designs. Her children's book “My Rainy Day Cat" written by Kevin McCabe, has been a great success. Kim also designed the 2016 Ocrafolkfest Artwork! www.kimmosherdesigns.com

Glass

Karen Jefferson

Karen has been creating stained glass pieces for the almost 25 years. She enjoys using mixed media in her artwork such as furniture, driftwood, lamps, mirrors and mosaic pieces.  Her inspiration is mostly nature and nautical themes but she also does custom pieces. Much of her work incorporates shells and driftwood from the local beaches of Ocracoke Island.  [email protected]

Karen Casey Fused Glass Designs

Karen Casey and her husband, Arlen Custer are Durham NC artists who have studied and worked with glass for over 30 years. They design fused glass jewelry, hair accessories, vases, dishes, clocks, mirrors, functional tables, and funky art pieces!  Use of a saw and a combination of dichroic and other glass give them their unique look. Designs from elegant to wild! They have enjoyed figuring out how to carefully layer glass to drip off the kiln edge to create waterfalls on tables! They enjoy traveling and exhibiting at art shows regionally especially with music!
Karen is Market Manager for the Durham Craft Market and is also a speech language pathologist and member of a West African drum group. Arlen also works as a sound engineer and especially enjoys producing live recordings. www.KarenCaseyFusedGlass.com

Nana Glass

Colors fascinate Nancy Alderidge.  Through fused glass, she shares the wonder of colors with light. Dichroic glass (glass that appears to have more than one color simultaneously) is featured in her creations. Each piece is of her own design and completely unique.  [email protected]

Jewelry

Pembroke Bryant

Pembroke is an artist and professionally trained goldsmith who receives inspiration from the natural beauty and history of authentic sea glass. He uses that inspiration to make fine jewelry featuring rare sea glass in its found state from his home studio on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
www.SeaSandAndHand.com

Mattie Cordio ~ Imperfectionz Art

Mattie has been working with polymer clay for 10 years. She thinks it is an amazing medium to use, and enjoys being able to create one of a kind beads and sculptures.
   www.facebook.com/pages/Imperfectionz-art-studio/109630629207387?ref=hl

Joy Hannan /KiDoodles

Joy fabricates each of her pieces one at a time using hand tools. She cuts her designs using a thin bladed jeweler’s saw, then solders them together with an oxygen and propane torch, adding wire for hair and other details. She sometimes solders as much as 50 times on one piece; then adds patinas and textures with a flex shaft. Lastly, she gives them names.
She works in sterling, gold, and mokume, and uses genuine stones. Mermaids and other fantastical beings are her specialty.  www.kidoodles.com

Juniper Bay Metals & April Trueblood

Juniper Bay Metals is the handcrafted jewelry work of NC artist Staci Sawyer Phebus. Staci was born and raised in Coastal NC. As the daughter of a lifelong commercial fisherman, she has a deep appreciation for our precious coastline. Staci resides in Raleigh with her husband Jason and pup Oliver. www.juniperbaymetals.com

Hatteras Island resident April Trueblood is the owner of the art gallery at Indiantown in Frisco. Her 's pop art jewelry and accessories are not to be missed. She is also the creator of our festival icon octopus!

Delaney's Bead Designs

Delaney Goldberg is currently a full time college student with two jobs and she makes jewelry on the side! She started making jewelry when she was 8 and in the hospital with brain cancer. She began her journey when her 3rd grade teacher brought her a beading kit. She has advanced from plastic beads and stretchy sting to glass and wire. She has been doing the Ocrafolk Festival since she can remember. She is now cancer free and doing great! [email protected]

Crystal Blackmon ~ Empty Nest Studio

Crystal Blackmon of Empty Nest Studio designs jewelry using a creative fusion of locally sourced organic elements. Seashells and beach finds are cast using precious metals then incorporated into jewelry complimented by pearls, glass and gemstones.
www.facebook.com/Empty-Nest-Studio-Gallery

Tara Grey

Ocracoke resident Tara came to the island 20 years ago on vacation with her parents and it was love at first sight. She immediately found a job and a place to live, since then she’s been back and forth. She finished college, earning a degree in design and photography from the Evergreen State College. The decade after college was a whirlwind of movie jobs, locations, moving, traveling, movies stars, studios in LA, but her heart called her back to sweet Ocracoke.  Over the years her creations have been featured in various Ocracoke shops and galleries.  In 2012 she decided to follow her heart and now devotes her life to living on an Island and being an artist. She opened her own shop, Bead by the Sea in 2015, which has temporarily closed and will reopen again in a new location.
www.etsy.com/shop/TaraGreyDesigns

Fire & Fox ~ Jessica Hoodak

Jessica lives here on Ocracoke. She started making jewelry about three years ago, mostly focusing on electroforming using found sea glass and natural gemstones. She also does some acid etching on cuff bracelets. www.fireandfox.etsy.com

Tangled Turtle

Rosalyn Kutchins is a part time resident of Oriental, NC. Her studio sits on the bank of beautiful Broad Creek, a tributary of the Neuse River near the southern end of Pamlico Sound. She enjoys creating unique pieces of glass and incorporating them into unique wearable or functional art that reflect the beauty of Eastern North Carolina.

