Bookmark and Share
Kitchen
What cat lover could resist these three adorable kittens? Let these little guys hold your keys and brighten up your day. 5

Crosby & Taylor
Left Turn wood artist David Yeatts creates unique functional wooden bowls. He began wood turning in 1987 after a career in the food industry. Turning bowls captured his imagination and he has developed a distinctive shape and feel for his bowls. Each beautiful bowl is turned from Ambrosia Maple. Ambrosia Maple takes its name from the pest – the Ambrosia Beetle. All of his bowls are made from trees that have naturally fallen as a result of this pest. This beetle burrows into the wood, killing the tree, and leaving behind the interesting striations amongst the grain of the wood. The marks from the beetle are a distinctive characteristic of his bowls. <br><br> He works from his home studio in Vinton, VA where he has taught his son to turn as well.

Left Turn
Blacksmith Al Stephens worked for almost 20 years in high-production industry in St. Louis, MO. Al was introduced to the art of blacksmithing while on a visit to a historic site in Illinois. He became a volunteer at the 19th century blacksmith shop equipped with bellows, coal forge, anvil, and vise. Over the next several years, many patient smiths helped and encouraged Al to develop his skills. The Stephens moved to Pennsylvania so Al could pursue full-time employment as a blacksmith forging colonial hardware reproductions and custom projects. In 2000, Al and his wife Sylvia started Pequea Valley Forge. They have recently moved to a new home and shop in rural northern Alabama where Al is happily hammering away.

Pequea Valley Forge
The artist couple of Peter Hill and Tara Cafiero started Pink Cloud to extend their love and interest in Art into their community. Today Pink Cloud manufactures beautiful clocks and stationery products designed by this artist team. <br><br> Tara received her BFA in Printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute. Peter received his MFA from the Yale School of Art and his BFA at the Philadelphia College of Art -- both majors in painting. Each artist explores very different styles and interests in their artwork. Peter's interests focus on Architectural elements and emphasis on Design and color format. Tara's work on the other hand explores Symbols and the intuitive worlds in a dream-like style reminiscent of artists such as Klee and Chagall. The artists merged their work into finely hand-crafted clocks, which they began making and marketing in 1992. The artwork and design truly speaks to a wide variety of people.

Pink Cloud
Founded in 2003 by Peter Hewitt, Tea Forté aims to capture the "Art of Tea". They've consulted with chefs and restaurateurs in culinary havens worldwide to create the most innovative and delicious blends of tea with whole leaf teas, rough-cut herbs and flowers. The pyramid infusers crowned with their signature leaf, combined with custom-designed accessories, elevate a cup of tea into an extraordinary experience for all of your senses.

Tea Forte
Matt Thomas is the craftsman behind Thomas Work. His studio is located next to his home on a 13 acre property in the Mountain Lake region of West Virginia. He creates beautiful woodwork with distinctive swoops of inlaid wood. He wakes up early and works long hours, but loves the ability to spend his time at home with his family. A very talented artist, he was recognized by Niche Magazine (http://www.nichemagazine.com/2010/09/matt-thomas/ ) as an emerging craftsman in 2010.

Thomas Works
Travis Berning is originally from Marienthal, Kansas. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Wichita State University in 1995, before continuing to study at the graduate level at the University of North Texas. In 1998 he returned to Kansas to set up his own studio and spent the next five years as a full-time potter traveling and participating in art shows throughout the United States. His work has been exhibited in shows such as Ceramics USA and published in Clay Times and Southern Living. <br><br> When you look at Travis Berning's pottery you can almost feel his life coming through in every facet of his art. His childhood on a farm in Western Kansas made him love the combination of hands-on physicality and sensitivity to nature that is so evident in the strong forms of his pots. In 1991 Travis began his college experience at Garden City Community College on a two-dimensional art scholarship in drawing and painting. After taking a class in ceramics, however, Travis realized he wanted to work with clay. His painting professor urged him to remain in the painting program but it was too late. He had a natural passion for pottery. He now lives and works in the Ashville, NC area.

Treestump Woodworks