YouMeUsDesigns

Robin Macek makes hand-sewn gemstone/beaded leather wrap bracelets and cuffs, hand-knotted gemstone necklaces, micro-macramé beaded watches and bracelets, sterling silver gemstone rings, earrings, and beaded bracelets. She takes inspiration from the decades of my youth - the 60's and 70's, and by the gorgeous natural surroundings of her home in Southeastern North Carolina.  A lot of her bracelets have a theme such as a day at the beach or a walk in the garden. She thinks jewelry should be fun and reflect your personality; and like life, it shouldn't be taken too seriously, so she tries to make people smile!

Other Mediums

SeaCatchers by Beth Fleishaker

Beth's art is inspired by the beautiful beaches of the Outer Banks and the treasures she finds during her frequent beach walks. She makes a variety of products that she calls "Sea Catchers", jewelry and home decor made of colorful wire, glass beads, and shells. Beth also creates a variety of decoupage items, including marble coasters, boxes and small furniture pieces, all with colorful beach or nature inspired themes. Many of Beth's products feature her own photography and include images such as the lighthouses, marine life, wild horses and flowers found at the Outer Banks.
www.facebook.com/pages/SeaCatchers/431356537033424

Amy Draws

Amy Friend is a draftsman. Life experiences and challenges are what drives her creativity, questions, and self-exploration. Her work, rooted in foundations and process, delves into the complexities of life, the world around her, and the way the two fit together. Through drawing, painting and collage, she creates a context for this exploration. She has studied Fine Art and Design around the country and abroad, and currently is creating in Wendell, NC. www.amydraws.com

The Glass Garden

Karen Mason handcrafts copper garden sculptures and glass garden panels. Growing up along the beaches of North Carolina inspired her love of nature and the sea.  She strives to bring her visions of whimsical beauty to life in colorful garden creations. www.facebook.com/TheGlassGarden

Marion Holmes ~ Hollow Compass Arts

As a folk artist/wind chime sculptor, Marion’s intent is to be a co-conspirator with time and nature, to bring attention to the process of weathering, endurance, change, integration-disintegration, and the softening beauty of things left out in the elements. She is a native North Carolinian with a background in surf-travel, a professional modern dancer/teacher, visual artist, and poet.
hollowcompassarts.weebly.com

Kim Meacham ~ Milk Street Soaps

Milk Street Soap Co. believes in preposterous organic bubbles, shower blooming symphonies of aromatic scents, nurturing moisture, lasting quality and Earth conscience handcrafting.  They use only the best and most thoughtful ingredients in their products.  Viva simple luxuries!  Yay!
WARNING:  May be Habit Forming!!  MilkStreetSoap.com

Sarah Setzco ~ Cheek to Cheek

Sarah Setzco has been professionally face painting for three years, using high quality, FDA approved, skin-friendly face paints. Her designs range from simple cheek creations to full face "embrace the paint" artwork.  252-917-2998 www.facebook.com/CheekToCheekFacePainting

Spinfinite Designs

Based on Hatteras Island, Randi & Blake specialize in original paintings & prints~ handmade hula hoops~ hair fascinators~ wire wrapped pendants~ spin-art records~ hand-painted hats~ upcycled artwork & wear~ and more! Each piece is one-of-a-kind and made with nothing but loving intentions & skilled freehand craftsmanship.
When they're not busy creating goodies, you can find them combing the beaches, fishing or in the water. Randi is also a professional fire hoop dancer and face painter!
www.spinfinitedesigns.com

Painting

Artworks by Douglas Hoover

North Carolina artist Douglas Hoover enjoys creating colorful paintings with oils on canvas. His work consists of urban-inspired city scenes as well as coastal scenes of Ocracoke and surrounding coastal towns. Douglas' original oil paintings are currently shown in several galleries and are also available at art festivals he attends.  www.douglashoover.com

Barbara Adams

Barbara has been a long-time island resident and volunteer for Ocracoke's National Park Service. Born in Kentucky, student of nature and drawing, she was inspired by Ocracoke's wild beauty, and made her home here with husband Don and their Airedales. Seeing the wild pony herd, birds and turtles is a focal point for many of her paintings and prints. For Barbara each day becomes a new adventure in life and art. [email protected]

Robert Chestnut

Robert is a painter and printmaker living on Ocracoke island NC. He grew up here so much of his work is influenced by island life, the ocean, and beach. Much of his subject matter is of fish and sea life. He first knew he wanted to create art after taking an art class in the 4th grade at Ocracoke School, and his interest led him to a Fine arts degree from Jacksonville University in Florida. Robert is constantly trying new ways to create an image with his printmaking. The majority of his prints are copper etchings, but he also does woodcuts, screen-printing and lino cuts. His preferred painting medium is oil paints, and he uses brush strokes to show as much texture as possible. Vibrant bold colors can be seen throughout his work.

Benjamin Downing

Ben is an impressionist oil painter; mostly still life and landscape. He began late in life, having retired as a US Army Lieutenant Colonel (aviation). He learned by studying with artists he admires, either one- on- one (the late Charles Kello) or in a workshop environment (Rick Reinert and Perry Austin). He has also read Richard Schmid and has been inspired by Quang Ho’s DVD series.

On My Travels ~ Manda Holden

Manda has lived in NC for 20 years, recently moving to Ocracoke. She creates very small pen and watercolor original paintings which are little snapshots of places she loves in NC, focusing primarily on Ocracoke scenes. She sources all of her tiny frames from thrift stores to support local nonprofits. Every piece is original and unique; a little piece of NC to take home. She repaints all the frames in soft ocean colors with a salty, distressed patina. Originally from Cornwall in UK, Ocracoke is the closest place to home for Manda.
www.facebook.com/onmytravels

Photography

Ocracoke Island Creations

Trudy Austin and John Simpson own and operate Ocracoke Island Creations. Native and resident, with over 30 years’ experience in photography, Trudy has focused her work on nature, wildlife and Ocracoke's landmarks. John has family roots long anchored in Ocracoke's history. His creative talents include decoy carving, woodworking, photography and painting. 509-930-4988

Don Bowers Photography

Don has been a Hatteras Island fixture since 1966 and learned photography while working on the Sea Chest magazine in high school. He is currently the staff photographer for the Island Free Press, which nominated him for a Pulitzer for his work. Don also freelances for regional and national publications. [email protected]

Pottery

Oak Trace Pottery

Fun and functional pottery! Self-taught potter Christy Eubank owns the Raleigh Street Gallery, located in Siler City, NC.  Working out of the Gallery, she makes functional items from stoneware clay, often adding a fun twist to a pot!  She uses a variety of glaze colors & combinations, resulting in a colorful display. 336-669-6754 [email protected]

Textile/Fibre Arts

Vicky Lowe

Originally from England Vicky Lowe worked for thirteen years as a textile and dinnerware designer in New York City. In 2011, with a passion for the ocean, she moved to Hatteras Island and began her own line of Home Textiles, "A Good Catch." She sells her limited edition watercolor prints and textiles in galleries across the Outer banks and online at www.agoodcatch.us
Vicky continues to travel designing dinnerware for major retailers and manufacturers worldwide.

Creative Fiber Art by Lisa S Winslow

Lisa uses raw fleece (sheep's wool) that she hand-dyes; and either wet felt as in her birdhouses, needle felt as in her sculptures or/and nuno-felt combing silk and wool into a finished piece. She says that these raw fibers are a joy to work with and using a little water and soap or a barbed needle, one can make a solid fabric that can be cut with scissors and will never unravel. There is no crocheting or knitting in any of her work, and all of pieces are one-of-a-kind.

Jen Ray

Handmade clothing and accessories from recycled items.  Jen turns t-shirts into skirts and neckties into dresses. Amazing patchwork pants and backpacks for the guys. Most clothing is "one size", adjustable, or reversible. New in 2016: baby clothes!

Wood

Saw Dust

Crawford Evans has always loved working with wood and making sawdust. He has been a resident of Dare County for over 40 years, and after retiring from his retail business of 25 years, he finally has the time to indulge.  Crawford's hand-crafted benches, chests, swings, cabinets and tables are all built with wood from his brother's SC property: red oak, white oak, hickory, cherry, maple, poplar, black walnut, pine and red cedar. www.crawford-sawdust.com

Quite Contrary Artwork ~ Courtney and Alfredo Contreras

Freddy makes handcrafted and restored pallet furniture. He has made amazing headboards, kitchen islands, and coffee tables. He is currently working on a project (a bar/huge host stand) at Ocracoke Oyster Company and it can be viewed at any time! Courtney makes pallet signs that have quotes or sayings that are inspirational to her, and decorates them with handmade roses made from old book pages that have been stained with tea leaves. She also makes some beach-themed signs with sea shells, signs with roses made from maps and lyric sheets with quotes to match, signs for children, and special collaged bookmarks. www.facebook.com/quitecontrary

John Moore

John has been making toys for 40 yrs.  First with wood collected from the beaches of Ocracoke.  Since this wood is no longer available, the toys are now made of white pine painted with non-toxic paints.  He loves Ocracoke and making toys, so I get to combine both at this festival.